Graduation speeches.

[Mister Agenda]

Wednesday I attended the graduation of Richland Northeast High School's class of 2013 (go, Cavaliers!) at the Carolina Coliseum in Columbia SC.

I was struck by the first speaker's speech...I think his name was Corey Benjamin, I'm not sure if he was the class president, valedictorian, or what. But I noticed how inclusive he was in his speech, attributing the school's success to Christians, Jews, Muslims, and atheists working together. This is from memory so if he mentioned any other religions that I've forgotten, that's on me, not him. If he neglected any religions represented in the student body, that's on him, but I'd presume it was unintentional. I thought it was nice that he included all (as far as I know) viewpoints on religion represented at his school. The graduation was secular, and as inclusive of atheists as I could want it to be (I wouldn't want them to promote atheism as part of a public HS graduation ceremony, just acknowedging our existence and contributions along with everyone else's is plenty).

Of course, Columbia is the capital of SC, and a college town. Northeast has an obviously diverse student body. Not so far away:

http://www.wyff4.com/news/local-news/oco...index.html

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In case not everyone can follow the link; a student at Pickens tore up his prepared speech approved by the school, and let the attendees in the Lord's Prayer. His motivation seems to have been FFRF advising the school not to have a prayer at the graduation. The crowd cheered.

[Minimalist]

Well clearly education was wasted on the second guy.

[Doubting Thomas]

That wouldn't happen here. I think they still have a prayer invocation at the beginning of the graduation ceremony.

[Mister Agenda]

LOL! Yeah, he totally killed my buzz. I didn't get to go three days pleased that a HS kid was inclusive of other religions and 'infidels' before I got harshed.

[Something completely different]

Here people simply have to turn up at a comission set up by the ministry of education - where they receive their diploma.

No speeches, no celebrations, no useless ceremonies.

You simply get what you deserve and continue with life.

[Doubting Thomas]

I bet, though, that all those people clapping & cheering for that other kid reciting prayers would have a total shit fit if the kid had been Muslim and bowed toward Mecca. I'm also willing to bet that the school officials would then arbitrarily invoke the "no prayers" rule and deny him his diploma.

[rexbeccarox]

Here people simply have to turn up at a comision set up by the ministry of education - where they receive their diploma.

No speeches, no celebrations, no useless ceremonies.

You simply get what you deserve and continue with life.

In the immortal words of the beautiful Buffy: "Mom, graduation is a pointless ceremony where you sit around and listen to a bunch of boring speeches till someone hands you a piece of paper that says you've graduated, which you already know, and maroon does nothing for my complexion."

[Baalzebutt]

The comments on the article are absolutely classic.

"Jim" is a True Christian©