It happens every year, regardless of the party in power.
Someone is chosen to speak at a high school or college graduation. The speaker has some unpopular views. The graduates protest.
The U.S. Secretary of Education spoke at the Bethune Cookman graduation last week. Some shouted. Others turned their backs. More chose to walk out.
I'll let you in on a little secret. Commencement addresses are the most overrated speeches in American history. They are forgotten about five minutes after their completion, maybe sooner. Graduates are just sitting there, wondering about the post graduation party and then finding a job. Parents ponder how they're going to pay for it all. Everyone is looking at their watches and the exits.
A county court judge spoke at my high school graduation. Great guy, but I don't remember a word he said. Some expert on world hunger spoke at my college graduation. I don't remember a word she said. Perfectly relevant. Droning on, while we all wondered how we were going to earn a paycheck.
The speeches are all the same anyway. Work hard. Play hard. Family comes first. Be good citizens. be kind to animals. Don't litter. Blah, blah, blah...
Kids, I have a little advice. Just suffer through the speech and get on with your lives. The graduation ceremony is really for your parents. They're proud of you, as they should be. Let them have their day, even though you're the one in the cap and gown.
Don't drop more significance on the commencement address than there needs to be.
