The law school at University of North Carolina Chapel Hill caused a rumpus when former Bush administration attorney general, Michael Mukasey, was chosen as commencement speaker.
A petition criticizing the choice stated, “We believe a commencement speaker should reflect the collective values of the UNC Law community.” Mukasey’s denial of waterboarding as torture during his tenure in office “demonstrated that he does not represent those values.”
Mukasey has been a controversial figure in the law community since his appointment to office. Chapel Hill students believe offering him the commencement speaker slot suggests that the UNC law community agrees with his beliefs.
“When you invite someone to come speak, you’re bestowing an honor upon him,” said a third year student at UNC. “I feel like we’ve endorsed this person, but I would never give him my endorsement.”
