Vegaspilgrim: what is student body response to ASU/Obama incident?

[AnUnidentifiedMale]

Originally Posted by vegaspilgrim

In any case, I think "honorary degrees" are one of the stupidest things ever invented.

I totally agree with this. I've never understood why an "honorary degree" has any significance at all. Seems like a waste of paper to me.

[SteelCityRising]

At least ASU is giving our president a warm reception. Notre Dame officials have invited President Obama to speak at their graduation ceremony as well, and many students, bishops, townspeople, etc. have been protesting because they don't want a "liberal" to be a speaker at a Catholic university.

[mikec34]

Originally Posted by azriverfan.

It's about respect, that's all. He is the President of the United States. If I'm asking Obama or George W. Bush to give a commencement speech, I'm going to award them with an honorary degree. It has nothing to do with my political views. I think George W. Bush was arguably the worst President of all time but if I was the president of ASU and asked him to give a commencement speech, I would not hesitate to award him with an honorary degree out of respect and appreciation for giving the commencement speech. If someone wants to read into this and make this a partisan issue so be it but that has nothing to do with it. It's just about showing respect to the person providing the commencement speech.

I think Ponderosa was calling ASU's degree sh** paper (Charmin).

[Ponderosa]

They said on NBC news that ASU had reversed itself. If they haven't, they will. It's still a month away and they are aware of what a public relations mess this has been already.

[mikec34]

Originally Posted by azriverfan.

Vegaspilgrim

I understand you are a senior at ASU. What is the student body's position toward ASU not awarding an honorary degree to Obama? I know in the past, the student body has directly opposed views by Michael Crow and the adminstration regarding issues. How do they view this recent incident?

Personally, I think this is a black mark and an embarrassment for the university. They were lucky that Obama even agreed to speak at your commencement. That was a major coup for you guys. However, now you throw it in his face by failing to recognize him for a "body of work." I can understand and accept that reasoning if ASU has been consistent with that policy in regards to award past recipients of honorary degrees. However, in the past, the university has awarded honorary degrees to people with a lot less body of work. Being a state senator, a U.S. senator and President would qualify Obama in light of the others who have been awarded honorary degrees from ASU. I mean ASU is not Harvard. Where do they get the temerity to not honor the first African American President of the United States with an honorary degree especially if he was gracious enough to speak at your commencement? The university should be ashamed. This is embarrassing for the state. Michael Crow should get his head out of his @$@# and wake up! Seriously, how incompetent can the ASU administration be. Hopefully the student body stands up and opposes this stupidity. CNN reported the university was reconsidering its decision; hopefully that is the case.

And before people turn this into a political partisan issue, I want people to understand that I would award an honorary doctorate to a conservative like Newt Gingrich. Even though I oppose Newt's ideas, I still respect him as a former Speaker of the House and an accomplished person. Regardless of your personal opinion of Obama, he is still an accomplished individual and I think he should be honored for his achievements. It's just about respect

Because he is half white and half black, he should be eligible? I disagree that this should make him more eligible.

ASU will probably go ahead and give him one anyways, so don't loose too much steam over it. "Whoever controls the media, controls the mind".

Here's a link with some that did get one:
Obama And ASU: Who Has Received An Honorary Degree?



If the list is accurate, it appears they've given them to Native-Americans, African-Americans, European-Americans/Canadians, Hispanic-Americans, Women, and even a Chinese national. By the looks of that mixed bag, I don't think they care much about race and probably didn't consider him being half white and half black a big enough reason.

Now, if we consider his 'other' qualifications compared to some on that list, then I would agree it is very shocking that they at least weren't going to do this initially. This could be one of those embarrasing moments for Arizona if Obama turns out to be a great president. Either way, though, it will just be another talking point on MSNBC for the next 8 years, or until they get financial donors to back away from ASU.

[mikec34]

I just figured it out! Mr. McCain is behind this! This is the only way he could get revenge! ;-] Only teasing on this oh so very serious issue.

[Lovehound]

Originally Posted by azriverfan.

Vegaspilgrim

I understand you are a senior at ASU. What is the student body's position toward ASU not awarding an honorary degree to Obama?...

You have a lot of nerve calling somebody out who has nothing to do with the ASU decision.

Originally Posted by vegaspilgrim

Whoaa!!!!!!

First of all calling out forum members is against the TOS.

Second, I'm no longer a student at ASU. I graduated May of last year. This year I'm living in LA, in a one year master's degree program at USC. I've made that pretty clear for anybody who has read any of my posts since I left Phoenix last May.

Hell, I knew that. I'm a vegaspilgrim fan. He's in Los Angeles. He makes great posts!

Azriverfan, you should just make your posts without choosing somebody off.

Gawd I hate it when I see my username in a topic title. I don't know if it's against the C-D rules but I find it damned annoying when it's my username in the title.

I don't give a rat's ass who gets honorary degrees and who doesn't.

[azriverfan.]

Vegaspilgrim

Normally I would do a search but as I said earlier, I read a recent post of yours in which you said you were going to graduate soon and I knew you attended ASU last year so I assumed you were referring to ASU. Regardless, why didn't you simply just state that you were no longer a student there and leave it at that? You should also spend a little more time reading posts before responding as this hostility could have been easily avoided had you paid more attention reading my thread. It's clear from your response that you misunderstood my intentions and assumed the purpose of this thread was to attack you.

Regarding this issue, I think honorary degrees are worthless as well. However, the issue is about respect. We don't have many universities in this state and ASU represents Arizona and the city of Phoenix to some degree. He is the President of the United States which is an accomplishment and a position worthy of respect regardless of his political views. My point is if President Obama lacked a significant body of work to warrant receiving an honorary degree then why did ASU invite him to speak in the first place if they felt that way?

Nonetheless, congratulations for graduating from ASU and now attending USC for your masters degrees. I'm a fan of both schools

[azriverfan.]

Originally Posted by mikec34

Because he is half white and half black, he should be eligible? I disagree that this should make him more eligible.

ASU will probably go ahead and give him one anyways, so don't loose too much steam over it. "Whoever controls the media, controls the mind".

Here's a link with some that did get one:
Obama And ASU: Who Has Received An Honorary Degree?



If the list is accurate, it appears they've given them to Native-Americans, African-Americans, European-Americans/Canadians, Hispanic-Americans, Women, and even a Chinese national. By the looks of that mixed bag, I don't think they care much about race and probably didn't consider him being half white and half black a big enough reason.

Now, if we consider his 'other' qualifications compared to some on that list, then I would agree it is very shocking that they at least weren't going to do this initially. This could be one of those embarrasing moments for Arizona if Obama turns out to be a great president. Either way, though, it will just be another talking point on MSNBC for the next 8 years, or until they get financial donors to back away from ASU.

I think there is a great deal of historical significance that he is the first African American president but I accept and understand your reasoning that someone shouldn't be honored simply for their race.

I'm not basing my opinion on the media's as you are implying. As I mentioned earlier, I'm fine with ASU's reasoning as long as they consistently applied that reasoning to past candidates which we can see they haven't. Based on their candidates in the past, that reasoning doesn't apply to everyone and many were granted honorary degrees for experience that was similar to Obama's. I fail to see why the university would take such a stand on a public issue that was bound to raise controversy particularly when they have made exceptions in the past with regard to body of work.

[azriverfan.]

Originally Posted by Lovehound

You have a lot of nerve calling somebody out who has nothing to do with the ASU decision.

Yeah, I really called him out.

I assumed he was a student at ASU and wanted to know what the general student opinion was regarding this issue. It would be the equivalent of asking a current student at Memphis how the student body felt about Calipari after he chose to leave for Kentucky. He is the only ASU student I am familiar with on these forums. That is why I asked for him in particular. But somehow that translates to me calling him out and accusing him of personifying ASU. You have lovely reading comprehension skills