When (if) future historians look back to early 21st century America, they should examine two cultural controversies of May 2011 for a quick read on Establishment sensibilities. One involves the bestowal, revocation and rebestowal of an honorary degree on playwright Tony Kushner by City University of New York, and one involves the invitation to Common, a rapper, to perform at a White House poetry reading.

In the Kushner case, the controversy centered on the objections of CUNY trustee Jeffrey Wiesenfeld to bestowing an honorary degree on Kushner because of the playwright’s very public, very vocal opposition to Israel and support for the Palestinian Authority.