The Hatchet’s editorial board explains why the Meghan McCain controversy is bad for GW’s image, and the fault of a select few individuals.
GW is known for the speakers it attracts. Heads of state, famous comedians and influential thinkers are frequent guests here in Foggy Bottom. Usually, this brings good press for the University, and is a selling point for prospective students. It is for that reason perhaps that the fiasco surrounding Meghan McCain’s scheduled appearance in February is especially embarrassing for GW. It is clear that political posturing, misrepresentation and petty conflicts have marred our school’s reputation.
The problem with this is that the College Republicans are homophobic. There is no other reason to be against marriage equality.
Kat wrote an editorial as well over at FoBoBlo about just this.
http://www.foboblo.com/2010/01/20/meghan-mccain-gay-marriage-gw-crs/
Joe,
No. The College Republicans were lied to about this being a marriage event for marriage week. Last year, they co-sponsored an event with Log Cabin Republicans about gay marriage – and had openly gay people on their eboard.
They aren’t homophobic – just lied to.
Michael Komo is hardly an unknown quantity at GW — just what did CR imagine he was inviting McCain here to say? It is absurd to allege deceit on the part of Komo when any org at GW bizarrely claims to be shocked to learn that an event Komo was putting together is pro-lgbt.
And a bit of controversy is good for us. The views of our high-profile speakers should be controversial; it’s a university!
Re the line “McCain (incorrectly) tweeted that she had been “uninvited” to GW’s campus”: as The Hatchet’s own blog makes clear, she corrected that statement within hours. http://blogs.gwhatchet.com/newsroom/2010/01/19/mccain-reportedly-uninvited-to-gw/
And re the broad claim that CR’s run-away has been projected upon all of GW, I just haven’t seen that. NY Times, eg, picked up on the distinction that others have made clear: “Meghan McCain was asked to be the keynote speaker at next month’s National Equality Week at George Washington University in Washington for her advocacy, but her appearance has drawn criticism from Republicans on campus, the NOH8 site said.” http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2010/01/20/us/politics/AP-US-Cindy-McCain-Gay-Marriage.html
Well irregardless of the CR controversy the actual story read more like an editorial and this editorial was horribly biased…I hope Jamie Baker sues The Hatchet for everything they are worth….(Which if their monetary value is anywhere near their journalistic value it’s not much…)
editorials are supposed to be opinionated…
Wow….the SA is incompetent, and the CR’s don’t know gay from straight. Bunch of smart, smart people at GWU. A degree from there is the best piece of paper money can buy!
I ought to know…I’m a student.
I just read this article from McCain’s blog today. This basically verifies Komo’s and Allied’s story:
http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2010-01-24/yes-im-a-pure-republican/?cid=hp:exc
McCain states that her event is about Redefining Republicanism and that marriage equality will be only one of many topics discussed.
What better proof do you want than from the speaker herself?