You may have thought that a college graduation ceremony is a non-partisan event, a day of celebration and joy for the students and their families, right? Not if you’re Ken Burns, the notable PBS documentary maker, who used this supposedly non-political event to warn of ‘democracy’s end’ if the candidate he dislikes wins in the upcoming election.
Stephanie Ruhle, host of The 11th Hour on MSNBC, applauded Burns’ politically-loaded speech. To her, it seems, Burns is not just the revered creator of a baseball documentary from the 90s, but apparently a political sage as well. This is the same Ken Burns who likened Florida under Ron DeSantis to Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union.
In his speech, Burns used a grandiose language, insisting that the upcoming election represented a choice of perpetuating ‘our fragile 249-year-old experiment’ or ‘the entropy that will engulf and destroy us if we take the other route.’ He depicted Donald Trump as the ‘opioid of all opioids,’ and painted a picture of national self-destruction if Trump wins the election.
He tried to alarm the graduates by stating that we’re ‘at an existential crossroads in our political and civic lives.’ He seemed to argue that the equation – perhaps the balance or the underlying framework – of our nation is not equal, that somehow our national survival hangs in the balance with the approaching election.
Following Burns’ speech, Ruhle returned to wax complimentary about “the soft-spoken and great Ken Burns.” Burns’ delivery may have been hushed, but labeling Republican candidates as drugs leading to ‘national suicide’ is anything but ‘soft.’ Particularly inappropriate is the fact that Burns used a commencement address, a place of celebration and unity, to pitch his politically charged notions.
While we respect all forms of free speech, I say let’s respect, too, occasions that should remain above partisan politics. Let’s save the election debate for an appropriate platform, not hijack a college graduation ceremony to push personal biases.
In conclusion, whether you agree or disagree with Burns or Ruhle, it’s crucial to remember that there’s a proper time and place for discussing politics. Advocacy, opinions, and debate are cornerstones of a healthy democracy, but it is equally important to respect some events, such as graduation ceremonies, as sacred non-partisan ground.
