Serving the Flathead Valley & Montana since 2006. A reality based independent journal of observation & analysis. © James Conner.

 

12 April 2014

Let Gianforte speak

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Greg Gianforte is a rich businessman with political and religious views not popular on most college campuses. Nevertheless, Montana Tech, in Butte, invited him to deliver the commencement speech at its graduation ceremony this spring. Not all students and faculty members think he should be Montana Tech’s commencement speaker, and they’re circulating a petition to have him uninvited. Montana Cowgirl has the details.

I suspect Gianforte may have been invited to speak in the hope that he will make a substantial donation to the college. Graduation exercises are not for the graduates. They’re for the parents of the graduates, the staff and faculty of the college, and the boosters. Graduation is a college’s most important fundraising event of the year. The rich, the famous, the powerful, are invited to speak at least as much for how their appearance will affect the college’s bottom line as for what they have to say.

What concerns me is not what Gianforte will say, but whether he will make a donation that should not be accepted. For example, it would not be in keeping with the college’s mission to accept Gianforte’s endowing a chair in young earth geology or creation “science.” But his making a matching grant for, say, a linear accelerator, or a new geology laboratory, would be perfectly acceptable and very welcome.

I doubt his speech will embarrass Montana Tech. Most likely, he’ll string together platitudes, personal experiences, and homilies, in a manner more entertaining than his detractors expect. Yes, he might use the opportunity to bash gays and punch hippies, but I don’t think he will.

Let him speak. Then respond as necessary.