Pappy Revisited

From the Seattle-PI:

After rejecting a memorial to Marine Corps fighter ace Gregory "Pappy" Boyington, a University of Washington alumnus -- and feeling the sting of talk radio, television commmentators and the e-mail-sending public -- UW students may now back a tribute to all former students who have received the Medal of Honor.

A resolution calling for students to recognize five Medal of Honor recipients has been submitted to the student government, and it will probably be considered next week. Student government leaders briefly discussed the issue at a meeting Tuesday night.

The university itself, which received hundreds of e-mails about the rejection of a memorial to Boyington, is also trying to cool public tempers that student leaders raised when, among other things, some questioned whether the university should honor a Marine who had killed people or another rich white man.

From the ASUW meeting notes:

Lee Dunbar said he has been witness to blatant disregard and disrespect toward students and their right to express themselves freely. He said he personally apologized to Ashley Miller, Jill Edwards, Karl Smith, and others who received hateful or hurtful emails or phone calls.

He said he would do everything in his power to prevent such blatant disrespect for students' opinons.

He said the Senate acts as a center for the community, and that the debate that takes place in Senate must be preserved.

No word on when "Pappy" Boyington and the United States Marine Corps get their apology.