Headmaster Edward J. Shanahan shook the Choate community last week with his announcement that Karl Rove would be the Commencement speaker for the class of 2008. Rove served as senior adviser and Deputy Chief of Staff to President George W. Bush until he resigned in late August of 2007.
Rove is often heralded as one of the best, if not the best, political strategists of his time. He oversaw both of George W. Bush’s presidential campaigns and was integral in ensuring his victories in 2000 and 2004. In an email sent to the student body last week, Headmaster Shanahan remarked that Rove “played a vital role in the major policy decisions made during the Bush Presidency.”
The News deeply objects to the appointment of Mr. Rove to speak this June. At Commencement two years ago on June 4, 2006, Headmaster Shanahan asked graduating seniors to think of their responsibilities to themselves, and to others. He lamented how “responsibility to others and for oneself has been all but forgotten in certain circles.” Mr. Shanahan alluded to various public figures who have been exposed for scandalous activities, noting that in spite of their lack of ethics and sense of responsibility they were all found to be “not guilty.” At that Commencement Mr. Shanahan posed a very important and pressing question: “How can so many moral, ethical and legal laws be broken and still no one is guilty, no one assumes public responsibility for having chosen to do wrong?”
It is ironic that the man who issued those words two years ago has chosen a commencement speaker who has gained infamy in many circles for less-than-ethical decisions and actions.Thus far, Mr. Rove has not been indicted for any major crimes. But, many would argue that he is as culpable for the compromised situation the country finds itself in as any other figure of the Bush administration.
In their book, “The Architect: Karl Rove and the Master Plan for Absolute Power,” James Moore and Wayne Slater assert that “under Rove, the politics of deception has become a conventional political tool.” It is known that Rove presided over meetings of the White House Iraq Group, a secretive White House group established to sell Congress and the public the merits of invading Iraq. Congress agreed to go to war largely because of the supposed threat of nuclear weapons and alleged connections between Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden. Not many in Congress were swayed by the latter argument, though certainly the administration convinced the American public of its veracity. No weapons were found. No connection ever existed. Today, the Department of Defense has confirmed 3920 deaths of U.S. soldiers (according to icasualties.org). The number of dead Iraqi civilians, while not official, greatly outweighs the number of Americans killed. Most importantly, as a result of this ideologically-driven war, the United States now must spend years regaining the sympathy that foreign nations had for this country on the heels of 9/11.
Helping to send the U.S. to war in Iraq is not the only thing Mr. Rove is infamous for. For example, he has acknowledged being a source for an article that disclosed the identity of former C.I.A. officer Valerie Plame (although he did not use her name in conversation). However, the point of this article is not to recount a long list of unethical decisions. Mr. Rove would be a very interesting speaker, and having him give a Special Program address could make sense. However, he is unfit to deliver our graduation address. The point of the graduation ceremonies is to celebrate the seniors and the unforgettable time they have spent at Choate and to bring the community together around the climactic moment on the school calendar. Instead, we will be deeply divided. A graduation speaker should inspire us. More importantly, he should represent the values of the school and serve as a role model for the graduates as they enter the adult world. Rove does neither of those two things.
What kind of message does hosting Mr. Rove send to the student body? Do we wish to condone his behavior? It would seem that students are being told that the ends justify the means. The News urges Mr. Shanahan to reconsider his decision. While it is gracious of Mr. Rove to offer his services as Commencement speaker, The News asks that the school kindly reject the offer.
