The LU Graduation Speaker This Year Is...

The Liberty University Graduation speaker this year is...Newt Gingrich.

As a Liberty alumni I have mixed feelings about this. As a former speaker of the house Gingrich is certainly qualified to speak at any university graduation and probably does so every year. I also imagine that his speech would be very good, very educational, and interesting. After all there are few who know more about politics then Newt Gingrich. Gingrich also tends to be a good historian.

However due to the recent headlines concerning Gingrich I am not sure having him speak at Liberty's '07 graduation sends the right message. Don't get me wrong. Anyone who has paid any attention to Gingrich's career has known about this issue of adultery since the 1990s. It is old news despite what CNN and FOX say. However considering the "press" he is getting now having him speak at Liberty may simply damage Liberty's reputation (among some Christians).

I do want to acknowledge Falwell's remarks that...

I cannot be Gingrich's judge. I don't know if he is truly repentant or if he is just trying to gain support from the religious right. I'm sorry if that comes across as being overly skeptical but we have been burned by other men who claimed to be conservative Christians simply to get our votes and then when elected they prove to be anything but conservative (ex: George W Bush). However whether Gingrich is truly repentant or not I don't believe having him speak at Liberty, at this time, is the correct move. Liberty University should not seek to align itself with someone like Gingrich who, despite his knowledge of issues, has a questionable track record.


Liberty Announcment

Falwell's Article