Readers React: The best speaker at Scripps’ commencement wasn’t Madeleine Albright

To the editor: I attended the Scripps College commencement on Saturday, where a group of protesting faculty was, as it put it, “outraged” that students had invited former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright to speak. The letter that had been circulated said the faculty were were protesting Albright’s actions as a member of the State Department. (“Facing a tough crowd, Madeleine Albright urges Scripps graduates ‘to start discussions, not to end them,’” May 14)

The valedictorian, Catherine Chiang, gave a rousing speech about the importance of protest. In a swipe at Albright, she said that her class wished to be advocates for justice and radical voices for change, and if this earned them “a special place in hell,” then so be it.

I wondered if Chiang was aware of Hillary Rodham’s speech as valedictorian at Wellesley College, an event I also attended as a member of the class of 1969. It was very similar to Chiang’s, taking to task the invited speaker — Sen. Edward Brooke (D-Mass.) — for his quietist argument regarding appropriate ways of expressing dissent. Chiang’s speech was about as good as Hillary Rodham’s, which as we say now “went viral.”

I found myself hoping that she like Hillary would still be a firebrand 40 years on.

Cheryl Walker, Los Angeles

The writer is a professor of English at Scripps College.

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To the editor: One can forgive adolescents or even post-adolescents for putting their fingers in their ears when they don’t want to hear what’s being said. But 28 professors objecting to a commencement address by a former secretary of State? What are these people teaching our kids?

The polarization that is destroying our country has many causes, but not the least among them is the unwillingness to listen to opposing views. The virus of shutting out speakers on campuses is spreading and is reprehensible, no matter what side of the issue the protestors are on.

Barbara H. Bergen, Los Angeles

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