The value of an honorary degree

One of the honorary-degree recipients at yesterday's 311th commencement at Yale University was a state Supreme Court judge from Massachusetts who was being honored for her strident defense and advocacy of same-sex marriage.

When that part of the citation was read, the audience burst into enthusiastic screaming and applauding. University President Rick Levin became quite emotional.

Has the meaning and value of an honorary degree changed so much that it can be awarded for adopting positions that are contrary to traditional moral standings in our nation?

It is quite shocking to understand the degree of change that has occurred in our society on social issues of this magnitude. Rather than allowing these kinds of momentous swings and public opinion to occur without debate, we should encourage open discussion without introducing political correctness so that any changes in our general values can be vetted, as opposed to imposed.

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