Guess Who's Coming to Graduation?

So Dick Cheney is coming to speak at commencement...

I have mixed feelings.

Like most BYU students, I identify myself as a conservative and a Republican. It's quite a prestigious honor to have the Vice President come--after all, it's one of only two commencement speeches he's going to give this spring.

But talk about a low point... The man Cheney and the institution he represents have never been more unpopular. Once again, BYU is asserting the stereotype that it is an ultraconservative institution that will slap the backs of the far right in this country regardless of the current national political tenor. The 60's saw the Y holding forums that encouraged students to support the Vietnam War. The 00's have seen the university maintain itself of a bastion of Bush. Some things never change...

Don't get me wrong--as an organization founded upon the gospel it is proper for us to avoid the whims of the world and be seen as a relatively unwavering place.

But just for once, can BYU not display the most egregious alliance in all the land with institutional hyper-conservatism?

In theory I should be ecstatic that the executive branch's #2 is coming. But instead, I'm embarrassed. Not because I consider Cheney to be evil, sinister, or corrupt--but because this visit only will embolden the critics of BYU. It will also certainly be a boon for a certain small contingent of anti-war and anti-Bush protesters who shadow the VP.

The time period of my college education has witnessed a total reversal of presidential fortune. Two weeks into my freshman year the attacks of 9/11 vaulted the Bush/Cheney team into a position of glory. Six years later, Bush is a lame duck and his ideology is synonymous amongst the global public with hubris and cronyism--and one of the most prominent figureheads of that ideology is speaking at my senior graduation. Karma, I suppose...

Granted, not many people in the future will ask me who spoke at my college graduation. But when I do tell folks, I suspect their reaction will include a cynical smirk indicative of history's often unkind hindsight.

What, was Thomas S. Monson or Donny Osmond not available?

Shamrocked

This time of year brings me back to my roots on the Emerald Isle. ..

Okay, not super true--I'm only 1/16 Irish. However, in my family we've always celebrated Saint Patrick's Day hardcore and I intend to follow tradition. For dinner group, I whipped up a wickedly authentic Irish meal shortly before March 17th! In addition to these two dishes, I also cooked/purchased boiled cabbage and green pop. Here's to international culinary domesticity!

A glazed corned beef brisket. Forget the spice packet they give you--the orange juice and brown sugar glaze is where it's at.

Irish soda bread. This is a classic recipe of Mom's--I daresay I did it justice this time.

Dancin' Anarchy

The flash mob phenomenon has officially reached BYU. If you look carefully you'll see an individual in a red jacket come in from the left shortly after it starts...then you'll see him on the right. That's me!