I graduated from Truman State University in Kirksville, Missouri in December of 2008. Apparently, it wasn't a second too late. Had I decided to slack off and stick around yet another semester, I would have been an uncomfortable witness to a sad day in my alma mater's history.
Imagine walking up the podium, all smiles and cap and gown, and having every last shred of your academic work utterly insulted. Imagine listening to a speaker say "As long as you did one good thing while holding a position of power, dear students, men will honor you despite any later atrocities." Imagine seeing John Ashcroft on a podium receiving an honorary degree that confers a dedication to the high pursuits of education that some people can only dream of. He would then attempt to shake your hand as your name was called and you had to walk across that stage.
Truman State University's class of 2009 will experience all of this in three days.
Yes, while Governor of the State of Missouri, John Ashcroft signed a bill that made Truman State (then NE Missouri State) Missouri's only statewide public liberal arts and sciences university. Since then, the harm the man has done for our nation, aside from his awful musical compositions, is quite palpable. In the time TSU's graduating class has spent busting their asses to earn a degree, Mr. Ashcroft has gone from an Attorney General who promoted the evisceration of American liberty for a debatable ounce of American security to yet another Washington lobbyist. For all the strenuous effort of a single signature, Mr. Ashcroft will be honored with a greater status than any young man or woman in Kirksville this Saturday will receive.
Fortunately, many in the student body, through media and through demonstrations will not tacitly approve of such a shortsighted move by the Board of Governors, who alone can grant honorary degrees.
There is little that can be done to rescind the action, and so all I can do is empathize with my good friends who will have to endure such a dumb move by an otherwise fine University. Walter, Kent, Zia, Josh, and all of the rest of you graduating, I'm sorry. All I can do is write about how you earned something that Mr. Ashcroft won't have this Saturday: the respect of a nation who will always need its young and brilliant leaders.
(edited to reflect the fact that ashcroft isn't getting an honorary doctorate, thanks Terrified Liberal)