Commencement

I'm not graduating, but I have several friends who are. So here I am in the Marriott Center, awaiting the proceedings. The headline this year, as you've probably already heard, is one Richard Bruce Cheney, or Dick as most folks call him. Our country's Vice President. I honestly don't feel like I know enough about the man, so it will be good to hear him speak, whatever the remarks are.
Another note you've probably already heard is the backlash. The small but vocal BYU counterculture has not taken V.P. Cheney's presence here lightly. They object to what they would say is a warmongering and unreasonable man being welcomed to the Lord's university. For those in the LDS community who do not support the current presidency, it must seem an upsetting sight, the man you feel responsible for the death of thousands of Americans, not to mention the tens of thousands of Iraqis, shaking hands and exchanging pleasantries with a man they sustain as a prophet, seer, and revelator. But so it goes, those with power discusing their often overlapping stewardships.
In addition to getting plain ol' MAD, however, the counterculture has done something significant. I don' know who's idea it was first, but somehow the idea was circulated to get Ralph Nader to come speak as an alternative to the conventional commencement. They needed to raise thousands of dollars to get him here, though, and it seemed a long shot.
Never underestimate grassroots could be the lesson from this, though, because just a couple days ago, a local documentarian covering the movement posted some remarks on a very popular blog. He included a link to the site for donations, hoping a few would notice and contribute.
Within hours, thousands of dollars were pouring in. They far exceede their needed funds.
Anyway, I'l post more later. My ol' Homeboy, President Cecil Samuelson is speaking, followed by Vice President Dick Cheney.
P.S. Church President Gordon B Hinkley is also here, as well as Richard G. Scott and David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the 12.