Interesting essay, but I feel like it misses the point — disagreement is unpleasant. Not to say it isn't valuable, but not all people take joy in it. You (or I, but I feel like this should be true for most people) don't really want to listen to a controversial speaker during a happy occasion. Just imagine how it would feel if Columbia invited Trump or Mamdani to the commencement. It is not that there is no value in listening to their opinions, it is just that commencement is not the appropriate place for this. I like debates, but I would not want to celebrate my birthday by debating someone. It is true that commencement is not the place to demonstrate university's values, which is actually exactly why debate and disagreement do not have to be there.
You're right: disagreement is often uncomfortable, and most people don’t seek it out during moments that are meant to feel celebratory. Commencement is, at least in part, a ritual of closure and joy.
Where I’d push back is on the conclusion that, because disagreement is unpleasant, it doesn’t belong there at all. A core element of the "JTS education" is learning to engage seriously with ideas and people we disagree with. So, avoiding that entirely in the final moments before graduation feels inconsistent with the education itself.
Except the president of the state of Israel is a figure head position that is largely ceremonial unlike the Prime Minister. Important to know how the Israeli government works before you comment on the issue.
Looking at commencement speeches at top universities over the last 15 years, it seems that speakers (and their hosts) might not always be focused on the audience. They often appear to be speaking their truth to mostly sequestered audiences, mainly there to watch their family graduate. But what about the students? Or are these speeches more for the audience, media, and to showcase the speakers' values? I recommend reading Conan O'Brien's Commencement Speech at Dartmouth. O'Brien's speech centers on the students and their graduation, without pushing any agenda.
Interesting essay, but I feel like it misses the point — disagreement is unpleasant. Not to say it isn't valuable, but not all people take joy in it. You (or I, but I feel like this should be true for most people) don't really want to listen to a controversial speaker during a happy occasion. Just imagine how it would feel if Columbia invited Trump or Mamdani to the commencement. It is not that there is no value in listening to their opinions, it is just that commencement is not the appropriate place for this. I like debates, but I would not want to celebrate my birthday by debating someone. It is true that commencement is not the place to demonstrate university's values, which is actually exactly why debate and disagreement do not have to be there.
You're right: disagreement is often uncomfortable, and most people don’t seek it out during moments that are meant to feel celebratory. Commencement is, at least in part, a ritual of closure and joy.
Where I’d push back is on the conclusion that, because disagreement is unpleasant, it doesn’t belong there at all. A core element of the "JTS education" is learning to engage seriously with ideas and people we disagree with. So, avoiding that entirely in the final moments before graduation feels inconsistent with the education itself.
He presides over a genocidal regime that’s about as Jewish as a ham and cheese sandwich.
He shouldn’t be invited to the JTS, he should be remanded to the ICC.
Except the president of the state of Israel is a figure head position that is largely ceremonial unlike the Prime Minister. Important to know how the Israeli government works before you comment on the issue.
Who gives a fuck how they run that abattoir, they’re all war criminals with blood up to their elbows and everybody knows it!
Commencement isn’t supposed to be the final boss of your college experience. It’s supposed to be a celebration of accomplishment.
Looking at commencement speeches at top universities over the last 15 years, it seems that speakers (and their hosts) might not always be focused on the audience. They often appear to be speaking their truth to mostly sequestered audiences, mainly there to watch their family graduate. But what about the students? Or are these speeches more for the audience, media, and to showcase the speakers' values? I recommend reading Conan O'Brien's Commencement Speech at Dartmouth. O'Brien's speech centers on the students and their graduation, without pushing any agenda.