Read Ebook {PDF EPUB} The Terrible Truth about Liberals by Neal Boortz Neal Boortz’s Texas A&M Commencement Address? Did talk show host Neal Boortz deliver a controversial commencement speech at Texas A&M? David Mikkelson Published 21 July 2003. Claim. Rating. Origin. Although this much-forwarded piece was indeed penned by syndicated radio talk show host Neal Boortz, it was never given by him as a commencement address at a university or college, nor was it written with that intent: Example: [Collected via e-mail, September 2009] It is the season of commencement speeches. Many are boringly predictable. Neal Boortz, a Texan, lawyer, Texas Aggie, now nationally syndicated talk show host from Atlanta is an exception. Agree or not you will find his views thought provoking. It would have been particularly entertaining to have witnessed the faculty’s reaction. Commencement Address I am honored by the invitation to address you on this august occasion. It’s about time. Be warned, however, that I am not here to impress you; you’ll have enough smoke blown your way today. And you can bet your tassels I’m not here to impress the faculty and administration. You may not like much of what I have to say, and that’s fine. You will remember it though. Especially after about 10 years out there in the real world. This, it goes without saying, does not apply to those of you who will seek your careers and your fortunes as government employees. This gowned gaggle behind me is your faculty. You’ve heard the old saying that those who can – do. Those who can’t – teach. That sounds deliciously insensitive. But there is often raw truth in insensitivity, just as you often find feel-good falsehoods and lies in compassion. Say good-bye to your faculty because now you are getting ready to go out there and do. These folks behind me are going to stay right here and teach. By the way, just because you are leaving this place with a diploma doesn’t mean the learning is over. When an FAA flight examiner handed me my private pilot’s license many years ago, he said, ‘Here, this is your ticket to learn.’ The same can be said for your diploma. Believe me, the learning has just begun. Now, I realize that most of you consider yourselves Liberals. In fact, you are probably very proud of your liberal views. You care so much. You feel so much. You want to help so much. After all, you’re a compassionate and caring person, aren’t you now? Well, isn’t that just so extraordinarily special. Now, at this age, is as good a time as any to be a Liberal; as good a time as any to know absolutely everything. You have plenty of time, starting tomorrow, for the truth to set in. Over the next few years, as you begin to feel the cold breath of reality down your neck, things are going to start changing pretty fast .. including your own assessment of just how much you really know. [Rest of article here.] Mr. Boortz wrote it as a tongue-in-cheek protest of his never having been invited to deliver a commencement speech, despite his decades of prominence as radio talk show host. As he said, “The final straw was when Kermit the Frog got an invitation from a Northeast college.” Boortz notes on his web site that: No, this speech has never been delivered at a college or a university. It was written to protest the fact that such an invitation has never been offered! It has only been delivered on my radio show, printed in my book “The Terrible Truth About Liberals,” and produced on a limited edition CD. The irony is that this commencement speech has been more widely distributed, and has been the subject of more comment, than any commencement speech that actually has been delivered at any college or university in the past 50 years. Neal Boortz. Neal Boortz (that's me) has been a Talk Show Host (What Bill Clinton would refer to as a "Preacher of Hate") in Atlanta, Georgia since 1969. Since 1993 I have been holding forth on News Talk 750 WSB, a radio station with a 50,000 watt afterburner. Since early 1999 my show has been syndicated on radio stations from Maine to California and from Alaska to Florida. My program airs live from 8:30 to 1:00 pm each weekday. Right now I am closing in on four million listeners nationwide. Hey, that's not up to Limbaugh standards, but then I'm growing faster than he is. Background? O.K., as if you weren't bored enough. I was born on April 6, 1945 in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. I didn't particularly like the accent of the people up there so I left for Texas about 30 days later when my Dad returned to the Pacific to continue his participation in World War II. (Marine pilot.) Texas was always my "official" residence, but I lived all over the place since Dad was in the Marine Corps. Some addresses would include Honolulu, Hawaii, Laguna Beach, California, Morehead City, North Carolina; Virginia Beach, Virginia, Pensacola, Florida and others. By the ever-loving skin of my teeth I graduated High School in 1963 from Pensacola High with something like a C- average. A good collection of Polaroid photos of a member of the admissions staff opened the doors to Texas A&M University, and off I went. I was a worse student at A&M than I was in high school. I finished at A&M in 1967 and came to Atlanta to visit my parents. Dad was working at Lockheed at the time. I liked the place, and I stayed. I've been here ever since. I wasn't through with higher education after Texas A&M. I entered law school in Atlanta in 1973 and graduated in 1977. Law school finally presented a challenge worthy of my attention, so I worked at it and graduated near the top of my class. I passed the bar before graduation so I went into practice immediately. I continued practicing law until I signed a contract with WSB in 1992. During my years in talk radio I have managed to find other things to do. We'll attribute this to the fact that I am easily bored. From 1977 to 1992, as I said, I practiced law in addition to doing the talk show. Prior to 1977 you could find me working as a jewelry or carpet buyer, an insurance salesman, selling life and casualty insurance, loading trucks, slinging mail at the post office, working in an employment office, writing speeches for the Governor of Georgia and auditing the books overnight at a sleazy motel. Since I didn't retire from my law practice until I signed with WSB in 1992 this would mean that I was 47 years old before I ever had less than two jobs. I live in the Northern 'burbs during the week and in Southwest Florida during most weekends. When I'm not on the air or giving a speech somewhere, I like to spend whatever free time is left playing golf or flying. When it's time to slip the bonds of gravity I choose between a hot air balloon, my Mooney Ovation2 or my Super Decathlon. There's nothing like flying upside down to clear your mind . among other things. When I feel particularly frisky I like to sit down and write. My first book, "The Terrible Truth About Liberals," has been through six different printings. I'm presently working on my next book, "Somebody Has To Say It." I expect a brutal bidding war from several publishers for that one. Politics? I'm a confirmed Libertarian. I believe that the principal difference between the Democrats and the Republicans is that the Democrats just want to grow our Imperial Federal Government a bit faster than the Republicans do. Yes, I'm married. My wife, Donna, doesn't listen to the show. Never has. This is good. My daughter, Laura, uses a fake last name. Another good idea. Run for office? Well, thanks for asking --- but I'm afraid that the worst possible thing would happen. I would win. That would be a financial disaster for me. I am, however, toying with the idea of running for President on the Libertarian Party ticket after I retire from talk radio. I'll run just once --- and just for the hell of it. I'll select the most qualified vice-presidential candidate possible just in case something strange happens and I win. After I'm sworn in I hang around long enough to sign an Executive Order requiring all airport screeners to have graduated in the top one-half of their high school class. Then I'll free all non-violent drug offenders, take a few spins on Air Force One and get to know the interns. Then I'll resign and let the vice president take the controls. Yes, I am available for speaking engagements. And --- no. I'm not free. I'm a confirmed greedy capitalist. Neal Boortz. The host of radio's The Neal Boortz Show , syndicated in nearly two hundred national markets, Neal Boortz is the author (with Congressman John Linder) of the New York Times bestsellers The FairTax Book and FairTax: The Truth , and author of The Terrible Truth About Liberals . He has been nominated twice for the National Association of Broadcasters' Marconi Award and divides his time between Atlanta, Georgia, and Naples, Florida.