Comments on: RFK at BYU in 1968 http://bycommonconsent.com/2007/03/29/rfk-at-byu-in-1968/ A Mormon Blog Sat, 21 Nov 2009 09:39:41 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Richard Poll http://bycommonconsent.com/2007/03/29/rfk-at-byu-in-1968/#comment-127010 Richard Poll Wed, 04 Apr 2007 04:09:00 +0000 http://www.bycommonconsent.com/2007/03/rfk-at-byu-in-1968/#comment-127010 Prez, You parrot a talking point from the 1960s era John Birchers, a concept promoted by both Elder Benson and Ernie Wilkinson. Is your joke that Benson and Wilkinson and the Birchers once had so much stroke among us? Prez,
You parrot a talking point from the 1960s era John Birchers, a concept promoted by both Elder Benson and Ernie Wilkinson.
Is your joke that Benson and Wilkinson and the Birchers once had so much stroke among us?

]]> By: prez http://bycommonconsent.com/2007/03/29/rfk-at-byu-in-1968/#comment-127009 prez Sat, 31 Mar 2007 14:21:50 +0000 http://www.bycommonconsent.com/2007/03/rfk-at-byu-in-1968/#comment-127009 “A real Communist?” replied his colleague. “Why, we can’t even hear from a real DEMOCRAT!” And the difference would be....? Just kidding. “A real Communist?” replied his colleague. “Why, we can’t even hear from a real DEMOCRAT!”

And the difference would be….?

Just kidding.

]]> By: Elouise http://bycommonconsent.com/2007/03/29/rfk-at-byu-in-1968/#comment-127008 Elouise Sat, 31 Mar 2007 14:11:34 +0000 http://www.bycommonconsent.com/2007/03/rfk-at-byu-in-1968/#comment-127008 Here's one of my favorite anecdotes about Wilkinson and the delicate issue of speakers allowed at BYU. This event I witnessed in person, lest you think of it as a mere folk tale. One week, during Ernie's administration, the Daily Universe announced that a Russian Communist would speak at the weekly forum assembly. The man was in the U.S. to speak to ordinary citizens about what was going on in the U.S.S.R.; we were promised that he would not serve up propaganda, but simply offer a perspective from the other side, and perhaps answer a few questions. Faculty and students alike were electrified by this turn of events; and the old Smith Fieldhouse was packed when the hour came. Ernie himself introduced the speaker, reassuring us that we were not going to hear propaganda, but rather a calm, firsthand view from behind the Iron Curtain. The speaker had a heavy accent but was easily understandable and articulate, and, initially, calm. Bit by bit, however, his rhetoric heated up, and soon he was generating accusations against the U.S. government. At one point he said, "If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen!" To that, someone in the audience yelled out, "Turn down the heat!" Murmurings and mutterings were now swirling around the Fieldhouse. At that point, Ernie stood up and re-introduced the speaker, who was of course NOT a Communist, but a professor of political science from a California university. His expertise was in Cold War politics, those of the U.S.S.R. in particular, and he had no alien accent, though I thought I could detect a bit of Idaho twang. He continued to lecture on Soviet politics, but from a solid Republican point of view. Afterwards, as the crowds exited the Fieldhouse, a BYU political science professor was overheard to say to a colleague, "Well, that was quite interesting, actually, but it's just too bad we can't hear from a <em>real </em>Communist." "A real <em>Communist</em>?" replied his colleague. "Why, we can't even hear from a real DEMOCRAT!" Here’s one of my favorite anecdotes about Wilkinson and the delicate issue of speakers allowed at BYU. This event I witnessed in person, lest you think of it as a mere folk tale.

One week, during Ernie’s administration, the Daily Universe announced that a Russian Communist would speak at the weekly forum assembly. The man was in the U.S. to speak to ordinary citizens about what was going on in the U.S.S.R.; we were promised that he would not serve up propaganda, but simply offer a perspective from the other side, and perhaps answer a few questions. Faculty and students alike were electrified by this turn of events; and the old Smith Fieldhouse was packed when the hour came.

Ernie himself introduced the speaker, reassuring us that we were not going to hear propaganda, but rather a calm, firsthand view from behind the Iron Curtain.

The speaker had a heavy accent but was easily understandable and articulate, and, initially, calm. Bit by bit, however, his rhetoric heated up, and soon he was generating accusations against the U.S. government. At one point he said, “If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen!” To that, someone in the audience yelled out, “Turn down the heat!” Murmurings and mutterings were now swirling around the Fieldhouse.

At that point, Ernie stood up and re-introduced the speaker, who was of course NOT a Communist, but a professor of political science from a California university. His expertise was in Cold War politics, those of the U.S.S.R. in particular, and he had no alien accent, though I thought I could detect a bit of Idaho twang. He continued to lecture on Soviet politics, but from a solid Republican point of view.

Afterwards, as the crowds exited the Fieldhouse, a BYU political science professor was overheard to say to a colleague, “Well, that was quite interesting, actually, but it’s just too bad we can’t hear from a real Communist.”

“A real Communist?” replied his colleague. “Why, we can’t even hear from a real DEMOCRAT!”

]]> By: Chris L. http://bycommonconsent.com/2007/03/29/rfk-at-byu-in-1968/#comment-127007 Chris L. Sat, 31 Mar 2007 13:42:54 +0000 http://www.bycommonconsent.com/2007/03/rfk-at-byu-in-1968/#comment-127007 RFK, Goldwater, Elder Benson, Elder Brown, Cheney.... who? If I brainstorm about what speaker I'd like to invite to campus to help establish an image of BYU (and the church) as a politically balanced institution, I think my first choice would be Jimmy Carter. I'd love to hear him talk about his work on monitoring elections. RFK, Goldwater,
Elder Benson, Elder Brown,
Cheney…. who?
If I brainstorm about what speaker I’d like to invite to campus to help establish an image of BYU (and the church) as a politically balanced institution, I think my first choice would be Jimmy Carter. I’d love to hear him talk about his work on monitoring elections.

]]> By: Saudade http://bycommonconsent.com/2007/03/29/rfk-at-byu-in-1968/#comment-127006 Saudade Sat, 31 Mar 2007 13:41:44 +0000 http://www.bycommonconsent.com/2007/03/rfk-at-byu-in-1968/#comment-127006 Thanks much for this post, and especially the <em>Dialogue </em>and <em>Student Review </em>links to the speech, and the <em>House of Faith</em> information. I'm feeling much better already. Sure, Cheney is speaking at graduation, but now I can put that in a larger context. We had RFK here just a little while ago, and yesterday(Friday, March 30), María del Pilar Nores Bodereau de Garcia, the First Lady of Peru, spoke on campus. Who knows, mabye next it will be Chile's president, Michele Bachelet? Thanks much for this post, and especially the Dialogue and Student Review links to the speech, and the House of Faith information.

I’m feeling much better already. Sure, Cheney is speaking at graduation, but now I can put that in a larger context. We had RFK here just a little while ago, and yesterday(Friday, March 30), María del Pilar Nores Bodereau de Garcia, the First Lady of Peru, spoke on campus.
Who knows, mabye next it will be Chile’s president, Michele Bachelet?

]]> By: DavidH http://bycommonconsent.com/2007/03/29/rfk-at-byu-in-1968/#comment-127005 DavidH Sat, 31 Mar 2007 02:14:17 +0000 http://www.bycommonconsent.com/2007/03/rfk-at-byu-in-1968/#comment-127005 I do remember a neighbor who detested Reagan, so I think he was divisive as to at least one person. I do remember a neighbor who detested Reagan, so I think he was divisive as to at least one person.

]]> By: Bob http://bycommonconsent.com/2007/03/29/rfk-at-byu-in-1968/#comment-127004 Bob Sat, 31 Mar 2007 01:43:58 +0000 http://www.bycommonconsent.com/2007/03/rfk-at-byu-in-1968/#comment-127004 Make that T & S. Make that T & S.

]]> By: Bob http://bycommonconsent.com/2007/03/29/rfk-at-byu-in-1968/#comment-127003 Bob Sat, 31 Mar 2007 01:42:12 +0000 http://www.bycommonconsent.com/2007/03/rfk-at-byu-in-1968/#comment-127003 "Gee..but it's funny, how time slips away.." I was booed from this Blog when I said going into Iraq was not part of God's Plan of Salvation. Now it appears, I can speak at BYU! “Gee..but it’s funny, how time slips away..” I was booed from this Blog when I said going into Iraq was not part of God’s Plan of Salvation. Now it appears, I can speak at BYU!

]]> By: Guy Murray http://bycommonconsent.com/2007/03/29/rfk-at-byu-in-1968/#comment-127002 Guy Murray Fri, 30 Mar 2007 23:22:06 +0000 http://www.bycommonconsent.com/2007/03/rfk-at-byu-in-1968/#comment-127002 <blockquote>Are there any Cheney Democrats?</blockquote> I'm beginning to wonder whether there are any Cheney republicans.

Are there any Cheney Democrats?

I’m beginning to wonder whether there are any Cheney republicans.

]]> By: Dan http://bycommonconsent.com/2007/03/29/rfk-at-byu-in-1968/#comment-127001 Dan Fri, 30 Mar 2007 22:52:40 +0000 http://www.bycommonconsent.com/2007/03/rfk-at-byu-in-1968/#comment-127001 As a Democrat, I will say that Reagan was not anywhere in the same city let alone the same ballpark as Cheney. Are there any Cheney Democrats? As a Democrat, I will say that Reagan was not anywhere in the same city let alone the same ballpark as Cheney.

Are there any Cheney Democrats?

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