It's time we reconsider honoring Mugabe's degree
Issue date: 4/17/07 Section: Editorial / Opinion
The UMass Board of Trustees lists the criteria for honorary degrees as someone who has "national or international, artistic, cultural, or public service distinction in a particular field," or someone who has shown "outstanding achievement which the University wishes to acknowledge," or finally, someone who has made an "outstanding contribution to the University and/or the Commonwealth." These criteria make it seem as if we want to honor those who have really made a true impact on society, but what happens when the evil acts someone has committed outweigh the good they have done?
In 1986, Robert Mugabe was considered a humanist. Seven years prior, Mr. Mugabe had successfully freed the country of Zimbabwe from an extremely oppressive white regime. As a way of marking this achievement, the University of Massachusetts bestowed an honorary degree upon Mr. Mugabe. Unfortunately, Mugabe has changed quite a bit in the last 20 years, a change which the University of Massachusetts system should recognize by rescinding his honorary degree.
In the last 20 years as President of Zimbabwe, no one could call Robert Mugabe a humanist. He has suppressed fundamental rights and has asserted that "the police have the right to bash" protesters. He has quashed any opposition to the government by not just arresting dissidents, but beating them senseless. He has committed a war on free speech and free press and has now become the oppressor in a country he worked so hard to free.
Many people have argued that this degree was given to the Robert Mugabe of 1986, and while he has become a tyrannical dictator, he deserves to be recognized for his role in creating an independent Zimbabwe. It may be true that Robert Mugabe did deserve to be honored in 1986, but history cannot be considered to exist within a vacuum. It is impossible to ignore the man Robert Mugabe has become and because of this, he should have his honorary degree revoked.
Allowing Mr. Mugabe to keep his honorary degree devalues the ability of the University to honor deserving people and demeans the honorary degrees which have already been given out. The people who receive honorary degrees become de facto representatives of the Universities which decided to honor them. Because of this, the University should be much more selective about the candidates they choose.
In 1986, Robert Mugabe was considered a humanist. Seven years prior, Mr. Mugabe had successfully freed the country of Zimbabwe from an extremely oppressive white regime. As a way of marking this achievement, the University of Massachusetts bestowed an honorary degree upon Mr. Mugabe. Unfortunately, Mugabe has changed quite a bit in the last 20 years, a change which the University of Massachusetts system should recognize by rescinding his honorary degree.
In the last 20 years as President of Zimbabwe, no one could call Robert Mugabe a humanist. He has suppressed fundamental rights and has asserted that "the police have the right to bash" protesters. He has quashed any opposition to the government by not just arresting dissidents, but beating them senseless. He has committed a war on free speech and free press and has now become the oppressor in a country he worked so hard to free.
Many people have argued that this degree was given to the Robert Mugabe of 1986, and while he has become a tyrannical dictator, he deserves to be recognized for his role in creating an independent Zimbabwe. It may be true that Robert Mugabe did deserve to be honored in 1986, but history cannot be considered to exist within a vacuum. It is impossible to ignore the man Robert Mugabe has become and because of this, he should have his honorary degree revoked.
Allowing Mr. Mugabe to keep his honorary degree devalues the ability of the University to honor deserving people and demeans the honorary degrees which have already been given out. The people who receive honorary degrees become de facto representatives of the Universities which decided to honor them. Because of this, the University should be much more selective about the candidates they choose.
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