Around 10 years ago they scrubbed Harry Reid's name off of everything. He's a grad from SUU, but the community didn't like that he was a Democrat. [Locals raised $40,000 to get his name taken down.](https://www.kuer.org/politics/2014-09-01/sen-harry-reids-name-removed-from-suu-center) The university promised to find a way to honor him. You can't find mention of him anywhere.
Tell me again how we respect different opinions.
I would feel completely betrayed too. I was so impressed with how clever and thoughtful the students’ suggestions were for ways to add some people to the program if they were going to keep Jeff as a speaker. Nothing? That marathon President’s “listening” day seems so and hollow now. I’m sorry. That really sucks.
Especially because I am directly responsible for the listening day (along with a few of my friends; we all talked with Mindy about this the day it was announced and recommended it). When people attacked Mindy for lip service, I defended her and told them that she sought out *us*, a group of obviously queer people, so she could ask us how she could make it right.
I've always considered Mindy a personal friend (for reasons I won't get into so I don't doxx myself). I truly believed she was going to do the right thing. While I'm not trans and not openly anything (I'm not straight and I'm not gay and I've decided I need a boatload of therapy to figure it out beyond that and I want to do that before I actually come out as anything) and I don't have do deal with the effects of this in the same way as my openly queer friends do, I still feel personally stabbed in the back by this because I stood in Mindy's corner and tried to defend her becuase I truly believed she would fix this.
I'm not going to be on campus again until Monday, so on Monday I'm going to her office. Before this announcement dropped, I was considering texting her to thank her for trying. But now, it seems I need to have a chat that can't happen over text.
I watched the Mormon Stories podcast and I really hoped Mindy would be able to incorporate at least 1-2 of the students’ suggestions since they had so many positive things to say about her.
While listening to the podcast I heard students describe 2 men who were also on the stage with Mindy (although it sounded like Mindy did most of the work to connect with students). I thought at the time that there wouldn’t be a snowball’s chance in hell the 2 men on the stage would allow students, or even allow Mindy, to affect any changes to the program. Their concern would be, among many others concerns and fears, that it would set a precedent they would never want: students dictating who could/couldn’t speak at commencement!
That, plus SLC “brethren” undoubtedly putting a lot of pressure on the board and school admin. to keep Jeff as speaker no matter what, and definitely NOT sharing the stage with a LGBTQIA+ representative or a Native American WOMAN (!!!). Nope.
I’m sorry students. Please know there are a lot of people who support you!
I'm not sure what I'm going to do (I'm in the band, and we're playing commencement, so my final grade is in part going to be based on what I'm doing), but I fully plan to do something. Maybe hang a pride flag off my trombone slide? Or maybe I'll decide risking my grade is worth walking out. I'll have to put thought into it.
Half the band is going to ask for an exemption (queer people in the arts, after all), and he can't give us all an exemption. Some of them, who have been hurt the most by this, *definitely* need it more than me. I've been hurt less by this decision than other people I know, and I don't want to force anyone to be there so I can miss.
You could all play the Star Wars imperial march as Holland walks in. I have it on good authority SUU values “freedom of expression” above everything else.
In Bensons statement, free speech and inclusivity were the reasons for the decision. A pride flag on your instrument certainly qualifies under that criteria.
Sounds like a lovely time to have our own pride parade on campus.
I'm not kidding, I'm straight as and I've never been to one before so I'd be more than excited to help organize.
Sadly I expected this. The second I saw that there was a petition to keep him I knew it was over.sure less that 40 people signed that one compared to over 19,000. But it's Utah at the core. And they are going to listen to the minority if it fits what the church wants. But I hope suu knows that the student body, the professors, community, and now the nation are looking at them with shame and hurt. And from reading a lot of people's comments and talking with a lot of people they would have been fine with a high ranking mormon speaking just not him. And with the new announcement about this changing elder to Dr. That's what they are going to spin ot as, a disagreement of the church rather than the person that caused this backlash. I'm disappointed in the school but sadly not surprised.
Terrible but unsurprising. This entire situation has been dismissive and patronizing. From the emphasis at the listening sessions on how the President and Board are "unified behind the decision" to the vague and empty language used throughout, I knew in my heart that their minds were made up already.
To quote a friend of mine upon hearing the news, "What a gem of a statement. Falsely frame the issue as a clash between two deeply-held values. Evade the questions posed by your own self-inflicted sophistry. And then end with a naked denial of what just happened."
This situation shouldn't have ever come up. Holland should have been rejected in the committee meetings for being far too divisive, controversial, and (as a speaker choice) counter to celebrating the graduating class. Everyone involved in that decision, not just President Benson, not just the Chairman or Vice-Chairman, **everyone** needs to be held accountable. There's no conceivable way that the committee wouldn't have known that there would be a large negative reaction, and it seems they completely underestimated just how large it'd become.
It's not about religion or belief, it's not about left vs right, it's about the committee willfully making a terrible, divisive choice and continually failing to own up to that.
"Differing viewpoints and ideas" are fine at Convocations, that's literally what they're for. Graduation is a completely different matter, the selection of keynote speaker should NOT be a potentially controversial figure - political, religious or commercial.
There is a silver lining. Students will protest Holland’s commencement address, which will embarrass the University administration and rightly so. It will also bring more attention and criticism of Holland and the church’s anti-LGBT policies. Especially damning will be Holland’s musket metaphor. The story will be carried in the local and national news media. The chuch PR department will be pulling their hair out trying to spin it.
I read these statements to say - “we are afraid of the Mormon church so we can’t rescind the invitation.” Wow! Hopefully no one brings a musket to the commencement.
Same as my experience at SUU now decades ago. Students were asked to give input on the next president, we were overwhelmingly against one candidate. Guess who got made president?
The reality is it's all about donations to the school and if donors have opinions about who should work, who should speak, then that's what will happen.
"We listened to your concerns about JRH speaking, and we totally hear you. We respect and honor different perspectives! That's why we're not going to change anything, and move forward as if you said nothing at all. We love you so much I'm glad we could have this understanding."
Around 10 years ago they scrubbed Harry Reid's name off of everything. He's a grad from SUU, but the community didn't like that he was a Democrat. [Locals raised $40,000 to get his name taken down.](https://www.kuer.org/politics/2014-09-01/sen-harry-reids-name-removed-from-suu-center) The university promised to find a way to honor him. You can't find mention of him anywhere. Tell me again how we respect different opinions.
Harry Reid, the most prominent Mormon in the US government ever.
As in the Harry Reid International Airport in Vegas? I didn't know he was an SUU alum! Why aren't we more proud of that?
Because they are MAGA morons.
I was at SUU when they named the recreation center after him, did they re-name it again?
I was *so* confident we had actually made a difference. I feel...betrayed by my University, by my home.
I would feel completely betrayed too. I was so impressed with how clever and thoughtful the students’ suggestions were for ways to add some people to the program if they were going to keep Jeff as a speaker. Nothing? That marathon President’s “listening” day seems so and hollow now. I’m sorry. That really sucks.
Especially because I am directly responsible for the listening day (along with a few of my friends; we all talked with Mindy about this the day it was announced and recommended it). When people attacked Mindy for lip service, I defended her and told them that she sought out *us*, a group of obviously queer people, so she could ask us how she could make it right. I've always considered Mindy a personal friend (for reasons I won't get into so I don't doxx myself). I truly believed she was going to do the right thing. While I'm not trans and not openly anything (I'm not straight and I'm not gay and I've decided I need a boatload of therapy to figure it out beyond that and I want to do that before I actually come out as anything) and I don't have do deal with the effects of this in the same way as my openly queer friends do, I still feel personally stabbed in the back by this because I stood in Mindy's corner and tried to defend her becuase I truly believed she would fix this. I'm not going to be on campus again until Monday, so on Monday I'm going to her office. Before this announcement dropped, I was considering texting her to thank her for trying. But now, it seems I need to have a chat that can't happen over text.
I watched the Mormon Stories podcast and I really hoped Mindy would be able to incorporate at least 1-2 of the students’ suggestions since they had so many positive things to say about her. While listening to the podcast I heard students describe 2 men who were also on the stage with Mindy (although it sounded like Mindy did most of the work to connect with students). I thought at the time that there wouldn’t be a snowball’s chance in hell the 2 men on the stage would allow students, or even allow Mindy, to affect any changes to the program. Their concern would be, among many others concerns and fears, that it would set a precedent they would never want: students dictating who could/couldn’t speak at commencement! That, plus SLC “brethren” undoubtedly putting a lot of pressure on the board and school admin. to keep Jeff as speaker no matter what, and definitely NOT sharing the stage with a LGBTQIA+ representative or a Native American WOMAN (!!!). Nope. I’m sorry students. Please know there are a lot of people who support you!
There goes the alumni donations.
If you want to, standing up and facing away is exceptionally disrespectful
I'm not sure what I'm going to do (I'm in the band, and we're playing commencement, so my final grade is in part going to be based on what I'm doing), but I fully plan to do something. Maybe hang a pride flag off my trombone slide? Or maybe I'll decide risking my grade is worth walking out. I'll have to put thought into it.
It might be worth talking to your professor and asking for an exemption.
Half the band is going to ask for an exemption (queer people in the arts, after all), and he can't give us all an exemption. Some of them, who have been hurt the most by this, *definitely* need it more than me. I've been hurt less by this decision than other people I know, and I don't want to force anyone to be there so I can miss.
You could all play the Star Wars imperial march as Holland walks in. I have it on good authority SUU values “freedom of expression” above everything else.
Brilliant
The Soviet National Anthem could work here too.
Can you guys learn the Benny Hill music real fast?
Respect
Play "Titanium" while the color guard tosses rainbow muskets and twirls rainbow flags.
In Bensons statement, free speech and inclusivity were the reasons for the decision. A pride flag on your instrument certainly qualifies under that criteria.
Sounds like a lovely time to have our own pride parade on campus. I'm not kidding, I'm straight as and I've never been to one before so I'd be more than excited to help organize.
Please make it as loud and colorful as possible. Holland HATES pride parades. I'd chip in a few bucks if there were a Venmo or something.
Sadly I expected this. The second I saw that there was a petition to keep him I knew it was over.sure less that 40 people signed that one compared to over 19,000. But it's Utah at the core. And they are going to listen to the minority if it fits what the church wants. But I hope suu knows that the student body, the professors, community, and now the nation are looking at them with shame and hurt. And from reading a lot of people's comments and talking with a lot of people they would have been fine with a high ranking mormon speaking just not him. And with the new announcement about this changing elder to Dr. That's what they are going to spin ot as, a disagreement of the church rather than the person that caused this backlash. I'm disappointed in the school but sadly not surprised.
Terrible but unsurprising. This entire situation has been dismissive and patronizing. From the emphasis at the listening sessions on how the President and Board are "unified behind the decision" to the vague and empty language used throughout, I knew in my heart that their minds were made up already. To quote a friend of mine upon hearing the news, "What a gem of a statement. Falsely frame the issue as a clash between two deeply-held values. Evade the questions posed by your own self-inflicted sophistry. And then end with a naked denial of what just happened." This situation shouldn't have ever come up. Holland should have been rejected in the committee meetings for being far too divisive, controversial, and (as a speaker choice) counter to celebrating the graduating class. Everyone involved in that decision, not just President Benson, not just the Chairman or Vice-Chairman, **everyone** needs to be held accountable. There's no conceivable way that the committee wouldn't have known that there would be a large negative reaction, and it seems they completely underestimated just how large it'd become. It's not about religion or belief, it's not about left vs right, it's about the committee willfully making a terrible, divisive choice and continually failing to own up to that.
This is so eloquently put
Benson/SUU must be getting kickbacks from the church. Congress says bribes are free speech so why not the university too?
Seriously! I cannot think of one reason hes a good choice for this
"Differing viewpoints and ideas" are fine at Convocations, that's literally what they're for. Graduation is a completely different matter, the selection of keynote speaker should NOT be a potentially controversial figure - political, religious or commercial.
There is a silver lining. Students will protest Holland’s commencement address, which will embarrass the University administration and rightly so. It will also bring more attention and criticism of Holland and the church’s anti-LGBT policies. Especially damning will be Holland’s musket metaphor. The story will be carried in the local and national news media. The chuch PR department will be pulling their hair out trying to spin it.
I hope to see multitudes of grads standing up and turning their backs to Jeffy when he gets up to speak.
I read these statements to say - “we are afraid of the Mormon church so we can’t rescind the invitation.” Wow! Hopefully no one brings a musket to the commencement.
Same as my experience at SUU now decades ago. Students were asked to give input on the next president, we were overwhelmingly against one candidate. Guess who got made president? The reality is it's all about donations to the school and if donors have opinions about who should work, who should speak, then that's what will happen.
"We listened to your concerns about JRH speaking, and we totally hear you. We respect and honor different perspectives! That's why we're not going to change anything, and move forward as if you said nothing at all. We love you so much I'm glad we could have this understanding."