We are already beginning to hear the rumblings from local right-wingers about Coach Shaka Smart’s brief appearance at President Obama’s rally at Virginia Commonwealth University’s Siegel Center. They say that this is typical of the political bias practiced at VCU, a hotbed of liberalism. We must remind these folks, who are very selective about which citizens deserve free speech and which citizens do not, of VCU’s featured commencement speakers for the last two years. This year it will be former Republican Congressman J.C. Watts Jr., whose conservative credentials were made clear to me when I read his comment referring to anti-poverty advocates as “race-hustling poverty pimps.” And last year VCU had a genuine Pat Robertson-styled conservative Republican, Gov. Bob McDonnell, the sheriff of Zygote Junction.

Edward H. Peeples
Richmond