Emerson College’s 2006 commencement was a largely hilarious affair.
My plans to reach Elegant Sister status were dashed when the rain forced me to rock Chuck Taylors with my little black dress (kitten heels and lots of rain? Don’t work well together. Who knew?). The faculty stood on stage while the graduates lounged in the audience seating, John Kerry demonstrated something vaguely resembling a personality during his address and I snickered repeatedly as I text-messaged my capped and gowned younger brother.
After he walked, I set out on a walk of my own. I headed up Tremont to buy what T described at the time as best of possible gifts: a falafel from King Falafel that was ready for him, still hot, when he and the rest of the graduation crowd filed out of the theater.
There were a few moments, however, during which I unabashedly cried.
My knowledge of Victoria Snelgrove is roughly that which appeared in the media after the 2004 Fenway police response stories broke. My brother didn’t know her, but she was a classmate and had intended to graduate the same day as he.
Her parents were on hand to speak to the class and accept her honorary degree, and I cried as they thanked the college and wished the rest of the class the best of luck in their future endeavors.
That’s what I thought of today, when I read that the pepper guns used in the police response are going to be destroyed.
VickieVictoria 
I hadn’t heard about this, the Victoria Snelgrove story. That is incredibly sad, I wonder how those parents made it through the moments of what was supposed to be a wonderful day.
It was a huge story in New England when it happened — when all the craziness of the Red Sox/Yankees ALCS in 2004 unfolded, this was what we encountered in the aftermath. There’s some really interesting stuff found through Google about the whole situation — tragic story.
Vix,
I was there too, at that graduation, since I graduated with your brother. Too bad we weren’t in the same classes or anything. Anyway, I didn’t really know Victoria Snelgrove well, but I knew of her she was in a class of mine when the whole thing happened. It was awful. I too, infact cried at my graduation and it had nothing to do with the fact that I was graduating.
I hated John Kerry. All I could think about was ketchup when he was talking.
Also, that sounds like quite the sweet graduation present.
Chaci, this is for you:
http://revelry.blogspot.com/2006/05/why-commencement-activities-are-more.html
With Kerry, I was just happy not to think of Treebeard for once. Remind me to tell you my DC tales.