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Clemson President Disappointed With Obama 'Boos' at Game

Incident occurred during ceremony at Saturday's game against Virginia Tech.

In an email to the Clemson University community, school president James Barker has condemned the actions of the fans who booed President Obama in a ceremony during Saturday’s football against Virginia Tech.

First reported in the Daily Kos by a blogger and Clemson alum who goes by the handle of “Grizzard,” thousands of fans booed the president when he was referenced during the Military Appreciation Day event. As part of their oath, students entering the university's Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) pledge to "obey the orders of the president of the United States."

The last portion of the pledge drew boos from fans.

Once reported by Daily Kos, the story quickly gained traction through social media. Readers on Tigernet, a website devoted to Clemson sports, were divided about the incident.

But Barker left little doubt about his feelings, making a call for civility in the political process and noting that the president is “the president of us all.”

His email can be read HERE.

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Shawn Drury (Editor) October 24, 2012 at 04:01 am
"As part of their oath, students entering the university's Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) pledge to "obey the orders of the president of the United States."
The last portion of the pledge drew boos from fans."
stanley seigler October 24, 2012 at 04:49 am
they, in effect, were booing all members of the armed forces...do they think members the armed forces should not obey orders their commander-in-chief...
amazing what BO hatred does to one's thinking...
Jamie Healy October 24, 2012 at 11:13 am
Freedom of speech Clemson Pres. Who cares?
Ambassador October 24, 2012 at 11:29 am
Poor Stanley. To change the words of his last quote---"amazing what knowledge of who BO is does to one's actions". When you are dealing with garbage you hold your nose and exclaim your disdain over the smell.
harry October 24, 2012 at 12:41 pm
daily kos is nothing but a leftwing loon group. no credability whatsoever. if the fans did boo, horray for them.. the whitehouse is not a traiing ground. what were people thinking?
Jim Hargett October 24, 2012 at 01:09 pm
Thanks 'Cookies Mom'! My recent encounters with National Guard officers and military retirees would 'atta-girl' you because they are very angry with President Obama for his very visual oppression of miltiary budgets and his implications about this. No! President Barker, "“the president of us all.” " is not claimed as president by many of these servicemen.
Tom Utley October 24, 2012 at 01:36 pm
I wasn't at the game last Saturday, but I'm a Clemson Alum and I'm glad that the people in attendance boo'ed that part of the oath. This president has assassinated a 16 year old American citizen, is currently fighting in court for the right to indefinitely detain Americans, and has a secret kill list. If he, or any future president, were to use those powers I would hope that the military would disobey his orders.
Also, this used to be a free country where people had the backbone to disobey the government. I wish we'd get back to that point and I'm glad to see the fans at that game expressing some of that sentiment.
JoSCh October 24, 2012 at 02:15 pm
The people who boo the oath of office and oath of enlistment don't deserve to be protected by those of us that serve or have served. They still will be, but they don't deserve it.
JoSCh October 24, 2012 at 02:31 pm
Curious, did the president assassinate OBL? I'm curious how far you're willing to take your hypocrisy. I'm hoping you'll man up and own it, but I'm pessimistic.
The NDAA is a bipartisan law, and the GOP controlled house struck down an amendment (also bipartisan, Adam Smith (D-Wash.) and Justin Amash (R-Mich.) to remove the indefinite detention reaffirmation clause from NDAA. And for what it's worth the indefinite detention law is actual the AUMF signed Sept 14 2001. A secret kill list? Laugh out loud funny. The oath implies legal orders. Booing the oath of office/enlistment isn't disobeying the government, it's disrespecting the military.
Trey Judy October 24, 2012 at 03:35 pm
I do find those boos sad. I find it even more sad that those that boo'd this president who is bring servicemen and women home would likely cheer George W Bush, who took them to war for political and personal reasons. W. Bush saved his first mid-term election when he ramped up the rhetoric against Hussein and the weapons of mass destruction. After he saw how politically successful it was, he invaded in time to get elected for term #2.
The army paid my way through college and I participated in the Clemson ROTC program. It was and likely still is as fine a group of young men as you will ever want to meet. I had friends die in Bush's Iraq war that did nothing but foment terrorism and decrease stability in the middle east.
Tom Utley October 24, 2012 at 03:52 pm
JoSCh, you are so stuck in a partisan world that you fail to recognize the realities around you. Of course, this is true for 99% of people in this country, so I can't blame you too much.
Who cares if indefinite detention is bipartisan? Seriously? I don't. In fact, usually the bipartisan laws are the worst ones. Kill List: http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/comment/2012/05/the-presidents-kill-list.html Wake up.
stanley seigler October 24, 2012 at 05:06 pm
re poor stanley
indeed poor...but irrelevant and BO-hater comments confirm the original statement: 'amazing what BO hatred does to one's thinking...' and re 'knowledge' of BO seems 'knowledge' TP-GOPS have that our planet is 4-6000 yrs old...is the same knowledge they have of BO the BLACK man in the WHITE house...ie; the same knowledge displayed by GOPs akin and mourdock that women cant get pregnant if raped and if they do "it's God's (HIS/HER) will..." [SAY WHAT!!!] sad for them (good for USA) they will have to wallow in their in their BO-hatred 4 mo yrs...and then massage their misogyny for 12 more yrs under pres hillary...or pres. elizabeth warren maybe... what would really frost their whatever is: if kamala harris (CA's black female attorney-general) were the VP...
Barbara Delia October 24, 2012 at 05:22 pm
Tom, thanks for the New Yorker, President's Kill List site. It was great reading and learning how Presidents can go around and against our elected servants as well as the American public. This can be devastating that a law passes that provides this unleashed power to "any" President. Checks and Balances provided by our Founders are important and when abandoned power can go to the "dark" side.
stanley seigler October 24, 2012 at 05:51 pm
a clemson alum (and fans) approves armed forces disobeying orders of the commander-in-chief...actually hope they do disobey...alum/fans need to rethink this...
surely they were booing BO. Not the concept members of the armed forces should obey orders...booing BO most disrespectful...but; NOT as (but almost as) stupid as booing an oath (They boo'ed comments not the actual person) that members of the armed forces obey (hoped they would disobey) their superiors' commands...gawd what chaos this would create... re: this used to be a free country where people had the backbone to disobey the government... irrelevant...tho one should NOT confuse/conflate the government with the military...however conflation is consistent with GOP SOP...and flipflops
Colnzgprnts October 24, 2012 at 06:41 pm
Hooray for Americans! Every person who loves this country should voice whatever they feel about the socialist who lives in the big house on Pennsylvania Avenue. He is a disgrace to all Americans and particularly to those who fought and died for teh freedoms that made this country great!
Phoebe October 24, 2012 at 08:00 pm
Yes, Regina!
JoSCh October 24, 2012 at 08:13 pm
It's telling that you condemn me for being stuck in a partisan world when you fail to answer my question regarding how much of a hypocrite you are. I'm a critic of the current president, I didn't vote for him and I wont, but that doesn't mean that I'll let people lie about or disrespect him; I'm an American, and a veteran.
That you linked to an article that linked to two more in highly distributed new magazines shows that it's not a "secret" kill list. What does secret mean to you? You're surprised that the president has a kill list? It's safe to say that every president has had one.
Judity October 24, 2012 at 08:33 pm
Of course I expect all the negative comment about our President just look at your environment and up bringing... People have a right to disagree with the President,I surely disagreed with Bush, but he was the commander in chief ,although a VERY POOR one, putting our young men and women in a war that was not paid for ( still isn't). He had no plan to get us out of the war . Some in my
family at the time Bush was in office were in the military and we did have respect for the office. Gee!
Shawn Drury (Editor) October 24, 2012 at 08:43 pm
Tom, Thanks for using facts to support your opinion. -Shawn
ReadIt October 24, 2012 at 09:19 pm
I was there. They didn't just "boo" President Obama - they "boo-ed" The President of the United States. The oath doesn't state "this President", it says "THE President" - from this moment forward and backward. It's disgraceful and disrespectful to "boo" the highest office of your country. Nothing is more unpatriotic than to mock the office held by the leaders of the free world since Washington.
Luke Brown October 24, 2012 at 10:00 pm
In South Carolina we are not the patriots we claim to be. Thank you President Barker, the episode was a disgrace. The man is President of the United States and our commander in chief. Oh yeah, and he's black. Don't think the lack of respect doesn't have something to do with it. We're in South Carolina.
Rusty Inman October 24, 2012 at 10:19 pm
@Jim Hargett: You have no idea how disturbing your comments are to me. I have any number of friends who are either retired from the military or still on active duty. Some were/are regular Army, Navy, Air Force or Marines. Some were/are reservists. Some were/are members of the National Guard. Any number of them---most of them---have served one or more combat tours in either Vietnam, Iraq or Afghanistan.
Though some of them disagree with my politics, which means that they disagree with the policies of President Obama, I have never once---not once!---heard a single one of them cast aspersions on him as a person or in any way dismiss his position and authority as the elected president of the United States. They have expressed their disagreement but done so with the respect one would expect of a veteran when he/she is speaking of the commander-in-chief. Apparently they took their oath more seriously than perhaps some with whom you have had "recent encounters." My son is in the National Guard. When he is around those who speak as disrespectfully of the president as you and others on this board, he does not engage them but he does walk away from them. He says that he does so because he took an oath to obey this country's commander-in-chief and considers that to mean he is to respect him as well. Disagree with him he might, but disrespect him he won't. I'm glad he grew up around me and not you. He makes me proud.
Shawn Drury (Editor) October 24, 2012 at 10:54 pm
What strike me most about the people who reflexively criticize the president, doing so without a hint of supporting facts--and there are plenty of items on which he can be criticized--is that they must know they'll be considered racist just as reflexively. And yet when the charges of racism they don't seem to mind at all. And that's sad.
martin, bob October 24, 2012 at 10:55 pm
I wonder what the Ambassador at Benghazi would say.
Dave Larkin October 24, 2012 at 11:01 pm
Rusty Inman,
It must be nice to sit on the sidelines and comment on other people. Ask anyone in the military what they are fighting for and one of these things are peoples freedoms and the right to protest. I suggest you go back to sitting on the curb and clap as the real heroes march by.
Rusty Inman October 24, 2012 at 11:58 pm
@Dave Larkin:
I made no comment regarding the response from some Clemson fans to the mention of "the president" during the oath taken by the young men and women at Clemson on Saturday. They had every right to say what they wanted or make whatever noises they wanted during the oath-taking ceremony on Saturday. If that was what you read into my response, I suggest that, while you're sitting on the curb during the parade, you leave the clapping to others and do your remedial reading & comprehension assignment. Got it, Sport? I don't mind people disagreeing with me. On the other hand, I have nothing but contempt for those who misread and misrepresent what I say. So sit back down on the curb, study your little book, and look for my son when he marches by in the parade. Then you can applaud one of the real heroes.
Aaron H October 25, 2012 at 12:27 am
@Rusty Inman, you're confused. I'm a 10 year military veteran still working for the DoD as a civilian. Yes, I took an oath to defend the constitution and also obey the orders of my superiors, including the Commander in Chief. I did so with honor. Jim Hargett said many service members, both current and prior, are angry with BARACK OBAMA, and he's correct. You respect the office, not the person. If that weren't the case, service members wouldn't be allowed to vote. The only thing that's a big no-no is going to any type of rally in uniform, or bad mouthing the guy while on duty (but it still happens, happened while Bushy was in office too). The fact remains that it's no secret Obama would like to slash the defense budget to make room for his pet projects. Anyone who is REALLY in the military knows we're already running on skeleton crews in many areas. Any honest top official has already expressed the fear of losing rapid worldwide reach and reaction capability if our military is cut anymore. Your son doesn't understand his oath, but it's a sweet story, and I appreciate his service either way. No one cared when GW Bushy got boos. I seriously don't think anyone equated it to booing the office either, people are reaching on here. They were booing BO. It's election season, get over it.
Rusty Inman October 25, 2012 at 02:43 am
I'm sorry, Aaron, but I think you're confused.
First, for a member of the military to not vote for the president is not an act of disrespect but an act of disagreement that does not affect the morale of a military unit. Second, to say that a member of the military takes an oath to obey the orders of the office of the president but not the person is laughable. The oath references "the president of the United States," not "the office of the president..." The person who is president personifies the office. The military is a culture unto itself. It is sustained by its discipline and its order. And that discipline and order is maintained whether one is in combat, in training, or in the commissary. It is built into the culture so that, in combat, it comes as naturally as one's next breath. An order is given, you follow it. That discipline and order will save your life on the battlefield. The lack of it will get you and those around you killed. Respecting/obeying your senior officer is fundamental to military life. I would have guessed you knew that. This is why my real issue with Hargett goes not to disrespect shown by members of the military toward their commander-in-chief. Such behavior compromises the discipline and order---and, thus, the trust and morale---upon which military units are founded. My son understands his oath very well and conscientiously took it. He may be idealistic about it but, if you don't mind, I'd prefer it that way.
JoSCh October 25, 2012 at 02:28 pm
People attacking Rusty without reading his comments... sorry Russ, I feel your pain.
Rusty Inman October 25, 2012 at 10:38 pm
LOL. It probably doesn't bother me as much as it sounds like it bothers me. And I sure don't feel victimized by it. But I do remember reading a post on here one time some many months ago, misunderstanding what the writer was saying, and offering a response that was maybe a little over-the-top sarcastic. It would have been a great response---it had a couple of good lines in it---except that I had not properly read what the writer had written. I really felt badly about that and I think the word "profusely" accurately describes my apology. I may have done that since then, but I hope not.
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