I graduated from CSUN today. Well, I walked in the ceremony, even though I am not quite done with my thesis (I'm 100 pages into a master's thesis on the Mississippi press, 1800 to 1860.)
(More below the fold)
But I rented my cap and gown, and I fumbled with the weird sash, and I told some of my friends to show up.
And I made signs. Signs that were about 10" by 14" and they were held together by an old shoelace, and I placed the shoelace across my shoulders and I had one sign in front across my chest, and one in back.
The one in front said:
HEIL BUSH!
The one on my back said:
SUPPORT THE TROOPS! EITHER GO AND HELP OR BRING THEM HOME!
And I wore it all through the ceremony!
A cute girl I didn't know wanted to sit by me.
Many people I didn't know wanted to take my picture, including a number of grads who had their picture taken standing next to me.
When I got my diploma, several of the academics on the platform smiled or gave thumbs up. As I walked down the steps, facing the audience, there were a few hisses and boos, but more scattered clapping.
As I walked back to my seat among the master's students, my friend Anne (who's from Germany, but has a great sense of humor) and her boyfriend and several other master's students, flipped the straight-arm Nazi salute and intoned, "Heil Bush!"
I saluted them back. [CORRECTION: I have been informed that I made a mistake. Several students did make the Nazi salute, but Anne did not. It happened so quickly and it was several students around Anne. Because I have joked with Anne about this very thing (which is pretty obnoxious, I know, but she's a good sport), I assumed Anne was in on it. I apologize for the error.]
I got a lot of weird looks and strange comments as I walked around later, but all of the audible comments were favorable.
The chairman of the history depatment, a Republican who I have great respect for, feigned a heart attack when he saw me.
I got the Hitler salute several more times.
It was fun!
If you're not a target, you're an accomplice.
Make a statement EVERY DAY!