Notes Many ‘Were Wearing Their LGBT Rainbow or Flag Pins in Protest’
Franklin Graham is none too pleased with the 150 or so Notre Dame graduates who opted to stand up and walk out on Vice President Mike Pence, the commencement address speaker for Saturday’s graduation ceremony. Graham – unlike his father who was an adviser to presidents and who could attract hundreds of thousands for religious rallies – is forced to communicate instead usually on Facebook. He posted a New York Times article Monday to the social media site.
“Just rip them up!” Graham told his 5.6 million Facebook followers. “Maybe that’s what the president of University of Notre Dame should have done to the diplomas of the students who so rudely got up and walked out of commencement as the Vice President was speaking this weekend,” Graham said.
“These young people must not have been taught the meaning of respect. They knew well in advance who was going to be speaking at their commencement; and if they didn’t like it, they shouldn’t have come.”
That’s typical Republican patriarchy. These graduates spent the last four years of their lives, at a cost of more than a quarter of a million dollars (NCRM called to confirm that Notre Dame estimates annual tuition for the 2017-18 school year is $69,395) to attend the school. If they don’t like the commencement speaker, they should have a say-so. At the very least, they should have the right to do as they chose: protest respectfully by walking out.
“The New York Times,” Graham continues, “says many of those who walked out were wearing their LGBT rainbow or flag pins in protest. To get up and walk out on the Vice President of the United States of America, who was gracious enough to come speak at their graduation, that’s just insolent! Maybe they need to take another class before they graduate—one on civility and respect. What do you think?”
Well, I think maybe Franklin Graham should listen to what the students were saying.
“This country is so fortunate to have a Vice President like Mike Pence. He’s a great man and a strong leader who isn’t afraid to speak the truth. I thank God for him.”
Franklin Graham may thank God for Mike Pence being our Vice President, but most Americans do not. Pence’s 19th century attitudes, especially toward LGBT people, damaged his home state of Indiana immeasurably, and would probably have cost him his bid for re-election had Donald Trump not picked him as his VP nominee.
On Twitter, many responded to Graham’s outrageous remarks:
But many were also, stunningly, supportive of Graham’s anti-free speech comments:
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