John Boyer stood in front of 3,000 students last night, asking President Barack Obama to visit his World Regions class and discuss foreign policy.
Boyer, a local celebrity and geography professor known as the Plaid Avenger, was filming a YouTube video to be immediately posted online in hopes that Obama would see it.
"This is impossible. We make the impossible possible here at Virginia Tech," prefaced Boyer before filming the clip.
"We want to personally invite you onto our campus and into this class to have a conversation about the often ignored yet vitally important issues facing America internationally, and also to get your vision of the United States in the globalized 21st century," said Boyer into the camera.
Boyer has used this tactic in the past to get Martin Sheen and Emilio Estevez to bring their movie "The Way" to campus, as well as have a Skype chat with Burmese democratic leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
Boyer made it clear he was not looking for a campaign speech, and wanted Obama to come and speak to students in "a fireside chat" about issues of foreign policy.
"The world is of much more consequence than petty tax policy, I will always think that,” Boyer said. “In a fully globalized world, domestic issues still, quite frankly, take up 99.9 percent of everybody's time and debate.”
Sophomore Communications major Corrie Purvis was in the front row with an "I love Obama" sign for the event, and was eager to have the President come to Tech.
"I think it would definitely be a positive thing here for his campaign. Virginia is a big swing state and we're trying to get the college vote to come here," said Purvis.
However, not everyone in the crowd was so supportive of the President, such as Senior Marketing major Robert Smith.
"Personally I don’t support him, but I figure it would be really cool if he did come. He's the most powerful person on the planet and it would be really sweet to be in the same room as him. I honestly think (Boyer) can pull it off," Smith said.
The crowd was sporting various noise makers such as air horns and vuvuzelas, other items such as lamps, American flags and vacuum cleaners.
In addition to Obama, Boyer hopes to bring the Dalai Lama to Tech during his visit to Virginia, as well as have Aung San Suu Kyi come in person during her trip to Washington, D.C.
A version of this article appeared in the Sep 6 issue of the Collegiate Times.
Leave a comment 19 Comments Write a letter to the editor
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Go John Boyer! It's people like him that make Virginia Tech great.
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Link to the youtube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8DNR-rWKyE
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If the REALLY wants to discuss Foreign Plicy, why not invite Hillary Clinton – Secretary of State??
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What about Condi Rice? She is way ahead of anyone on foreign policy.
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How about Bush? He was the greatest president our generation has seen.
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He says at the end of the video to bring Biden, Hillary, Michelle, etc.
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Bush came to Tech in 2007...we dont want him back
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hey did invite Hillary if u listen closely
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If he really wants to learn foriegn policy the invite both H Clinton and LC Rice to get a balanced perspective. Otherwise it leads the appearance that he is using his position improperly to sway students' during an important election year.
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What an insensitive comment. What did he do wrong in 2007? He came because of the April 16 tragedy. I was there for it. There was not a single political thing about his speech.
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Thank you! People love Boyer, but I personally thought he was the worst professor I had while at VT. He tries to act cool (e.g. walking around class with a red solo cup acting like he's drinking) and is actually really immature and very persuasive. I did not learn anything in his class (granted I only took his geography of wine class and not world region).
Boyer is obviously trying to sway young voters.
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What do you mean by "really immature and very persuasive"??
This doesn't fit the context you're talking about him in.
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How could you learn nothing in his geography of wine glass? He goes in depth with the different wine regions both old world and new. Antics aside there is a significant amount of content that he expects you to study and learn. If you didn't get anything out of that class its your fault not his.
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I have to agree with anonymous. My wife and I took his class a few years ago and he was horrible. My family has a 10,000+ bottle cellar in our house (yes our house). Let's just say this I learned way more on my own from my family than sitting in his class. Boyer is really nothing special other than a guaranteed A and GPA boast.
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Sorry the rest of the world doesnt have your wine cellar to learn from, maybe you should teach classes
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That's the most ridiculous statement I have ever read on here. BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
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Boyer is a moron.
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