May 1

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In the early hours of the morning of the 1st, it thundered and poured down rain.

Thousands of people got drenched while waiting to be allowed into "the big house."

The rain stopped. 85,000 people wended their way through airline-style security, without bags of any kind, without food, without water, without umbrellas....

Here's what it looks like when 85,000 people come to graduation. Most of the graduates are on the field (though I saw some in the stands with the spectators).

That tall turquoise building at the top is Tower Plaza. That's the same tall building whose west side we see when we look at the downtown library. This is its south side.





This young woman (whose name I remember because it is Mary Martin) did a fine job with the national anthem. She was one of the graduates from the music school.

At first I was annoyed with the "double exposure" effect, but then I realized that the "extra exposure" is the crowd. This image was taken from one of the stadium's scoreboards. Part of the vast crowd to whom she sings is reflected as the "second exposure."





It surely isn't always the case that people I vote for are elected. When others are elected, I can rarely regard them as my representatives. They surely do things that are antithetical to what I believe is right..... It wasn't *my* governor who arranged school funding to depend on sales tax (so that when the economy tanks, the schools are in dire trouble). It wasn't *my* president who took us to war in Iraq....

I find it to be quietly thrilling when my choices take office.

My governor, my president, and the president of my university. I didn't get to vote for Mary Sue, but as far as I can tell she's doing a good job. At one point, during these ceremonies, the students chanted her name. I conclude she is liked by students as well as staff.....







Some mise-en-scene. Honorary-degree recipients and deans on the left, student speakers, regents, and former regents on the right. That is the presidential seal on the podium.

The speaker is the head of the school of Literature, Science, and the Arts.



I wished I had a program to tell me the origin of all the costumes and hats. Clearly many of these people's doctorates are from places where fancy dress is much fancier than here in the USA.



My governor, speaking about the ways Michigan has benefited from the Obama administration's policies and actions.





A smart man, a good man, enjoying being amongst friends.





A small fraction of the crowd. I believe most of that bright yellow is rain ponchos. It wasn't terribly cold, but 60 isn't that warm if (many parts of) you are soaking wet.....





He is awarded an honorary degree. The guy in red is one of the deans. The prize for silliest hat is his. Not only did he have tassels hanging down right in front of his face, but the hat was quite threadbare around the edges. I want to know its story.....





You can see they put one of those drapey collar things around his neck to indicate his new degree.



He spoke on the importance of public service and other volunteer work in support of one's community, and he spoke on the importance of treating those who do not agree with us with civility and respect. He noted that bad behavior not only makes compromise much more difficult, but it also sends a message of encouragement to those who are prone to violence......

He mentioned that it would be good if we all took to heart our parents' admonishment to behave toward others as we would wish to be treated.

He did not say, though I think this point is as critical, that you catch more flies with honey..............

There can be a vast difference between what we want, and what we really want. We may want to SMACK the idiot espousing a different view uplongside the head. But what we *really* want is for him to change that view to one closer to our own.

!!!!!!

I assert that calling that person who disagrees a name, or (how can this actually happen?) spitting on him, will NEVER (EVER!) result in him changing his view. If anything, such behavior will convince him that only jerks hold the beliefs held by name-calling spitters.

!!!!!!

If what we really want is to act like obnoxious creeps, well, then. Name-calling and spitting are surely the order of the day.

But if we really want to forward our point of view, then, just as surely, civility and respectful treatment of those who disagree are hallmarks of the only path we can travel................

As Mr. Obama said on the 1st -- many of the questions that face us *should* arouse our passions. When we bring our passions to the table, when we forcefully disagree with others, questioning the facts on which opinions are based is right, proper, inevitable. Impugning the motivation or patriotism of those who hold opinions different from our own is neither right, nor proper.


And it won't happen if we all are behaving like adults -- my statement not his.


Ahem.

Ok.

Other honorary degrees were awarded. For public service (creation of the University's Center for Continuing Education for Women). For music ("transforming the way we listen to jazz"). For science. For insightful reporting and commentary on NPR.

The four people at left in the foreground received honorary degrees (as did at least one person not in this image). Nice to see that the honorary degree recipients were not all pale males!





This is Susan Sanford of NPR getting her drapey collar thing.

Doesn't she have the world's greatest hair?



And thus endeth the images.

After the honorary degrees, the deans of the various schools which award undergraduate degrees stood in turn, and asked the degree candidates from their schools to rise and be recognized. Mary Sue told each group their degrees were conferred. Conferring degrees on all those thousands (are degrees conferred? awarded?) went very quickly.

(When there are so many thousands graduating, reading all the names would take till a week from next Tuesday......)


Then a number of ROTC graduates received their commissions (a major thrill to be commissioned by the commander-in-chief -- we saw some of them, the night before, enthusing about it on Detroit tv stations).


And that was that. It never did rain after the stadium filled, and the sun didn't come completely out to steam the audience within an inch of their lives......

The weather certainly wasn't perfect, but it could have been worse............

I bet everyone who waited in line (to get tickets), waited in line (in the thunder and pouring rain to get through security), and sat for hours (in damp clothes and wet shoes, on uncomfortable bleacher seats) was glad to have been there.

We know several people who graduated yesterday, but didn't spot any of them (or their families) in the crowd.

Congratulations, all. Best of luck as you all proceed into your futures!

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