From E.L. Doctorow, Booed but Unbowed
Doctorow said, "I thought we were all supposed to speak out? Isn't that what this country is about?"
Isn't that what the audience was doing? They heard someone taking a platform that was given to them as an honor for their accomplishments, and turning it into a platform to comment on politics and "America" and then being offended that their audience expressed their own opinion in an equally innapropriate manner. I firmly believe that everyone in this country has the right to an opinion, right or wrong, and the right to have that opinion heard. However, I think that the rules of society dictate that there is a time and place where expressing that opinion is innapropriate. If I was in a job interview (on either side) and said "I think George Bush is a farce of a president, how about you?" that would be innapropriate. If I were at a funeral, giving the eulogy, it would be wrong for me to start complainging about politics. The same is true for acceptance speeches and commencement addresses. If you want to complain about politics and the state of the world, go on a talk show, write a letter to the editor, take out an ad, stand on a street-corner (where people can walk away if they so choose) or get yourself a blog.
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