It's been nearly two weeks since the University's controversial announcement that Michael Oren would be the 2010 commencement keynote speaker. After an intense period of debating and blogging, the dust has settled on the issue. Like it or not, Oren will ascend the podium a mere 20 days from now. I'm not going to address the merits of Oren as a speaker; much ink has already been spilled on the topic. Instead, I have a simple message: Do not protest at graduation. Do not, under any circumstances, interrupt Oren's remarks.

On one level, my objection to a commencement protest lies in the nature of Oren's speech.

If you take a moment and search on YouTube for the word "commencement," you will find clips of Steve Jobs at Stanford, J.K. Rowling at Harvard, Ellen Degeneres at Tulane and, most recently, Barack Obama at the University of Michigan. Every single speech follows an expected pattern: An introduction of thanks and praise, a couple of witty anecdotes and a standard message about the importance of academics and activism. You will not find a commencement speaker who used his pulpit to advance any sort of political agenda.

People should not protest at commencement because Oren will not be preaching politics. While a highly politicized speech may be legitimate cause for calamity, Oren's comments promise to be completely benign.

But for those who have such a great deal of trouble listening to even a benign speech from someone with whom they disagree, I can assure you: He will not force-feed us his ideology. Treat Oren as you would treat Rowling or Degeneres, for Oren plans on treating us the same way they already have. Based on the long history of commencement addresses, there is absolutely no reason to think that Michael Oren will try to reinvent the wheel. But in the past two weeks, many students have mistakenly assumed that he will.

On another level, protests should not take place because the commencement ceremony should not be a divisive event. The other night, I passed by a large message written in chalk on the ground. It read, "Graduation is about us." It's fair to presume that everyone sitting in Gosman Sports and Convocation Center on May 23 would agree, including Oren. Commencement ceremonies have rarely been a setting for political protest; responsible protests usually take place within an appropriate setting (such as a rally or picket line).

There are students, as well as faculty members, who don't seem to be bothered by this. Instead, they are concerned about what Oren "represents." They claim they must protest and stand up against injustice.

Irrespective of if they are right or wrong, these people must realize that the majority of those in the building at commencement are there to celebrate a joyous occasion.

Most people will not be concerned with politics. Any visible signs of protest that occur at or around the commencement ceremony will simply disregard the feelings and well-being of hundreds of others. That certainly doesn't sound very Brandeisian to me.

The University has been accused of politicizing commencement.

But really, it is only we students and faculty who have made this event political. Our activism-including blog posts, flyers and debates-has transformed commencement into a political rally. Some have actually threatened to boycott graduation. And while I cringe at the thought of it, I presume that some have even discussed creating a University of California at Irvine-like scene in which Michael Oren's remarks are tarnished by a vulgar interruption every other minute. It has gone too far.

Some have thought to protest because Oren divides the senior class; an act of joint protest will be a unifying force. But what has to be understood is that it will only be through this very act of protest that any division takes place. The only way that the speech becomes divisive is if a rowdy few disrupt it.

If you choose to protest-to leap out of your seat, interrupt Oren's speech or refuse to wear your academic regalia-you are the one who is dividing the University, not Michael Oren. Graduation is not the time nor the place for such actions.

Class of 2010, faculty of Brandeis and guests of commencement, the choice is yours. How will you treat this significant event? I hope-for your sake and for mine-that you think twice before tarnishing our reputation as an open-minded, prestigious university.