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沈旭暉專欄﹕當小布殊在耶魯300周年典禮遇上示威

香港大學舉行建校100周年慶典,請得國務院副總理李克強擔任主禮嘉賓,同日港大學生嘗試在場外示威不果,被禁錮梯間1小時。這教筆者想起一段往事。

2001年是美國耶魯大學建校300周年,邀請了當時剛當選總統的舊生小布殊,擔任畢業禮演講嘉賓。根據耶魯規定,正式畢業禮是不設演講嘉賓的,除非校方決定對現任總統授予名譽學位,這人才可發言,在小布殊以前曾如此發言的,包括甘迺迪、老布殊等。這規定一直備受爭議,無論是哪位總統獲頒學位,都肯定有學生抗議。

居總統獲頒學位 排在最後

小布殊雖是總統,但他當天的身分,只是名譽學位獲得者之一,在台上與其他獲頒學位的人一字開排、平起平坐,不會坐到屬於校長、校監的座位,也不會像香港大學慶典那樣,在李克強以西服端在正中的主禮照,幾乎看不見另一主禮嘉賓、前港督衛奕信勛爵的身影。而小布殊獲頒學位的次序居然被排在最後,有說是主辦者的玩笑。

由於正式畢業禮繁文縟節太多,耶魯大學在畢業禮前一天另有一個全體師生參加的Class Day典禮,由應屆畢業生提名一位知名人士作主禮發言,涵蓋名單十分多元化,曾獲邀的不止有克林頓、貝理雅等政客,也包括不少社運名人,今年的嘉賓則是影帝湯漢斯。

小布殊獲頒學位的消息傳出後,校園內外一片反響。當時小布殊只憑爭議選票當選,聲望不佳,學術水平明顯有限,加上他的新保守主義從不是耶魯大學的寵兒,惹來反彈自屬必然。不少耶魯教授公開呼籲杯葛畢業禮,最終有近200教授響應,一眾學生更精心預備了針對小布殊的示威。典禮當日,場內畢業生以黃色標語集體示威,在小布殊接受校長頒發名譽法學博士學位的一刻,忽然一併舉起橫額,全場則不約而同噓聲四起。來自全國各地的示威者也把典禮當作盛事,希望把握機會百花齊放,在小布殊視線範圍內,可以看見的標語包括「布殊,你是偷來的總統!」,以及「殺人犯老布殊與小布殊:有其父必有其子」。

師兄身分自嘲 贏盡掌聲

但小布殊當天的表現,卻為他贏盡掌聲。他在致辭中除了回憶自己的耶魯歲月,又不斷自嘲,例如拿自己的C平均分作笑話,坦承讀書時只去派對,又開中途退學的耶魯舊生副總統切尼玩笑,說「自己因為有耶魯學位,就做了總統,切尼退學,就只能當副總統」。這類美式幽默令場內人士十分受落,除緩和氣氛,也巧妙地把對立雙方的身分認同鎖定在校園。所以他要顯出自己不是以總統身分說話,而是以一個成績糟糕的師兄身分來自白。他明白在場者多不認同他有資格拿名譽法學博士,對這點更是不斷發揮,例如說自己從小就不確定自己要當什麼,又在祝福成績優秀的畢業生之餘,「更要祝福以C成績畢業的學生,因為大家都可以當總統」。他的演講不但惹來多次大笑和掌聲,更彷彿有意無意間在諷刺對他頒發學位來擦鞋的校方(布殊家族都出身耶魯,但近年關係欠佳),連示威者也忍俊不禁。

標語人群依舊 氣氛出奇和諧

最後,示威的人群依然在那裏,標語依然在那裏,學生的橫額依然在那裏,但氣氛卻出奇和諧。筆者畢業於2000年,認識不少2001年在場的畢業生,他們事後說小布殊的表現,讓他們改觀。他們更發現無論是校方還是小布殊,都是一方面做門面的政治工作,另一方面卻同時對這個行為公然自嘲、暗中互諷,對示威學生更是唯恐他們不來,以確保大學的批判思維得以被同時尊重。這是畢業前的最後一課,就是四年大學生涯一課也沒上,這一課也值回票價。

英國華威大學訪問學人、香港教育學院文理學院副教授及對外關係統籌主任 沈旭暉
"Veni, Vidi, Vici"
竹乃清,竹乃霸道

阿力記得當年睇住電視重播,GWB點樣自嘲自己無 dropout 就有得做總統,dropout咗嘅 Cheney 就只係能夠做副總統。更記得佢祝福攞C嘅學生嘅場面。邊個能夠面對群眾?邊個能夠面對反對聲音?呢啲就正正係 class,呢啲就正正係氣度,呢隻就叫做大將之風。

而李克強呢?相比之下,高下立見啦~

-力

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Are you still so incredibly closed minded to the point of being stupid to think that grades mean everything?

Grades are but one measure that gauges the capability of a person. I remember you saying that you had some pretty decent grades back when you were doing university in the States, but with a stinky shxt-like personality, obviously you have turned into a major failure.

-Lik

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Fact: Bill Gates is a university dropout.
Fact: Li+x does not have a university degree.
Fact: Richard Li (+xGor's beloved son) is also a university dropout.

Fact: If you believe for a second that people need university degrees to be smart, it just proves that you are incredibly stupid beyond hope. I've met a ton of smart, intelligent, wise, or gifted people in my life that are far more capable cognitively than I am. They range from having multiple post docs to having received no formal education at all.

And I know people with EE degrees, who are supposed to be smart, but will still blindly suck up to Grandfather and lick his fat old stinky a$$ with all his might... One of his names starts with FY... Would you happen to know that guy?

The point is, 李克強 dared not to face the people and opposition. GWB did and came out in flying colours. Enuf said.

-Lik

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本帖最後由 peter236 於 2011-8-19 19:04 編輯
阿力記得當年睇住電視重播,GWB點樣自嘲自己無 dropout 就有得做總統,dropout咗嘅 Cheney 就只係能夠做副 ...
Lik 發表於 2011-8-19 15:51

GWB is a moron who got into the US into a losing war in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The result is a near bankrupt US economy.

Mr Lik, please stop your stupid anti-Chinese rhetoric on this LYK forum. You are making a fool of yourself.

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GWB is a moron who got into the US into a losing war in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The result is a near  ...
peter236 發表於 2011-8-19 19:00

Entirely true. And yet he is also the president that responded with incredible poise and composure in the face of animosity. No US president since WWII has faced a national threat, disaster, and tragedy as big as what GWB came across. And for that, his legacy will forever be engraved in the history books whether you like it or not.

李克強 was presented with an opportunity, and he could have been the first Chinese leader to face and acknowledge the requests of the 6.4 Tienanmen Massacre protesters. Had he done that, he, too, would have been forever remembered by the history books as the first Chinese leadership figure to do so. But in his cowardice, he chose not to and avoided the people and their voice. That too, will be remembered as well.

-Lik

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係你咁弱智先至會盲目信奉 degree 嘅嗟。不過你鍾意信咪信囉,我唔會阻止你去繼續做你嘅盲丙嘅。

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