Henry Long at The Claremont Independent:
A commencement speaker should embody the principles of the College, and Rushdie has done just that. CMC is neither a Christian college nor a Muslim one. It doesn’t stand for religious dogma or some vague notion of belonging. CMC does stand for freedom of expression, which Rushdie has embodied through his tireless defense of free speech in the face of violence. He continued to write following an Iranian fatwa demanding his execution, a saga that culminated in a 2022 attempt on his life that left him blind in one eye. Inviting Rushdie is not an endorsement of the content of his speech, but of his right to speak.
In fact, I’m sure I’ll disagree with much of the content of Rushdie’s speech. I believe that Rushdie-style New Atheism is faltering. In the view of New Atheists and in the words of Dawkins, our universe has “no design, no purpose, no evil, no good, nothing but pitiless indifference.” This tragic and false view precipitated our contemporary meaning crisis, which has spurred a renewed hunger for transcendence and faith. Several prominent public intellectuals—even a former New Atheist—have converted to Christianity. Closer to home, over a dozen of my secular friends have attended church this semester, some consistently.
As the elected class speaker, my fellow graduates have granted me the opportunity to deliver remarks on their behalf. My speech will likely sound very different than his, but I’m honored to have the opportunity to hear from him. When I speak, just minutes before Rushdie, I look forward to standing opposite him, both onstage and in spirit.