| I had the pleasure to attend my sister's college graduation today at WVU. The person chosen to speak at her commencement was Bill Clinton. No doubt this was exciting; I had only had one opportunity before this to hear him speak and at that time he was stumping for his wife on the campaign trail.
Normally my diaries will consist of newsworthy subject matter, a lot pertaining to my home state of West Virginia. This time, however, I wanted to focus on something the former president used as the crux of his speech to outgoing class of 2010 graduates.
Bill Clinton is a great humanitarian and I admire him greatly. Something he said during his speech referred to the human genome. How we, as people, were not that much different from one another. Most of the time you hear speakers, or just people in general, emphasizing an individual's differences that make them special and unique. This was different. Clinton accentuated that we, as people, are really not that much different. Initially, I wondered where he was going with this point, but then it clicked for me.
We, as Americans, are very very fortunate and blessed to be living in such a diverse and opportunistic society. The opportunities to receive a higher education are immense and the potential for success in our country is greater than any other in this world.
Clearly, this is not the case in other countries (especially in Africa). As physical human beings, we possess many inherent similarities with those who live in other nations, even the most remote and under-developed ones.
Instead of focusing on the characteristics of us, as Americans, that make us unique Clinton claimed that we are all essentially one. We, as human beings, are inherently similar and thus metaphorically brothers and sisters of one another.
I know this sounds like a strange diary but focus on the message and just think about it. Maybe we aren't that much different from people living in rural Africa, or anyone else in this world. Focus on the similarities between us instead of the differences. We are all brothers and sisters, so wouldn't you help them out if they were in trouble? Progress as people and help one another. We are all equals and all one. If we work together, our society as a whole will progress as well as others. This sounds incredibly cliche but hear me out a bit.
Just some food for thought. I really liked the speech Bill Clinton gave. Although relatively brief (especially for a long-winded Clinton speech) it really struck a chord with me. |
