Editorial: Backing up Baccalaureate

Some have expressed discomfort, however, with the idea of incorporating a military figure associated with a controversial war into a ceremony that is — or should be — apolitical. Though aspects of this concern have merit, the Editorial Board believes that Gen. Petraeus is an excellent choice for Baccalaureate speaker who will bring a unique and informed perspective to the day.

Most importantly, Gen. Petraeus is fit to address the graduating class because his achievements demonstrate the dynamic potential of a Princeton graduate and the unique abilities that the University can foster. His career of public service is exemplary not just for graduates of the Wilson School but for any graduate of Princeton. As a commander and leader, Petraeus has demonstrated an academic and intellectual rigor that is rare and important — and the influence of Petraeus’s education in informing his conduct is a message that should not be lost on new graduates.

For some students, however, the selection — given Petreaus’s involvement in Iraq — has touched a raw nerve. As a University community, we tend to think of Baccalaureate as an apolitical celebration, a final opportunity for graduating seniors to sit together as a group and hear a prominent speaker address major lessons. With the largely spiritual and apolitical nature of the event, some students have voiced concern with the selection of an ostensibly political figure as speaker. But the military is both nominally and substantively an apolitical institution. Though Petraeus has been a key player in what remains a controversial political issue, it does not follow that the ideas and sentiments he will express at the ceremony will be controversial, agenda-driven or in any way inappropriate to the forum.

Then there are those who object to Petraeus on ideological grounds — those who are fundamentally opposed to war. These concerns are, in their way, legitimate. It is important to respond, however, that the way in which Petraeus has conducted the duties of war has been widely lauded. He has been commended for the thoughtfulness — in a cultural and humanitarian sense — with which he operated in Iraq. Such qualities are noteworthy regardless of the context in which they are displayed and should be essential to the foundation of any Baccalaureate address.

Therefore, despite some students’ concerns, a baccalaureate address by Gen. Petraeus has our full endorsement. As a Princeton alumnus who has dedicated his professional career to public service, he is uniquely suited to the occasion, and we hope that it is his underlying individual qualities — along with his integrity and demonstrated ability — which inform his speech.