2008 Woodie Awards
Inappropriate outburst at Tutu presentation disrespectful
Eric Eikmeier '08
Issue date: 4/9/08 Section: Opinion
Last weekend, Saint Joseph's University hosted both James Cone, Ph.D., and Archbishop Desmond Tutu. These two speakers offered unique opportunities for the university and greater community to engage in an academic discussion of ongoing struggles for equality both in the world as well as in the nation, with specific emphasis placed on current problems plaguing Philadelphia.
It is important for the university to create future avenues for open dialogue similar to those created through the Cone and Tutu presentations.
While Tutu's appearance was understandably structured, the question-and-answer session with Cone provided a refreshingly frank discussion between audience members with very different viewpoints.
However, when hosting such events, the university must make every effort to ensure that these do not stray from the realm of an academic discussion to an atmosphere more akin to a political rally. This is not to say that the two events mentioned previously did this; however, they did stray rather close at times.
This issue is complicated by the nature of the archbishop's role as both a political and religious leader. This was directly addressed by one of the questions he was asked at the end of his appearance. Tutu acknowledged his dual role.
The shout of, "Reparations," in response to the question of Elizabeth Linehan, R.S.M., Ph.D. to Archbishop Tutu was completely uncalled for.
Sister Linehan's question was asking how the United States should deal with the lasting legacy of slavery, an event in which the original perpetrators are long deceased, but the repercussions still echo in our society today.
This presentation was not the proper forum for such an outburst. The lasting memory of an event as monumental as this cannot be marred by one individual's lack of tact.
For a question as complex as this, the response in the form of a knee-jerk single word response does not do it justice. Archbishop Tutu did an excellent job of addressing the question in the limited time he had remaining.
It is important for the university to create future avenues for open dialogue similar to those created through the Cone and Tutu presentations.
While Tutu's appearance was understandably structured, the question-and-answer session with Cone provided a refreshingly frank discussion between audience members with very different viewpoints.
However, when hosting such events, the university must make every effort to ensure that these do not stray from the realm of an academic discussion to an atmosphere more akin to a political rally. This is not to say that the two events mentioned previously did this; however, they did stray rather close at times.
This issue is complicated by the nature of the archbishop's role as both a political and religious leader. This was directly addressed by one of the questions he was asked at the end of his appearance. Tutu acknowledged his dual role.
The shout of, "Reparations," in response to the question of Elizabeth Linehan, R.S.M., Ph.D. to Archbishop Tutu was completely uncalled for.
Sister Linehan's question was asking how the United States should deal with the lasting legacy of slavery, an event in which the original perpetrators are long deceased, but the repercussions still echo in our society today.
This presentation was not the proper forum for such an outburst. The lasting memory of an event as monumental as this cannot be marred by one individual's lack of tact.
For a question as complex as this, the response in the form of a knee-jerk single word response does not do it justice. Archbishop Tutu did an excellent job of addressing the question in the limited time he had remaining.
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