Freedom of Speech, We don't need no Stinkin' Freedom of Speech In another show of how narrow, ideological, and just plain ol' stupid the right wing is... E.L. Doctorow was booed for simply speaking his mind during commencement at Hofstra University. Hey, at least he can string together cogent thoughts. After twenty minutes of questioning the imperial chimperor and his gang on tax cuts, the so-called USA Patriot Act, and the effort to take the country to war because of the "impending" danger that Iraq posed from "obvious" weapons of mass destruction in Doctorow's address, the Hofstra grads thought that it would be instructive to demonstrate the left leaning culture on campus that the right wing has oh so decried since Alan Bloom got a burr up his bum over changes to the "canon." That led to a torrent of boos and catcalls that forced Doctorow to stop talking. Hofstra President Stuart Rabinowitz stepped to the podium and asked the audience to let him finish. What on earth could Doctorow have been trying to accomplish? Something distinctly un'Merican? He told the Post that his speech made the point to graduates that "simply because something was said by authority did not mean it shouldn't be questioned. I think it was entirely appropriate." So, I guess Hofstra will advertise that they graduate ignorami who if they dislike what you have to say make boorish noise rather than be exposed to a thought (not to mention the values of politeness and respect). Surely the next Sean Hannity and Ann Coulter were there.