Guys, this is getting a little silly. On Thursday, the DO featured two more opinion articles on why Jamie Dimon is a poor choice for commencement speaker. We can now hate Dimon for his company’s environmental policies in addition to its help in nearly ruining our economy. While we’re at it, don’t forget his close friendship with Satan, and that he personally starves 500 African children to death daily. To many, he represents evil corporate America. We get it.
I fully understand my fellow students’ complaints about this year’s selection of a speaker. Dimon is a controversial figure, and his relationship with the university raises valid questions about the selection process. I was heartened to see frustration turned into real action with the “dance party’ protest a few weeks ago. It made me proud that SU students were able to gain national exposure for a cause they believed in.
But to take things any further at this point is unfair to the graduating seniors.
Commencement weekend is one of celebration. It’s a time when graduates and their families and friends come together to show respect to the students who have worked hard to make it through school. Everyone graduating has made sacrifices to get to where he or she is, and graduation weekend is their chance to look back and be proud of what they’ve accomplished.
At this point, it is clear that Jamie Dimon will remain our commencement speaker. Regardless of our opinions of him, we should just take his appearance for what it is and enjoy the weekend and what it represents.
So I ask my fellow students to show respect to their peers and not cause a scene at commencement. If you truly feel so strongly against Dimon, don’t attend the event. It’s early on a Sunday, and will likely be long and boring. But to stage some sort of protest at the event will take away from commencement weekend for everyone else. Students’ memory of graduating will always be inseparable from that of a handful of students attempting to represent populist America. It will leave a sour note and would spoil the day for nearly everyone.
Of course, I know there are those who feel Dimon’s appearance by itself spoils commencement. But that’s not a reason to force others who are mostly indifferent (by my math, at most only 2% of seniors attended the rally) to join in your discontent. Please let the members of the Class of 2010 enjoy commencement weekend however they see fit, and keep things civil at the ceremony.
