A Little Propriety, Please

Nothing is more soporific than commencements, and I include speakers of all sorts from students to school personnel to guest celebrities. An occasional protest at least makes for excitement, but if we also value civility and decorum, protests should only occur when a speaker says or does something outrageous. I once saw a pig brought on stage, but that was funny and even Wm. F. Buckley Jr. laughed.

Students need to learn more than academic subjects; they need to learn proper behaviors as well. In this age of rampant vulgarity and semi-Fascist discourse in our political life, a little propriety would seem to be in order. N'est-ce pas?