German Academia as Delusional As American Counterparts

The University of Maryland has a campus in Germany. It is open to anyone, but it is primarily attended by soldiers, their families and citizens working for the U.S. abroad (DOD, State Department, etc.). For the 2005 commencement, UM invites an American bashing German professor. Hilarity ensues:

A local expert on German-American relations recently gave new University of Maryland graduates something to talk about — and, in some cases, chant about — with a commencement address some thought bashed America.
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Professor Detlef Junker, founder and director of the Heidelberg Center for American Studies, a self-professed great admirer of the United States — and the man who gave the address positing German-American relations were at their lowest ebb since World War II because of Bush administration policies — said he’s just the messenger.

“I still think it’s a balanced and fair statement and it is a correct European perspective,” Junker said Monday. “I thought on that day of history I should not only give some general niceties but say something substantial. After all, this is Jefferson’s first principle: Americans cannot be both ignorant and free.”
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While he was speaking — about the “almost free fall of the reputation of the U.S.,” which he credited to several Bush administration policies, foremost, the “unilateral self-empowerment of the United States through the doctrine of the pre-emptive strike” — Junker wasn’t sure what was happening with the crowd of more than 1,000 people.
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Afterward he knew. It wasn’t just the booing. One graduate came on stage, stopped and saluted the flag and then looked directly at Junker. “He gave me a very nasty look,” Junker said.

It could just be me, but I don’t think it is generally a good idea to call your audience ignorant.