Chris Hedges - Speech at Rockford College 2003 - Part 2

[miketv]

The signer kept going! There's always a way around America's favorite coping mechanism (censorship, that is)

[QueensLadyDay]

The chickens came home to roost......

[50anEighth]

Chris hedges is a real man!

[mcthorogood]

It's okay to stand here with your back turned, but it wasn't okay when Ray McGovern stood with his back turned as Hillary Clinton addressed George Washington University. He was arrested and beaten for his protest.

[sleepwrekt]

Moooo!



[stealthypoo69]

"education has become increasingly geared towards keeping people within their economic strata and give them the vocational skills to serve the interest of the corporate state" - chris hedges

[combatLaCarie]

why does the right think that being anti-war is anti-american?

[Amhlair]

@combatLaCarie The Ron Paul right doesn't.

[combatLaCarie]

@Amhlair fact, I stand corrected at least to a degree.

[combatLaCarie]

@combatLaCarie "much of the right" is what I should have said.

[skydome29]

@Amhlair libertarian isn't "rightwing" its socially liberal, econimically conservative.

[rosiethebear300]

@combatLaCarie good question - its a propaganda tactic.

[hoffmanshades]

@combatLaCarie Because they're generally simple creatures.

[natetureboy1618]

not sure that most watching this realize that most of the crowd did seem tolerant, don't think like the ignorant "protestors" by generalizing your attacks instead have pity on those that clearly need it for it is obvious they know not what they do, there is no justification just their ignorance which shouldn't be compounded by insults

[charlesvan13]

The audience is pissed because a commencement adress is supposed to be largely for and about the graduates.

If you gave a speech trying to convert people to christianity you'd get the same reaction.

[tallswede80]

@charlesvan13 This is about the graduates. THEIR government is killing people and committing war crimes. They ought to be interested in that, and if they ignore it then they are accessories to murder.

[charlesvan13]

@tallswede80

Well, the Christian who inapropriately tries to convert people at a graduation cerimony whould say the same thing, that his cause was too important to ignore. But it would still be off topic for the situation.

[tallswede80]

@charlesvan13 This is different because it involves our military murdering people and destroying a country, with our taxes, and our troops. Murder is a crime.

[charlesvan13]

This guy is way off topic.

Regardless of the audience he should have anticipated a negative reaction to that kind of diatribe at a commencement.

[FunkadelicSurprise]

wtf are these people doing at a college anyway?

[aoiwarai]

These willing fascists, these feckless and craven pigs in the audience, deserve neither the freedoms of their birth, or the privileges of the education they were being honored for. These willing dupes, these barbaric and bloodthirsty mobs, were what Americans became. Who will remember it? Who will remember this shame? The fools in the audience pretend they never supported war, that they didn't worship Bush. These liars and murderers are your neighbors, your family, and you. God fucking bless.

[jpp3g]

Look up "cognitive dissonance." I would say, by definition, this crowd is exhibiting just that...

[rebelrebel10]

Haha...hard to believe this was 8 years ago now. Looks like he wasn't too far off.

[renosucker]

Who the #%$@ cares about the moronic views of the idiots at Rockford Fascist Academy?

[LivingDead221]

soulles terrorist sadist psychopat criminal demons, they are not humans, they are demons, they fly in space and come to kill humans to earth, they are americans

[terrorshark666]

Indoctrinated ignorant fools. a disservice to call them students of any kind.

[pholly62]

i think the saddest part of all of this is the probability that the majority of those that are "protesting" the words spoken do not even understand those same spoken words.... And, shamefully, never will understand them or that all of them have since come to pass...

[claudelebel55]

america is for freedom right? freedom of speech right ?

thank God some people are applauding

Chris Hedges is right.

[southsydney]

"the truth is the first casualty of war"

no more true than in this vid

[rhfarooq]

Rockford, shame on you.

[ApplyUrBrain]

What a bunch of ignoramuses.

[jimlaregina]

Those chanting "U.S.A." in their support of the invasion of Iraq are kidding themselves. If they really felt as though Iraq was a threat, they would have enlisted in the U.S. armed forces. Instead, they attended college.

[damoninsky]

It's interesting how people could just turn away from a pulitzer prize winner without even hearing him out. People hear what they want to hear. At what point does learning stop? Graduation?

[hzuhairy]

Does anyone know if the signer if translating it correctly?

[MzGreot]

America naked is not pretty! This is what 4 years of higher education in the US will get you!

[llothar68]

Americans are scary ignorant. It's not only the US government i hate - i hate the majority of US citizens too.

[donttrustany1]

USA... Ultimate Stupid Assholes 

[starkweather444]

The graduates of Rockford College should demand their money back they spent 4 years in a liberal arts college and learned nothing.

[alhabbo]

Murdoch, look what you have done. Moron!

[Arkinight]

These are the people that are glued to Glenn Beck every night.

[translationwiz]

It's not difficult for me to imagine, that if JFK would have given his tolerance speech about the Soviet Union to this crowd instead of the students back in the 60's.........he too, would have been booed.

[liveguns]

@translationwiz

yep, those idiots are just so blind. sad.

[AndrewMann552]

USA! USA! USA! Kill Muslims! Burn books! Watch UFC! Let's all drown in a sea of chip dip! Forget funding for public libraries, we need to keep the viagra flowing! I have no idea where Iran is...but let's bomb it anyway!

[tbone2872]

@AndrewMann552 You are absolutely right. These people's behavior is cowardice personified. The fact that behavior this ignorant is displayed at a graduation commincement is absolutely hilarious. What is so threatening about what he is saying that people have to act so ignorantly? The funniest part is if this had been a conservative pro-war speaker and people acted like this Sean Hannity and Rush Limbaugh would whine about it on their radio shows.

[Th3Wab3]

absolutely ridiculous public display of ignorances, fear, hatred and stupidity... good job America! Rupert Murdock would be proud..

[backwoodsninja]

He used their graduation to push his own political platforms.

[klard]

This is a college graduation? It looks like some kind of high school hooligan graduation. These people are proof of the decline of America into a mob ruled over by an Oligarch of wealthy dictators.

[bapyou]

"When fascism comes to America it will be wrapped up in the flag." - Huey Long

[soundmoneyfan]

"this is amera'ca boy, we love us some Bush.

Go Bush! We love you and your big gov't polices, USA USA USA.

USA USA USA, grow the gov't as big as you can, as long as it is a republican that does it. If a democrat tries it, we gon'na protest at some TEA parties! whoo-hoo"

And we wonder why we have enter into an age of folly? these were the moments 2003 to 2004 I was happy I was a libertarian. You should have seen the looks Bush people gave me when I said that Bush is all about big gov't

[bapyou]

Conservative Republicans don't grow government. What they do is make government as dysfunctional as possible in order to PROVE to the public that government doesn't work.

Dept of Labor? Appoint someone to lead it who worked at the LARGEST anti-labor law firm in the country.

Dept of Agriculture? Put someone in charge who comes from a Big Ag lobbying group.

FEMA? Put a guy in charge who knows about horse shows.

Then people scream: GOVERNMENT IS THE PROBLEM!

To which I say Duhhh!

[soundmoneyfan]

gov't is inherently dysfunctional. you are incorrect to say the gov't didn't grow under repubs. no matter how you want to measure; Spending to GDP, Debt to GDP, # of gov't jobs, # of departments, salary per gov't worker, PATRIOT act, war war war, gov't did grow. To think they make the gov't shitty to convence the public that we need less gov't is giving them too much credit, the are there to serve their special interest, they have no real idology rooted in limited gov't.

[herodotus53]

When will we realize that dissent is patriotic, and that loving one's country is not the same as being an apologist for it? This audience is ripe for demagogic exploitation. I fear for my country.

[caelarent]

What comes of a four-year liberal arts education in our country today? Ignorant, uncivilized nationalism. The propaganda machine has done its job well.

[Konform2zoidberg]

@caelarent Pardon me sir, I heard numerous competing views among the rabble. Some in support, some in opposition, some mixed. It seems as though if that can happen in 2003, the liberal arts college has done it's job.

[firstfamilyoffahrts]

@caelarent 4 years of "education" and still unable to think critically.

[darthcheney80]

Perverted patriotism...Similar to the patriot/nationalistic movements in many countries in Europe before world war one. No tolerance of other views, no debate, no broad-minded thinking. Bush summed it up then he said -You are with us or against us.

[artyfarty2]

This a terrifying glimpse of US citizens who are unable to listen to views other than their own and unable to reason as a consequence. What signs should we expect to see in the rise of facism? They give you one.

[carebeary111]

You fail to see what the point of this speech should have been. The reason for the uproar was not necessarily because of disagreement with his views, but because this should have been about the graduating students and not about furthuring his agenda

[DanMorgan98]

At my commencement there was a speech about the future prospects that we graduates faced in the challenges that awaited us, including war, financial collapse and political crisis. This is pretty typical fare, just so happens at this commencement that Chris Hedges was the speaker.

[charlesvan13]

@artyfarty2

McCain got the same reaction durring a speech at NYU that was supposed to be about politics.

[ciepluch1]

He has good, strong points, but this speech was given at an innappropriate time (a graduation ceremony). True, the "feel good" speeches saying "you'll all do great in the real world!" are useless, and the crowd's reaction was appalling (what happened to freedom of speech?), but this well-put-together speech could have been well recieved if delivered at a different time and place.

[bapyou]

"this speech was given at an innappropriate time (a graduation ceremony)"

And when is the "appropriate" time? Your comment betrays a retreat from public life, as if the only "proper" venue for political expression is the television, radio, or the internet. Outside of these outlets, are we supposed to remain silent on critical issues? Are we supposed to disengage as citizens? Are we supposed to SHUT UP?

Within such an outlook on society, the facsist seed grows.

[amet1980]

@bapyou the appropriate time to speak is always in all ways the present time.

[firstfamilyoffahrts]

@bapyou I see what you're saying and I do appreciate his work but it seems like at something like a commencement adress theres a certain themes and topics to stick to you know what im saying? I mean would you give a eulogy and just start harping on Iran or something?

[bapyou]

@firstfamilyoffahrts "commencement adress theres a certain themes and topics to stick to you"

In other words, get in line or else. You would prefer this crowd of proto-fascists be cheerled in a rally for capitalism despite its discontents? Well, give reality a shot and kick him out of the bar!

I don't think you appreciate Hedges work in the least. If you did, you'd never have written what you have to me.

[firstfamilyoffahrts]

you know what its like to live in the hood? You know what its like shittin out arbys and Mickeys every day? Nah you're just a weakass trick motherfucker with kidney disease

[stratvic]

What does USA, USA, USA mean in this context?

[Ph34rN104thin6]

true that, people who booed him back there should remove thier feet from thier mouths if they are going to defend bush and the zionists

[chi8cago]

Hedges is dead on...the nazis are the protestors becareful america you're on the brink of facism....

[lazerflesh]

There are actually a lot of white supremacists in Rockford.

[lizbet54]

Hedges is absolutely right. And the inability of those who need to listen to what he's learned as a journalist and Middle East expert to actually listen to him proves how ignorant our culture really is. Not bullshit, but clear and obvious fact.

[cbmusic]

Chris Hedges is spot on. Great speech.

[iskakaye]

if you listen to this speech from 2003, it's pretty prophetic ! this proves the majority of americans are idiots. probably the same majority who voted for Bush...

[rahul2col]

cant agree more with you. america is a brain dead materialistic empire of morons on the path of destroying themselves and the world.