Should a Convicted Cop Killer be a College Commencement Speaker?

Your student body’s support of Abu-Jamal, notorious cop killer to speak (recorded) at Goddard’s commencement exercise is beyond comprehension and utterly despicable. You assert that “Every individual has an inherent worth and dignity and deserves to have their perspective heard even if it is unpopular. There is academic merit in what Mumia has to say and it is important that we at Goddard College support our students’ right to choose and freedom of speech” (CNN interview). Does Abu-Jamal’s so-called right to dignity and self-worth trump that of a police officer’s widow, who is now subjected to a nightmarish revisiting of the crime that took her husband’s life? Whose life is more valuable and should be more respected?

Goddard’s student base must be caught up in some type of 1960’s ultra-liberal time warp, not understanding the construct behind the principles of the First Amendment. Is the air in Vermont so rarified that absurdity follows with insanity?
Abu-Jamal has made a reputation for himself within the prison community and has followers that still proclaim his innocence. However, the plain truth is that he is a simply a sociopathic radical, non-repentant murderer without remorse, feigning innocence, even though the evidence against him was irrefutable.

Serial murderer John Wayne Gacy was a pretty good artist, painting clown themes while on death row. After his execution, an anonymous bidder bought all his paintings at auction. Upon receipt of the paintings, he immediately destroyed them. Such should be the case for all convicted murderers. Talent notwithstanding, Abu-Jamal should be considered persona non grata for his crime and his name never recognized for any contributions. He lost his societal rights when he committed cold-handed murder!

It’s too bad that a legal glitch kept him from being executed; being awarded life without parole at the taxpayer’s expense. I wonder. If he had been executed, would Goddard have erected a shrine for him on campus? There should be no remembrance of this societal vermin whatsoever, save the fact that he in cold blood executed a police officer in the performance of his duties.

Rest assured, that in the future I will never recommend Goddard to any of my undergraduate students seeking a Fine Arts degree; to join a student body which is obviously without shame. I now consider Goddard a toxic institution not worthy for consideration!

Prof. Michael F. Kenney, MFA, MS Ed., MA Ed.