A gaggle of Rutgers University faculty has petitioned to drop Condoleezza Rice as their commencement speaker. Let us review things a moment. Mrs. Rice, apart from being a concert quality pianist since early childhood, served as the 1st African-American secretary of state, the second female in the position since Albright, the second in the position for blacks of any gender, professor at Stanford University, National security adviser to the president, and service on the National Security Council for the Soviets and eastern Europe. Just to mention a few achievements in a career studded with achievement. Yup! she is obviously not the person to heed as you start the quest for a career. ( that was humor. don’t take it seriously). I do not know what the individual achievements of the “faculty” might be. But as a group of professors I can tell you that most instructors are just kids who remain in school to avoid going out into the world and engaging in activities that actually require skills past the point of regurgitating information. The girl at the information booth at the mall shares that skill set.
Condi, however, showed insight and sensitivity in withdrawing from the engagement. She asserted that she would rather withdraw than ruin a special day for students and family by turning the occasion into a political donnybrook. Again she impresses me with her positive genious at mastering this situation and turning it to her advantage. She comes up smelling like a rose, and her detractors well, I don’t know who they are. No one will know who they are as they, like most of us, pass through history. For we may pass through history, this woman however, IS history.
Mrs. Rice “Ahh bless ya dear Condi” however, found the heart of the matter, and took the high road.
JACKHAMMERJOHN 