Protest brews over Cheney center at Univ of Wyoming

They forgot to mention that the new center is located near De Sade Hall, just a stone's throw from Torquemada Auditorium.

is drawing criticism from people who say Cheney’s support for the Iraq war and harsh interrogation techniques" Ah, but they would welcome a dedication to Che I bet! Regardless of his support for harsh interrogation techniques and street level trials which executions would take place immediately

How about a Dick Cheney Memorial Shooting Range?

Ah, but they would welcome a dedication to Che I bet!

Exactly what I was thinking.

How about a Dick Cheney Memorial Shooting Range?" ah, now that's a good one, in fact, I think it would make a lot of cash. Ah, the ideas I get from JT

LOL. They could only get 150 signatures? They should have called ACORN...

Ah, but they would welcome a dedication to Che I bet!

Yeah but no one has. But if someone did, there would be protests and rightly so.

Don't know what everybody is so upset about.

This news report only goes part way in explaining the whole issue. The new "Cheney International Center" is to be used by international students who are studying animal husbandry at the University of Wyoming, specifically those who are studying the artificial insemination of cattle. Now as everybody knows, in addition to being a somewhat controversial Vice President, before entering politics Mr. Cheney had a rather distinguished career as a cattle inseminator in rural Wyoming, helping a lot of local farmers with their heifers. As such, because Mr. Cheney's heart problems no longer allow him to offer hands-on practical demonstrations of his cow-inseminating prowess, the new center is just his way of giving back to the community.

Protests against Mr Obama talking to school leavers, and now this.Don't the Yanks value education anymore?

Yeah but no one has. But if someone did, there would be protests and rightly so." maybe not in some non relevant state likey Wyoming... but they have in other places in the US... where have you been?

Don't the Yanks value education anymore?" Well, yeah we just don't learn math, English, science any more. Oh, nor do we participate in PE.. Nope, we do learn Art, humanities, and sex though.

Here we have Tricky Dicky II known for flip-flopping, cover-ups and withholding evidence and whose approval rating dropped dramatically in recent years. He could have donated funds anonymously, to be made public 100 years after his death. But that is not his style. His name and legacy are an embarrassment to UW.

skipthesong: "Ah, but they would welcome a dedication to Che I bet"

And you, in your quick to assume, would probably be wrong... again. Any universities that have done this? Nah. Please stop bringing your personal baggage into your posts.

Anyway, kind of a tricky thing. On the one hand, no place on earth save for morgues, torture chambers, and outhouses should be named after cheney, but he DID donate a large amount of money to the university in question. I agree with the people protesting that the name will damage the credibility of the school, and in particular if students know anything about cheney in the years to come (it's entirely possible he will be forgotten as he was quite useless in doing anything good) it might deter them from going to the school.

Still, the university has at least some responsibility to credit the man with donating so much money, so if they can't do so somehow WITHOUT naming a building after him (ie. simple recognition), I say give the money back and tell him to stick it. They won't though, so again... tough situation.

I don't see why the Center needs to be named after Cheney. The Center is funded in part with his money. A tiny plaque could be put in a hall with inscriptions of the names and institutions that donated money.

And you, in your quick to assume, would probably be wrong... again.:" Really, I guess you haven't been listening to the news...

" Any universities that have done this? Nah." Granted, not at this time, but it has been spoken AND tried and one of those supporters was my father!!!

please stop bringing your personal baggage into your posts."" now, that is you at one of your lowest.

What international students go to the U of Wyoming?Probably just Canucks.

A great American being honored for his service to his country.

Pelican is an extension educator

Heh, must be a sex ed. teacher.

skipthesong: "Granted, not at this time, but it has been spoken AND tried and one of those supporters was my father!!!"

Again, skip, no offense to your dad, but I think it would best serve your arguments if you left the baggage at the door. This is about a building that will probably be renamed based on donations from a person who amounts to a war criminal; not about the non-existant building named after Che. My point was that you made the assumption that people protesting cheney wouldn't protest a building named after Che. Not only is there NOT such a building, but you shouldn't assume on behalf of anyone what they would support in a completely off-topic remark meant to undermine their personal beliefs simply because you have some interesting baggage you're carrying around.

seijichuudo: "What international students go to the U of Wyoming?Probably just Canucks."

Lame.

Ramen: "Heh, must be a sex ed. teacher."

Because of the word 'extension'? Even lamer.

In an ironic way, I believe Che himself would heartily endorse the tribute to Cheney. After all, few people in public office have done more to betray and disrespect the constitution and their oath, and bring ever-greater discredit on the United States than Cheney.

In a recent interview with Fox News, Dick said he saw no problem with US interrogators exceeding the measures specified by the guidelines on torturing prisoners. I don't know who is more sick: Cheney, or the people who applaud him.

"In an ironic way, I believe Che himself would heartily endorse the tribute to Cheney. After all, few people in public office have done more to betray and disrespect the constitution and their oath, and bring ever-greater discredit on the United States than Cheney."observes yabits.

You could be on to something.But then again,no.I don't really think so.In fact, what you wrote seems strained at best, silly at worst.

a petition that collected more than 150 signatures

Only 150 troofers could be rounded up? Man, I need sell my Alcoa stock.

Wonder whose signatures are on the petition? Van Jones? Sen. Stuart Smalley? Ted Kennedy?

You could be on to something.

If you look at how readily Cheney obliged the goals of Al Qaeda, which wanted to get the US mired in the Middle East and ultimately drain it as a political and economic power, we are definitely onto something.

Whole thing is laughable. Cheney donates a large sum of money to the University, of course they're gonna name something after him. All things considered, these so called teachers haven't done nearly as much for the university as he did. Whats particularly embarassing is, that all they could get was the signatures of 150 people. Now thats just pathetic.

Calling Cheney a war criminal, and other idiotic names just doesn't matter. What matters is he that he was a respected public servant for more then 30 years, he donated a large sum of money to the institution, and that despite the moronic comments by Smith and others, he isn't a criminal.

You guys can look at it like this. Despite his the steaming pile of garbage his Presidency has become, Obama also will have stuff named after him. Though deserving, it likely won't be the latest sewage treatment plant, or the outhouse. The one served his country for years, and you hate him, the other spent 4 years as President and did everything he could to screw up his country, and you love him. See, it all balances out.

Only 150 signatures? Isn't that the entire population of Wyoming?

[Cheney] isn't a criminal.

For a VP to publicly say that he wouldn't have problem with an executive branch employee breaking the laws regarding torture of suspects makes him a criminal by his own admission.

That's how far Cheney has taken the United States down the moral tubes: we're now a nation that has to set limits on how much torture can be applied, and even then Cheney doesn't mind to see them taken farther. He's about as right with the law as his spiritual mentor, that other "Dick," Dick Nixon.

For a VP to publicly say that he wouldn't have problem with an executive branch employee breaking the laws regarding torture of suspects makes him a criminal by his own admission.

Nonsense. Now if he had been the President, and had ordered someone to do something, or had deliberately looked away while it was done, then I might agree. However when a man who is serving as a VP, without any real power or authority, says something, it doesn't make him anything.

I wouldn't call Cheney a VP without any real power or authority. Good or bad, he revolutionized the VP position - probably the most powerful VP ever. He had tremendous influence in running the WH administration. Even Cheney himself admits it and is disparaged that now VP Biden is taking the position back to its historic levels.

He may have had influence, but legally, he had no authority. He was not the one making decisions. He may have been one of the Presidents closest advisors, but at the end of the day, Bush was the one with the final say. Sure he listened to Cheney early on, later he didn't. Just the way it goes. Regardless, him giving the President advice is not criminal. No more so then it is for some congressman who likewise has no authority to give the President advice.

Now if he had been the President, and had ordered someone to do something, or had deliberately looked away while it was done, then I might agree.

Cheney is openly advocating and, by his position of influence and example, abetting the breaking of laws. Note also his declaration that he was free to disobey a presidential directive to executive branch employees, using the excuse that, as president of the Senate, his VP status also made him a member of the legislative branch.

The man is a scofflaw, an advocate of torture, and a crook. He betrays the letter and spirit of the constitution he swore to uphold, so that makes him a liar too.