ISSUE: Protesting Bush’s S.C. visit

OUR VIEW: Despite popularity woes, Bush to be welcomed by most

It’s not hard to get students, particularly college students, into the mood to protest something they consider “establishment.” That said, it is surprising the site of a protest against a 2008 commencement speaker.

More than 220 Furman University students and faculty members have signed a statement of protest that is posted on the school’s Web site.

Even more surprising is the speaker being protested: President Bush.

The Republican will be the first sitting president to visit the Southern Baptist-affiliated school in Greenville in its 182-year history. In normal times, that would be the cause of major celebration and excitement among students about such a memorable person for a memorable event.

But these are not normal times. President Bush, even in conservative Upstate South Carolina, has his problems. Because of the Iraq war and other issues, his popularity is at historic lows for a president.

The Furman protesters’ “We Object” statement cites the war and the administration’s “obstructing progress on reducing greenhouse gases while favoring billions in tax breaks and subsidies to oil companies that are earning record profits.”

“We are ashamed of the actions of this administration. The war in Iraq has cost the lives of over 4,000 brave and honorable U.S. military personnel,” they wrote. “Because we love this country and the ideals it stands for, we accept our civic responsibility to speak out against these actions that violate American values.”

Remember, this in South Carolina. The state that gave Bush his primary victory in 2000 that paved the way for winning the nomination. This is a solid GOP state that Bush carried in 2000 and 2004.

Bush backers will say the protest is not unexpected and comes from the left.

And one of the professors who helped gather the signatories gives credence to the argument.

Bioethics professor Carmela Epright told The Associated Press, “For me, I’m an ethicist. How could I not be upset about Bush’s torture policy? I would be reneging on my professional ethical policy not to criticize that.”

Epright said she helped get the effort going after the visit was announced, sending an e-mail to professors she felt were in sync with her political views. Some students also took up the cause, setting up tables in the student center to gather more signatures.

Bush’s problems aside, let’s be real. With more than 2,600 students graduating, the vocal 200 are by no means the majority -- and most students will remember fondly that a president addressed them at commencement.

And according to The AP, they were the not-so-silent majority in speaking out on an internal message board. “We underwent a tremendous amount of criticism, with students saying, ‘Don’t you dare ruin my graduation,”’ Epright said.

She said the student body is perhaps more conservative than the university’s professors. That, too, might by expected in the college environment but could come as a surprise to the multitude of Baptists supporting the university.

President Bush may not be popular with the American majority. But he is THE president. Protesters aside, he should be welcomed at Furman and to our state.

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