Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to say that graduation ceremonies are not the place to make political statements?

443 replies

anythingbutlillies · 09/07/2025 20:53

Hard hat on.

DC's graduation today. Fabulous day, but it did not sit well with me that a few chose to unfurl a flag / raise a scarf while they were on the stage.
Just no! So very selfish.

Interested to hear if I am being precious?

OP posts:
Thread gallery
5
CarelessUdder · 10/07/2025 19:31

As a university lecturer I think this is exactly how students should use their graduation ceremony. It’s not everyone so it’s not selfish - hardly anyone ever does this. It’s rare. Maybe a little more common recently but I think it shows how much young people care. And it’s a way to bravely make a statement to a large crowd. I think if everyone was doing it it would lose its power and then they wouldn’t bother

Mabari · 10/07/2025 19:22

MellersSmellers · 10/07/2025 18:22

Don't be daft.
I've been on a number of pro-Palestinian marches and I've never seen any violence? Including towards the many Jewish groups that take part.
You're just agitating by trying to conflate pro-palestinian with anti-semitism.

Show quote history

You think a Jewish person being told their safety can't be guaranteed is being daft?

MaturingCheeseball · 10/07/2025 19:18

@MellersSmellers - so this is your cause - you say you went on a march. If you have dcs I hope you won’t object to their events being hijacked by a person with their own “cause” - a school play, a wedding, their moment to speak at a debate etc etc.

thepariscrimefiles · 10/07/2025 19:15

bretta · 10/07/2025 19:03

There's a time and place and a graduation ceremony isn't it. Hugely disrespectful to the institution, students, invited guests etc..

Show quote history

Hardly! Graduation ceremonies are normally really dull unless there is a really interesting Honorary Graduand. Parents/relatives are only interested in seeing their own child go up on stage. The ceremony wasn't disrupted or stopped by the actions of a few students.

bretta · 10/07/2025 19:03

Swiftie1878 · 10/07/2025 18:32

Blimey. If we try to stop students protesting we really are in big trouble.

There's a time and place and a graduation ceremony isn't it. Hugely disrespectful to the institution, students, invited guests etc..

Nn9011 · 10/07/2025 18:51

bretta · 10/07/2025 18:30

History not your strong point? 😂

Show quote history

Actually it's the opposite

LittleMG · 10/07/2025 18:42

Definitely being unreasonable can’t stand people with their heads in the sand

noblegiraffe · 10/07/2025 18:40

MellersSmellers · 10/07/2025 18:22

Don't be daft.
I've been on a number of pro-Palestinian marches and I've never seen any violence? Including towards the many Jewish groups that take part.
You're just agitating by trying to conflate pro-palestinian with anti-semitism.

Show quote history

People really fucking need to stop telling Jewish people that antisemitism is all in their head.

Swiftie1878 · 10/07/2025 18:32

Blimey. If we try to stop students protesting we really are in big trouble.

bretta · 10/07/2025 18:30

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

History not your strong point? 😂

MellersSmellers · 10/07/2025 18:27

Lolapusht · 10/07/2025 17:22

What weapons are we supplying?

Which other countries to we supply arms to?

Are those arms not used to kill people?

Show quote history

F35 fighter jet parts and drone parts. Google it and inform yourself.

MellersSmellers · 10/07/2025 18:22

PurpleChrayn · 09/07/2025 23:41

I’m Jewish and I didn’t attend my PhD graduation at Liverpool Uni last summer because the Dean couldn’t guarantee my safety and security.

Show quote history

Don't be daft.
I've been on a number of pro-Palestinian marches and I've never seen any violence? Including towards the many Jewish groups that take part.
You're just agitating by trying to conflate pro-palestinian with anti-semitism.

Digdongdoo · 10/07/2025 18:20

onehorserace · 10/07/2025 18:11

Not at graduation ceremonies they haven't.

Show quote history

Ok. So?

onehorserace · 10/07/2025 18:11

Digdongdoo · 10/07/2025 15:03

Young people really can't win. Whinge that they're disengaged, whinge when they do engage.
Students have been waving flags as long as universities have existed. You're only bothered because you didn't agree with these particular flags.

Not at graduation ceremonies they haven't.

Lins77 · 10/07/2025 17:49

MaturingCheeseball · 10/07/2025 16:49

And stupid Greta Thunberg covering her face and refusing to watch footage of the 7th attacks because that wasn’t her “side”.

As I said, though, this is not about Palestine but about silly and immature students thinking it’s a great jape to disrupt a graduation.

Posters saying they’re “engaged politically” - poppycock! And they’d be “proud” if they were their child - yeah, right. Save your pride for when they actually do something decent.

Some are well informed and engaged, but I suspect they're outnumbered by those who've heard a bit about an issue and now think they know all about it without much context.

My DD considers herself well informed, but she really isn't 😄 she went on a big rant the other day about the Supreme Court judgment on trans stuff and upon further questioning, didn't actually know if it had happened in the UK or US.

GCAcademic · 10/07/2025 17:45

Annoyeddd · 10/07/2025 16:24

A graduation is a chance for the university can make even more money out of the students and parents from tickets, gowns, photos and other assorted crap.
Have fleeced £30000 tuition fees to be able to sign on and claim universal credit

The university does not make money from gowns and photos. These are provided by external suppliers. Most universities do not charge for tickets, either, and graduation costs them money rather than making it.

Lolapusht · 10/07/2025 17:22

BeachPossum · 09/07/2025 23:29

Why is it odd? Our government is supplying arms to Israel and is therefore directly funding and contributing to a genocide. It's completely unsurprising that this has spurred protest, isn't it?

Show quote history

What weapons are we supplying?

Which other countries to we supply arms to?

Are those arms not used to kill people?

MaturingCheeseball · 10/07/2025 16:49

And stupid Greta Thunberg covering her face and refusing to watch footage of the 7th attacks because that wasn’t her “side”.

As I said, though, this is not about Palestine but about silly and immature students thinking it’s a great jape to disrupt a graduation.

Posters saying they’re “engaged politically” - poppycock! And they’d be “proud” if they were their child - yeah, right. Save your pride for when they actually do something decent.

ForWittyTealOP · 10/07/2025 16:28

YellowCamperVan · 10/07/2025 16:17

I don't claim to be super educated on the whole topic so I stay quiet (why would anyone want my half baked opinion when it's something I haven't properly studied and is complex?) but I have definitely noticed the trend for some people to talk a lot about atrocities Israel have committed in Palestine, while handwaving away the atrocities committed on October 7 by Palestine/Hamas in Israel. I educated myself by going to look at the details of what took place on that date against festival goers and civilians. Yet when that is raised, people seem to want to silence it. You can't have it both ways.

Show quote history

Totally agree, mentioning the atrocities of 7th October (and not forgetting that the bombing and attacks on Israel haven't stopped since) is often met with "yeah but...". Even on this thread we've seen "yeah but Israel started it!". I also feel people are a bit too gleeful in describing horrible physical injury and death, often under the guise of "raising awareness". It doesn't feel authentic, it feels like there are people enjoying moral outrage from a long distance, showing performative grief and who would be almost disappointed if the whole thing just ended now.

Annoyeddd · 10/07/2025 16:24

A graduation is a chance for the university can make even more money out of the students and parents from tickets, gowns, photos and other assorted crap.
Have fleeced £30000 tuition fees to be able to sign on and claim universal credit

YellowCamperVan · 10/07/2025 16:17

ForWittyTealOP · 10/07/2025 13:18

I think it's disrespectful to describe in detail the extreme violence and acts of torture carried out on people, yes, and to dwell ghoulishly on the after effects just so you can make a point on social media. Obviously there's some exception for official observers, such as journalists, but for the average person to be so explicit is unnecessary. I posted something appalling but I posted the link to the article and gave a warning. So often people seem to really enjoy going into gory details just so they can prove themselves morally superior.

Show quote history

I don't claim to be super educated on the whole topic so I stay quiet (why would anyone want my half baked opinion when it's something I haven't properly studied and is complex?) but I have definitely noticed the trend for some people to talk a lot about atrocities Israel have committed in Palestine, while handwaving away the atrocities committed on October 7 by Palestine/Hamas in Israel. I educated myself by going to look at the details of what took place on that date against festival goers and civilians. Yet when that is raised, people seem to want to silence it. You can't have it both ways.

ForWittyTealOP · 10/07/2025 16:01

SuburbanSprawl · 10/07/2025 15:59

Grammar is not your long suit, is it?

Show quote history

Gotta say no there.

ForWittyTealOP · 10/07/2025 16:01

SuburbanSprawl · 10/07/2025 15:55

No, 'Jew' is a noun.

'Jewish' is an adjective derived from that noun. So 'Jewish holiday', 'Jewish tradition'

Dictionary.com....

Jewish
/ ˈdʒuːɪʃ /
adjective
of, relating to, or characteristic of Jews

Edited
Show quote history

To add, you could be right 🤣 but definitely capitalised either way.

SuburbanSprawl · 10/07/2025 15:59

ForWittyTealOP · 10/07/2025 15:58

Nope. Proper noun. Denotes a group of people.

Show quote history

Grammar is not your long suit, is it?

ForWittyTealOP · 10/07/2025 15:58

SuburbanSprawl · 10/07/2025 15:55

No, 'Jew' is a noun.

'Jewish' is an adjective derived from that noun. So 'Jewish holiday', 'Jewish tradition'

Dictionary.com....

Jewish
/ ˈdʒuːɪʃ /
adjective
of, relating to, or characteristic of Jews

Edited
Show quote history

Nope. Proper noun. Denotes a group of people.