Vegaspilgrim: what is student body response to ASU/Obama incident? (Phoenix: house, school)

[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

[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.

Third, I haven't been following the story, and I don't really care either. But since you asked me, I'd say your post is clearly a bunch of ideological, liberal hogwash. Obama doesn't deserve any special "honors" for anything. He's still brand new at the job, he hasn't done anything worth honoring so far. If you feel the need to honor someone in regards to "the first African American president," honor the American people who voted him into office.

[azriverfan.]

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 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.

Third, I haven't been following the story, and I don't really care either. But since you asked me, I'd say your post is clearly a bunch of ideological, liberal hogwash. Obama doesn't deserve any special "honors" for anything. He's still brand new at the job, he hasn't done anything worth honoring so far. If you feel the need to honor someone in regards to "the first African American president," honor the American people who voted him into office.

What are you talking about? First of all, I didn't know what your opinion on this issue was so I wasn't accusing you of anything ie "calling you out." I was under the assumption that you were still a student at ASU and was curious what the student body response was. Sometimes, the student body response differs from the administrations' view. I was simply asking for you because you are the only ASU student that I know on here. There is no need to read into it any more than that. If I knew you graduated, I wouldn't have created this thread. I had a long absense from this forum so forgive me if I didn't check here daily to see when you graduated; unfortunately I'm a physician and my patients took more precedence than you at the time. I just read a recent post in which you said you still didn't have a job lined up before you graduated so I assumed you were still at ASU. I'm sorry I didn't realize you were referring to USC. I should have known that, forgive me.

But yes, I still feel the university is being absolutely ridiculous on this issue. So being a U.S. Senator and a state senator isn't worthy of consideration? And what about the fact that ASU awarded similar degrees to people with less body of work. It was nice to see that you put some thought into your response.

[Ponderosa]

Why would Obama need a degree from ASU? I am sure there is plenty of Charmin at the White House.

[he's so hott]

Originally Posted by Ponderosa

Why would Obama need a degree from ASU? I am sure there is plenty of Charmin at the White House.

Now, now!

[azriverfan.]

Originally Posted by Ponderosa

Why would Obama need a degree from ASU? I am sure there is plenty of Charmin at the White House.

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.

[he's so hott]

It does make ASU look bad and I hate to see that b/c some of the finest people I know are somewhat recent grads from there. I just wonder how Obama feels about the slight. It would be interesting to hear his thoughts.

[azriverfan.]

Originally Posted by he's so hott

It does make ASU look bad and I hate to see that b/c some of the finest people I know are somewhat recent grads from there. I just wonder how Obama feels about the slight. It would be interesting to hear his thoughts.

I was disheartened as well. I was impressed with ASU for asking Obama to give the speech and then they do something as stupid as this which just reflects poorly on them and now is making them the butt of jokes nationally speaking. CNN and the national media is very critical of ASU right now. I think the university has changed their mind but only after they humilated themselves first. I will be honest, if they did this to Bush, I would have a similar reaction. It just makes ASU look pretty classless. You don't ask the President to give the commencement speech and not honor him with a degree.

[vegaspilgrim]

azriverfan., no hard feelings, as I actually like reading a lot of your posts, especially your recent one about Phoenix vs. LA. Right on the money. Wanted to give you a rep point for that but my quota was already maxed. No one's expecting you to keep up to date with anybody here. But if you're going to take the time to start a new thread with my name in the title, you could take the time to click on my user name, "Find all posts by vegaspilgrim," and do a cursory scan of even the search summary listing of my 10 latest posts and get the full story. You'd see I pretty much only post on the LA (where I'm doing a one year stint) and Denver (my hometown and permanent home) forums now, only stopping into Phoenix once in a while. But no worries, just forget it.

In any case, I think "honorary degrees" are one of the stupidest things ever invented. If it's just about keeping parity with similar people ASU has honored in the past, then sure, might as well extend it to Obama. I fail to see the point of making a big stink about one way or the other. I don't think anybody should get an award just because they happen to be black, which is essentially what you propose. ASU did the right thing if it means the media will now get off their back. Oh, and Ponderosa, Obama doesn't need any "honorary degree" from any school in Arizona, whether that's from ASU or Nogales Tech (oops-- I meant U of A).

[roundball]

Originally Posted by azriverfan.

I will be honest, if they did this to Bush, I would have a similar reaction. It just makes ASU look pretty classless. You don't ask the President to give the commencement speech and not honor him with a degree.

I agree 100%. I'm not a very big fan of our last President. He was still the President.

I looked at the ASU paper. Their website sucks. Home | ASU Web Devil - ASU's Online News Source Maybe I need to look at it again with IE.