Much has been made in recent weeks of the Tufts administration's choice to invite Governor Deval Patrick (D-MA) to be the commencement speaker for the Class of 2009. To illustrate with one unscientific example, a Tufts Daily online poll shows that exactly half are opposed to the choice, and, even less inspiringly, only twenty-six percent of respondents support the choice. My own questioning of students leads me to believe that these numbers do present a fairly accurate snapshot of the zeitgeist on the Hill. While there are certainly legitimate concerns about Governor Patrick's achievements in his first year in office, he is coping better with the economic downturn than most governors in the country, while also trying to accomplish more than them. Furthermore, a governor in good standing of the Commonwealth, which gives us so much, should certainly be accorded the same respect as an acclaimed journalist or inspiring athlete, and choosing who has the honor of being our university's commencement speaker should be more than just a popularity contest.

From above, Governor Patrick is dealing with a national financial crisis. At the local level, his challenges cannot be described in terms this simple; they include a corrupt legislature, the need to fund a healthcare mandate devised by his predecessor which is enduring unforeseen financial crises, and crumbling state infrastructure such as the transportation system, which is in danger of going broke if it is not reformed. Amazingly, Governor Patrick is not only seeking resolutions on these issues which will allow for the continuation of state services, but is also dealing with the fundamental issues which caused these problems in the first place. Moreover, in the face of all these problems, in the first year of his term he stood his ground on the issue of same-sex marriage, working tirelessly against a proposed constitutional amendment to ban it.

Many of our governor's detractors point to the fact that his approval rating is low. However, this is largely a result of Governor Patrick’s willingness to take action that he deems necessary, regardless of public opinion. I doubt that even "Teflon President" Ronald Reagan could have proposed a nineteen-cent increase in the taxation on every gallon of gasoline sold and not seen his approval ratings plummet. Opinion polls are merely snapshots of anger or content with an individual on a given day. Certainly, the public's views should be something the governor considers, but surely it is history's opinion poll that matters most. Furthermore, the governor's approval ratings or unpopular opinions do not preclude his qualification to deliver the commencement address. The University of Notre Dame, a conservative Catholic institution, recently invited President Obama to be its commencement speaker. The University has been vilified by much of the Christian Right for inviting Obama because he is pro-choice, but Notre Dame has stood its ground. When President Obama visits South Bend to speak, it is extremely doubtful that he will extol the virtues of abortion rights. Likewise, when Governor Patrick visits us at Tufts, it is improbable that he will take much time to stump about a gas tax increase.

Others who oppose Governor Patrick's visit complain that he is not enough of a national figure. However, might he just be a little too close for comfort? Much as Jumbos, generally speaking, are more aware of poverty in Malawi than in Medford and more interested in the politics of Syria than Somerville, so too might they be unimpressed with Patrick because he comes from Beacon Hill and not Beijing; in other words, he might not be glamorous enough. However, starry-eyed Tufts students, who want to be anywhere but Massachusetts or who harbor worthy dreams of wanting to become national figures themselves, should consider the fact that Tufts is an institution intimately tied to the Bay State. We are not an island; we owe much to the Commonwealth in which we live. We are offered the resources of an unparalleled intellectual community and the opportunity to spend time in a great national city; there is, after all, a reason why so many of us choose to stay local after graduation. And, whether we realize it or not, we come in contact with Bay Staters every day.

In short, the choice of Governor Patrick as commencement speaker shows a great deal of pragmatic acceptance of the realities of life and governance in what is, for at least four years, a Jumbo's home. Accepting our governor shows the depth of our education; it shows that we understand what it takes to lead, and that we know that decisions which are right are not always popular. Certainly, reasonable criticism can be made of our governor. But he is our governor, and, given his ethically clean record of service to the Commonwealth and his inspiring story of personal achievement, he should at least be accorded a modicum of respect. To those who disapprove of the choice of Governor Patrick, I can only offer one last bit of consolation: commencement exercises are usually boring anyhow. Rather than be overly concerned with who is speaking, make the day a celebration of yourself, and allow your governor, your teachers, and your friends to celebrate you as well.