Pattakos On Springer At Northwestern
Guest Post By Peter Pattakos
Statement of Peter Pattakos on Jerry Springer and the Northwestern Law Community
Statement of Peter Pattakos on Jerry Springer and the Northwestern Law Community
There is an interesting controversy brewing at Northwestern University School of Law over the selection of Jerry Springer, former NU Law alum and president of the student government, as this year's commencement speaker. See here for details. Some of you might remember that Chief Source contributor Peter Pattakos, also a former NU Law alum and student government president, was himself involved in an interesting controversy last spring at Northwestern. His experience gives him a unique perspective on the current Springer issue, and because Northwestern currently has no active student run newspaper, blog, etc., he's asked us to publish his thoughts on the issue here. We're happy to oblige. Peter's thoughts are posted below.
I was glad to learn about the controversy over Jerry Springer's selection as this year's graduation speaker because the episode shows what is so great about our school. I speak as one who had both a unique experience at Northwestern Law, and a uniquely Northwestern experience as a law student. This experience has taught me that people like certain nameless commenters on websites like Above the Law who indicate that we should for some reason be embarrassed about either Springer's selection or the community dialogue about it have it exactly wrong.The administration's handling of this issue is entirely consistent with its stated mission to build the great law school for the changing world. Springer was chosen by a Student Bar Association (SBA) committee that has been delegated the responsibility of selecting and securing a graduation speaker, and the administration has supported the committee's decision, despite the public outcry against it. Whether Springer is an appropriate graduation speaker is a subject on which folks may reasonably disagree, even vehemently. It's important that the school has left the decision with the students who were selected by their elected representatives to make decisions about graduation.
If all of these decisions were going to be easy, there would be little point in creating a student committee to make them. This is something that I didn't appreciate nearly enough when I served on the SBA at Northwestern -- that the (s)election of representatives presupposes that these representatives make decisions on things about which bright and reasonable people will, in good faith, disagree. By its nature, the law school environment is, and should be, fraught with such disagreement. In failing to appreciate this myself, I took far too much of this disagreement personally when I was a law student. Because I made some of these issues so personal, I argued positions on these issues in which I didn't really understand or believe in a vain attempt to justify certain of my decisions that implicated them. Its obvious and an understatement to say that the community and I would both have been better served if I'd have simply accepted and tried to understand the disagreement. It was only when I failed to do this that the administration (and a number of students) stopped supporting me as a representative of the student body.All of this should make clear that anyone who is concerned about the selection of future commencement speakers and similar decisions would do well to become more involved in the decision-making process. There are many ways to do this. Participation in the SBA and/or student organizations is a direct way. The listservs, community bulletin board, and participation at general SBA meetings, can be effective checks on your (s)elected representatives, particularly when used in conjunction with one another. No one knows how to better affect a school's community and culture than its students, and I'm not aware of any school that does better than Northwestern in vesting its student body with the power to do so. The open listservs, the Dean's weekly meetings with the SBA, and the administration's support for important decisions made by student organizations are all, to some degree, unique to Northwestern, and evidence of the administration's trust in (reliance on) the student body to shape the culture and community. The school's unique admissions policies further provide for a student body that's relatively well positioned to do this.
This power vested in the student body is an important part of the educational experience at Northwestern that is simply not available at other schools. The Springer decision is undoubtedly a part of this, and should at least be appreciated, if not celebrated, as such. And Springer is the tip of the iceberg (See, generally, NU Law Supreme Court clinic - cert petition in Chambers v. U.S. granted yesterday). I assure anyone that if you become involved in any way, you will have the opportunity to shape your environment and shape NU Law as an institution. The worst thing that could happen would be that you might take personally a disagreement relating to your involvement, and say or do things that you wish you hadn't. And that experience might be the best kind of education in the end anyway. So please hold your heads high Northwestern, and especially Class of 2008. I hope that you continue to make the pages of Above the Law, and enjoy Mr. Springer's speech.
By Kyle - 4/22/2008
46 Comments:
I'd like to congratulate pattakos on completing a paragraph without dropping the 'N' bomb.
I'd like to congratulate anonymous on being brave enough to attach his name to his ad hominem attack.
Why would a member of Jones Day's Diversity Task Force drop the "N" bomb?
oh for heaven's sake, anonymous, peter didn't say 'nigger,' he quoted outkast and one of the lyrics was 'nigga.' if you have a problem with 'nigger' or 'nigga,' take it up with the people who use it, not the people who quote other people using it.
at the very least, let's keep the story straight.
Jerry Springer and a law school seems like a match made in heaven. What isnt there to celebrate?
Well, now that Pattakos has finally released a "statement" we can all breathe a little easier.
you shouldn't back off Peter-you got screwed because you believe in equality and wouldn't be manipulated by some form of white guilt-what you posted here after it happened was refreshing. Only people willing to whore out their race or anything else for advancement (or in this case a chance to met a USCJ) should apologize
Hello Peter, I enjoyed reading your comments and postings a while back on TCS.
A few observations about Jerry Springer:
A while back I attended a dinner that had Jerry as the speaker. The occasion was that hat he was mulling a run for Governor of Ohio I was in a small group of persons who would be hosting him at the local golf course pub. I had my peconceived notions about Springer , as I am sure that some at Northwestern have about his credibility, the sleaze factor etc.
I drank beer with Jerry and talked casually - I think he was very cordial and honest...absolutely NOT the preconceived sleazy slob that many would think.
Later after the dinner and questions, I realized that Springer is an excellent speaker and very interesting person. His narrative about his life and his love of the USA is a true and touching American story.
Summation: Springer will change the opinion of his detractors if they would give him the chance.
NOTHWESTERN: Give Jerry Springer YOUR ear - You will learn something and maybe just come away with some pride that he is a Nortwestern Alum
Petey said it
Oh, Springer is commonly asked about wis sleazy TV endeavors...He says thats his "day Job" and who would refuse the $$$MILLIONS$$$$ that it pays
Petey,
My wife has stated that if Jerry is elected in this state she is moving(I might miss her). I kind of like his approach. If you want to make a fool out of yourself fine I will make $$$$$ just dont ask me to take it seriously.
Funny Fred...I personally dont know how any contemporary politician could call the kettle black (Trash Springer) Maybe just jealously, I suppose.
Kyle bring in PAttakos to replace chuck & bob-he would be the best thing you have ever done for this site.
more chains more chains more chains more chainsmore chains more chainsmore chains more chainsmore chains more chainsmore chains more chainsmore chains more chainsmore chains more chainsmore chains more chainsmore chains more chainsmore chains more chainsmore chains more chainsmore chains more chainsmore chains more chainsmore chains more chainsmore chains more chainsmore chains more chainsmore chains more chainsmore chains more chainsmore chains more chainsmore chains more chainsmore chains more chainsmore chains more chainsmore chains more chainsmore chains more chainsmore chains more chainsmore chains more chainsmore chains more chainsmore chains more chainsmore chains more chainsmore chains more chainsmore chains more chainsmore chains more chainsmore chains more chainsmore chains more chainsmore chains more chainsmore chains more chains
diversity in todays lexicon means give me something for nothing. Like a different melanin count yields so much greater insight into anything. Their is no diversity in the worlds of higher education, almost to a man they are the same person with the same experiences from the same schools, and whether they have chocolate frosting or vanilla (or any shade in between) they are cookies cut from the same mold
what is this N bomb everyone is talking about-are we talking about napalm?
Seriously when a rapper can title his album "Nigger" (Nas) I see no reason adults can't discuss it without sounding like 6 year olds on the playground.
T- I love that thought...check me if I got it right
Melanin count is not directly proportional to anything political
Frosting...Cookies (Oreos?), chocolate, vanilla....ohya
The "race card " is one humongous scam
The administration's handling of this issue is entirely consistent with its stated mission to build the great law school for the changing world.
That would be true if you believe the world is evoling into a massive trailer park.
that should be evolving.
Russ: NE OHIO is evolving into a massive trailer park.
I worked in Northfield today. Three homes on the street I was surveying were foreclosed and had windows broken.
Bad scene
Really? Where in Northfield? It is, afterall, a buyers market!
You were 15 minutes away from me in Twinsburg!
Electric, May and Rosewood, also Birch Ave.
We have been Northfield's Engineers for 20 years...I have seen some bizarro goings on there
My gramma lived on Birch. I loved going to the McDonalds there with the giant arches. And the drive-in!
do you think that the people that started this blog have a past? AND do you think that they will ever have a political career? Honesty is the best policy. I will tell my secrets.
This post has been removed by the author.
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