Slouching toward Protofascism vs. Graduation Pledge A movement is underway around college campuses around the country to try to move graduates away from a purely profit selfish rationale in looking for work and careers. This campaign hopefully encourages values that Karl Rove, Rummy Rumsefeld, and Mr. Preznit could not understand in the deepest darkest moments of their souls. And in there lies the problem that this program can address. In a time where the supreme court appointed administration is calling the discussion of military abuses and criticism of Afghanistan and Iraqi policy aiding and abetting the enemy, unpatriotic, treasonous, and disloyal, we need to ask the hard questions more than ever. When did Michael Savage, Sean Hannity, and Ann Coulter become part of the Bush Cabinet? Speaking of the triumverate of evil, who in their right mind are buying these books? Has anyone who reads this blog read their books and listened to their radio programs? Or at least Savage and Hannity's radio programs, does Coulter have a syndicated radio program? My God, it hurts just to imagine it. Ok, I have to be more careful, I do not want to go to that cold, dark, humorless place ever again. Of course, no one can see her on the radio and that is clearly very important to her as anyone who has seen a cover of one of her "books" can verify. We here at Rising Hegemon would really like to know: What is so attractive about their ideas that these books sell and thousands tune into their radio shows? Is it the seductiveness of evil? Is this some kind of Rosemary's Baby kind of thing? Surely it just can't be lazyness, can it? Consider the renamed Michael Savage who hosted a short-lived MSNBC program before wishing for all gay people to "die of aids." Now that's tolerant, isn't it? This radio blowhard -- Ok, he may not be as popular as Rush 'where are my little blue babies?' Limbaugh but thousands do listen according to Arbitron ratings. What is it about rightwingers that AM radio is so attractive to spreading their message of self-agrandizement, herbal remedies, the need to buy gold and silver, and intolerance of anyone who thinks differently then they do. Think different, indeed. Savage is particularly noxious referring to liberals... no make that anyone who thinks with the label: "Red Diaper Doper Babies." Savage considers empirical evidence wrong unless it is infused and based on an alientating ideology. For example, in the title to his new book he refers to all liberals as "The Enemy Within." On Tuesday night's broadcast he claimed that outrage should only be directed toward the murderers of Nick Berg and that liberals are destroying this country, not Bush (Peggy's crush) and the slow march to brown shirts that are tied to the perpetual war on terror as illustrated by the Iraqi war (GOPers seriously man crushing on that one). For the record, we here at Rising Hegemon are outraged by all the wanton death. In fact, we are outraged at Savage's outrage over those who think, require empirical evidence, and have values that see the worth in all people regardless of political or religious beliefs. Savage is fond of referring to all Muslims as Islamofascists, the convuluted nature of this overgeneraliztion is sad and terrifying in its step closer to some kind of American styled fascism. Maybe the graduation pledge will move some people to understand, question, and act with more human concern and care. We can only hope. Fort Wayne News-Sentinel (posted Wednesday, May 12, 2004; Fortwayne.com) A pledge for graduates It's an invitation to look beyond the first paycheck toward the impact of work. By Bob Caylor for the editorial board When the more than 200 graduates of Manchester College's 2004 class leave campus later this month, it's likely that 50 to 75 percent of them will have taken an uncommon pledge concerning their futures. It's called "The Graduation Pledge," and it's this simple: I pledge to explore and take into account the social and environmental consequences of any job I consider and will try to improve these aspects of any organizations for which I work. This pledge, created in 1987 at Humboldt State University in California, has grown into a national program that involves 120 colleges and universities. It has been headquartered at Manchester since 1996. Obviously, it doesn't impose any elaborate framework of rules on a graduate. But it does signify that a graduate of Manchester who pledges has considered how his or her work will affect the world. Just as important, it shows that an institution that supports the pledge program encourages students to think beyond their first post-college paycheck to the broader impact of their work. We'd like to think that all the graduates emerging from years of education in a college or university would naturally consider how their employment will affect the world beyond themselves. But such optimism wouldn't be supported by experience. If you detect a left-of-center tilt in the pledge that Manchester graduates are invited to take, you're on the right track. Manchester College is a liberal hot spot, which stands out all the more for its conservative surroundings. But the idea of a graduation pledge ought to have appeal for graduates of any ideology. Students at a conservative college might adapt the pledge to suit their leanings, which could mean something like: I pledge to consider how my work contributes to the expansion of freedom and individual authority. Or graduates of Christian colleges might be invited to pledge to consider how their work glorifies God and encourages people to follow Christ's example in their lives. A rationalist might pledge to examine whether a job he is considering would help him diminish prejudice and superstition and replace them with reason. And so on and so on. All that's not to say that freshly minted graduates should be more finicky than a Nobel Prize laureate in their job searches. As they look for jobs that suit them, their skills and their idealistic aspirations, they may be making their rent and student-loan payments by mowing golf courses, stocking shelves or selling appliances for a while. But the Graduation Pledge, or some variant of it, is a ritual of passage that, when encouraged by a college or university, sends a valuable message: Work has great meaning, and any work has effects far beyond the person paid to perform it. That sounds like a better way to send graduates into the world than most commencement speeches.