Eagleionline

BCLS isn’t the only law school facing controversey over this year’s commencement speaker. According to “legal tabloid” Above the Law, students at Northwestern University School of Law are up in arms over the selection of alum Jerry Springer as their graduation speaker.

While BCLS students and faculty have engaged in heated debates about international human rights and torture in light of Attorney General Mukasey’s silence on waterboarding, the Northwestern crowd have been just as engaged about the symbolism of their speaker.

 A sample of the anti-Jerry protesters:

Our graduation from law school will be a lifetime memory, and our ceremony will be etched forever in our hearts and minds as we remember back on our special day. With that being said, I and our fellow classmates wish to express our deep sense of anger, embarrassment and surprise to hear that it would not be a State Senator, or Supreme Court Justice or Civil Rights leader or the like addressing us with words of wisdom and support and encouragement as we enter the next stage of our lives and careers. Instead, the sensationalist, ratings-seeking, instigator of daytime television.

And in favor of the former Cinci mayor:

For the past year, I have been working as a legal intern for the Jerry Springer show … and wanted to speak a bit more about the content of the show. I realize that it is outlandish, and offensive to some … but it is what it is. The people on the show are not being exploited — they are there willingly, and they know exactly what they are getting into (I know this because [redacted] and I have personally read and explained legal releases to every single one of them). From the “riot lesbian” to the “kung-fu hillbilly” to the pole dancers we hire for special occasions - they are entertainers, they are enjoying themselves, and they are well compensated for their time. Jerry Springer is not going to give a graduation speech about lesbian midget strippers — he is intelligent and quick-witted and I have no doubt that he will deliver a perfectly appropriate graduation speech, whether or not you enjoy his show.