Wednesday, August 08, 2007
$50,000 for Dr Death
Looks like the students at the U of Florida are tripping all over themselves to get Jack Kevorkian - a.k.a Dr. Death - to come to their campus. Kevorkian's lawyer reportedly says that student groups contacted Dr. Death almost immediately after his released from prison. They apparently want him so badly that they are offering a $50,000, taxpayer subsidised, honorarium.
Kevorkian is tentatively scheduled to speak at the University in October. The only catch: his parole officer has to approve him leaving the state. Nice.
Not all students are excited about this, Junior Ashley Emans writes the following on TownHall.com
"What are you trying to say here, my Gators? That we in Gainesville are all so open-minded and progressive, and must prove it to the world? That we enjoy making headlines and drawing yet more ire from those backwater yokels who actually treasure life? I fail to see what good is to come from using taxpayer dollars to preach a religion of death [that] a significant number do not subscribe to."
Ashley also says, "UF does not value life...How sad we no longer expect anything else from our public universities."
This situation has me thinking about a lot of different things. It's spurred thoughts about tax subsidised events, why some people reach celebrity status, my generation's obsession with death, the apparent inequity when it comes to controversial speakers on campus...the list goes on and one. *sigh* So many thoughts...so little time.
# posted by OregonGirl @ Wednesday, August 08, 2007 
