Comments on: BYU Alternative Commencement Speech http://peteashdown.org/journal/2007/04/27/byu-alternative-commencement-speech/ Fast Forward the Future Sun, 14 Mar 2010 20:39:03 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Metauser » BYU Alternative Commencement Speech http://peteashdown.org/journal/2007/04/27/byu-alternative-commencement-speech/comment-page-1/#comment-37394 Metauser » BYU Alternative Commencement Speech Sun, 02 Sep 2007 21:43:35 +0000 http://peteashdown.org/journal/?p=124#comment-37394 [...] Commencement Ceremony last Thursday. But thanks to Pete Ashdown for publishing it on his website. Also listed is a transcript of Pete’s speech that he gave, and I must say it was amazing. [...] [...] Commencement Ceremony last Thursday. But thanks to Pete Ashdown for publishing it on his website. Also listed is a transcript of Pete’s speech that he gave, and I must say it was amazing. [...]

]]> By: Carl Brinton http://peteashdown.org/journal/2007/04/27/byu-alternative-commencement-speech/comment-page-1/#comment-34829 Carl Brinton Sat, 12 May 2007 20:40:06 +0000 http://peteashdown.org/journal/?p=124#comment-34829 First of all, thank you very much Pete for you speech, your presence at the Alternative Commencement, and your posting of the commencement online. I hope that special experience will continue to teach and guide each of us who attended and others in the future. In response to the comment made by Spencer: It is true that some people involved in the Alternative Commencement didn't listen to Vice-President Cheney. Most of them, however, did listen. As one of the three organizers of the Alternative Commencement, even I went to the commencement where Mr. Cheney spoke, and I did listen to his speech, and I thought that the ideas that he shared were important, true, and good. I still disagree with the things he has done in office and feel that he should be held accountable for that. But I do agree with you, Spencer, that we need to listen to more than just those people who agree with us. Most of those involved (the BYU 25, if you will), also agree. First of all, thank you very much Pete for you speech, your presence at the Alternative Commencement, and your posting of the commencement online. I hope that special experience will continue to teach and guide each of us who attended and others in the future.

In response to the comment made by Spencer: It is true that some people involved in the Alternative Commencement didn’t listen to Vice-President Cheney. Most of them, however, did listen. As one of the three organizers of the Alternative Commencement, even I went to the commencement where Mr. Cheney spoke, and I did listen to his speech, and I thought that the ideas that he shared were important, true, and good. I still disagree with the things he has done in office and feel that he should be held accountable for that. But I do agree with you, Spencer, that we need to listen to more than just those people who agree with us. Most of those involved (the BYU 25, if you will), also agree.

]]> By: Dorothy http://peteashdown.org/journal/2007/04/27/byu-alternative-commencement-speech/comment-page-1/#comment-33925 Dorothy Sat, 05 May 2007 06:30:39 +0000 http://peteashdown.org/journal/?p=124#comment-33925 Thanks for your wonderful commencement speech, Pete. It got me thinking about my relations. As a first-generation American (my parents came from Germany), I embrace those like me because of hideous experiences from my youth. On one occasion, I remember walking into my sixth-grade class (1972) at Indian Hills in Salt Lake and seeing a swastika engraved on my desk. It took many trips to the nearby bathroom where hard brown paper towels and grainy soap crystals combined with water to erase the image from my desk. Rather than feel shame, which might have been the graffiti artist's intention, I felt baffled by those who created the image because their act proved a complete lack of understanding of who I was/am. I have close friends who are Pakistani, others from Iran, and others from Korea. I'm sure the passport division in Los Angeles put my name on a list when I served as a witness to my Iranian friend's son (who's close friends with my children) when he needed to renew his passport. I'm sure people wonder about my children when they walk home with our Pakistani neighbors who wear traditional Muslim clothing. I'm sure people questioned my Korean friend after the shootings at Virginia Tech. The mistrust in this country is unprecedented. How sad for us. What a horrible legacy these past years have brought on our nation. I wish we would look at ourselves rather than looking at others as the problem. Thanks again for your wonderful speech. I wish I could've been there. Thanks for your wonderful commencement speech, Pete. It got me thinking about my relations.
As a first-generation American (my parents came from Germany), I embrace those like me because of hideous experiences from my youth. On one occasion, I remember walking into my sixth-grade class (1972) at Indian Hills in Salt Lake and seeing a swastika engraved on my desk. It took many trips to the nearby bathroom where hard brown paper towels and grainy soap crystals combined with water to erase the image from my desk. Rather than feel shame, which might have been the graffiti artist’s intention, I felt baffled by those who created the image because their act proved a complete lack of understanding of who I was/am.
I have close friends who are Pakistani, others from Iran, and others from Korea.
I’m sure the passport division in Los Angeles put my name on a list when I served as a witness to my Iranian friend’s son (who’s close friends with my children) when he needed to renew his passport.
I’m sure people wonder about my children when they walk home with our Pakistani neighbors who wear traditional Muslim clothing.
I’m sure people questioned my Korean friend after the shootings at Virginia Tech.
The mistrust in this country is unprecedented. How sad for us. What a horrible legacy these past years have brought on our nation. I wish we would look at ourselves rather than looking at others as the problem.
Thanks again for your wonderful speech. I wish I could’ve been there.

]]> By: MetaUser » BYU Alternative Commencement Speech http://peteashdown.org/journal/2007/04/27/byu-alternative-commencement-speech/comment-page-1/#comment-33758 MetaUser » BYU Alternative Commencement Speech Tue, 01 May 2007 20:00:41 +0000 http://peteashdown.org/journal/?p=124#comment-33758 [...] I regrettably didn’t make it down to the BYU Alternative Commencement Ceremony last Thursday. But thanks to Pete Ashdown for publishing it on his website. Also listed is a transcript of Pete’s speech that he gave, and I must say it was amazing. The whole ceremony was great. I do just want to put an awesome quote from Pete’s speech: Today, insurgents, radicals, extremists, the ignorant and the insane have turned war into an entrepreneurial sport. We can no more fight teenagers using bombs and cell-phones with multibillion-dollar-aircraft-carriers and the latest jets than we can kill mosquitoes with a shotgun. If the Iraq war has taught me anything it is that our traditional methods of nation-state defense are currently useless against committed individuals. The inability to grasp this realization is what dates many politicians as dinosaurs in a modern world. [...] [...] I regrettably didn’t make it down to the BYU Alternative Commencement Ceremony last Thursday. But thanks to Pete Ashdown for publishing it on his website. Also listed is a transcript of Pete’s speech that he gave, and I must say it was amazing. The whole ceremony was great. I do just want to put an awesome quote from Pete’s speech: Today, insurgents, radicals, extremists, the ignorant and the insane have turned war into an entrepreneurial sport. We can no more fight teenagers using bombs and cell-phones with multibillion-dollar-aircraft-carriers and the latest jets than we can kill mosquitoes with a shotgun. If the Iraq war has taught me anything it is that our traditional methods of nation-state defense are currently useless against committed individuals. The inability to grasp this realization is what dates many politicians as dinosaurs in a modern world. [...]

]]> By: Jeremiah Roth http://peteashdown.org/journal/2007/04/27/byu-alternative-commencement-speech/comment-page-1/#comment-33654 Jeremiah Roth Mon, 30 Apr 2007 11:55:38 +0000 http://peteashdown.org/journal/?p=124#comment-33654 Pete, Your speech was inspiring, as always. We weren't sure if we were going to head down to Utah County for it, but we're glad we did. Keep up the good work. Pete,

Your speech was inspiring, as always. We weren’t sure if we were going to head down to Utah County for it, but we’re glad we did. Keep up the good work.

]]> By: Misty Fowler http://peteashdown.org/journal/2007/04/27/byu-alternative-commencement-speech/comment-page-1/#comment-33574 Misty Fowler Mon, 30 Apr 2007 05:41:14 +0000 http://peteashdown.org/journal/?p=124#comment-33574 I was in attendance, as well. I agree with the other praise you've received here. I hope that all of the students found your speech as inspiring as I did. And I feel a need to respond to Spencer: The students stated that they felt that Cheney is a very immoral person, and given the emphasis on morals at BYU, I'm surprised he was allowed to speak there. It makes no sense to me to honor a person that is without honor. I was in attendance, as well. I agree with the other praise you’ve received here. I hope that all of the students found your speech as inspiring as I did.

And I feel a need to respond to Spencer: The students stated that they felt that Cheney is a very immoral person, and given the emphasis on morals at BYU, I’m surprised he was allowed to speak there. It makes no sense to me to honor a person that is without honor.

]]> By: Bob Van Velkinburgh http://peteashdown.org/journal/2007/04/27/byu-alternative-commencement-speech/comment-page-1/#comment-33534 Bob Van Velkinburgh Mon, 30 Apr 2007 03:03:09 +0000 http://peteashdown.org/journal/?p=124#comment-33534 Dear Pete Ashcown, This was your finest speech. It shows you as a human being who cares about others. The background history of your family was an excellent way of establishing your roots. You should have used this speech or parts of it in your campaign last fall. With your permission I whould like to use parts of this speech in a letter to members of our Concerned Writer Club. Thanks again,Pete, for a five star speech. Bob Van Velkinburgh dccwc@aol.com Dear Pete Ashcown,
This was your finest speech. It shows you as a human being who cares about others. The background history of your family was an excellent way of establishing your roots. You should have used this speech or parts of it in your campaign last fall.
With your permission I whould like to use parts of this speech in a letter to members of our Concerned Writer Club.
Thanks again,Pete, for a five star speech.
Bob Van Velkinburgh
dccwc@aol.com

]]> By: Jason Rock http://peteashdown.org/journal/2007/04/27/byu-alternative-commencement-speech/comment-page-1/#comment-33441 Jason Rock Sun, 29 Apr 2007 20:37:29 +0000 http://peteashdown.org/journal/?p=124#comment-33441 A very nice speech presenting a great sentiment of peace for young people leaving college behind and entering into a world which is in a constant state of conflict. Thank you Mr. Ashdown for being a becon of hope for our political future in an otherwise totalitarian state of ultra-conservative thinking and politics. I voted for you in the last election, and I will vote for you in the next election. Also, congrats to all the BYU grads, I wish you the very best of luck in your future. GO UTES! A very nice speech presenting a great sentiment of peace for young people leaving college behind and entering into a world which is in a constant state of conflict. Thank you Mr. Ashdown for being a becon of hope for our political future in an otherwise totalitarian state of ultra-conservative thinking and politics. I voted for you in the last election, and I will vote for you in the next election. Also, congrats to all the BYU grads, I wish you the very best of luck in your future. GO UTES!

]]> By: Spencer http://peteashdown.org/journal/2007/04/27/byu-alternative-commencement-speech/comment-page-1/#comment-33419 Spencer Sun, 29 Apr 2007 18:55:23 +0000 http://peteashdown.org/journal/?p=124#comment-33419 You say, find common ground with people that disagree with you politically, but at the same time everyone who listened to your speech at commencement turned a deaf ear on the vice president. I feel that it shouldn't matter if someone is Republican, Democrat, Independent or any other political party, to listen to the vice president, the Head of the Senate; should have been an honor for any American. It dosent matter if you disagree with his politics, he is still the representative of all Americans whether they had voted for Pres. Bush or not. You say, find common ground with people that disagree with you politically, but at the same time everyone who listened to your speech at commencement turned a deaf ear on the vice president. I feel that it shouldn’t matter if someone is Republican, Democrat, Independent or any other political party, to listen to the vice president, the Head of the Senate; should have been an honor for any American. It dosent matter if you disagree with his politics, he is still the representative of all Americans whether they had voted for Pres. Bush or not.

]]> By: John Bailey http://peteashdown.org/journal/2007/04/27/byu-alternative-commencement-speech/comment-page-1/#comment-33266 John Bailey Sun, 29 Apr 2007 07:24:13 +0000 http://peteashdown.org/journal/?p=124#comment-33266 My son was in attendance at your presentation and was so impressed that he forwarded it to me. I too am impressed. I was unable to attend in person because I currently reside in the People's Republic of China. Living here (this is my second non-consecutive year living in the PRC) has helped me to realize how often our country has inhibited meaningful dialogue with other nations through unwarrented suspicion and mistrust. We create many of our greatest problems. My son was in attendance at your presentation and was so impressed that he forwarded it to me. I too am impressed. I was unable to attend in person because I currently reside in the People’s Republic of China. Living here (this is my second non-consecutive year living in the PRC) has helped me to realize how often our country has inhibited meaningful dialogue with other nations through unwarrented suspicion and mistrust. We create many of our greatest problems.

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