Monday, May 12, 2003
2003 Commencement Address
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by Lieutenant Governor Joseph E. Kernan Dr. Hoops, trustees, members of the faculty and staff, distinguished graduates, families and friends of those being honored today – good afternoon and thank you. Thank you for the invitation to be here today, Dr. Hoops, and for that kind introduction. It’s wonderful to be in Evansville with all of you for this celebration at your great university. Maggie and I drove down from South Bend to Evansville. We left on Thursday. It took us three days to get here. When is somebody going to build that road between here and Indianapolis? Ladies and gentlemen, you have just heard the resume of a guy who can’t hold a job. If you hear of anything out there in early ’05, please give me a call. What Dr. Hoops failed to tell you was that during my baseball career at Notre Dame I established myself as a great hitter. In fact, I batted .450 … .270 as a junior, and .180 as a senior. I have had the extraordinary opportunity to serve as the lieutenant governor of this great state for the last 6 ½ years. You may not be aware that when Governor O’Bannon is out of the country I become the acting governor. As rewarding as my job has been, it is often very difficult, and sometimes frustrating, that you get very few chances to establish your own identity. I want you all to be the first to know that the next time Governor O’Bannon leaves the country, we will attack Ohio. This is obviously very sensitive information. I would ask that you keep this to yourselves, as surprise will be very important to our success. It was 31 years ago last Wednesday that I was shot down and captured in North Vietnam. Ten days later I had the worst day of my life. I made contact with the guy in the cell next to mine who had been shot down a few days after me. He informed me that our escort aircraft had lost contact with us, and we were presumed dead. I knew I was okay, but I could not imagine what my mom, my dad, Maggie, and my family were going through. I cried. My family continues to mean more to me than I would have ever thought possible. You should think about yours today. And if you don’t do anything else, say “thank-you” to your parents, wives, husbands, children, and all who made sacrifices so that you could graduate from the University of Southern Indiana. And while you’re at it, thank everyone – professors, coaches, friends – who have enriched your experience and helped make your time here among the most memorable of your life. I thought that perhaps my job today was to give you advice. Advice and counsel based on fifty-seven years of experience. Things like: • Thou shalt not be a whiner. • Don’t borrow money at 18%, and start saving for your retirement today. • Stay away from the smokes, watch out for the booze, and if you don’t have a designated driver, call a cab. • Smile when you’re not laughing. • Get back on an airplane, don’t sweat the inconvenience, remember that items on the overhead bin may have shifted during flight, and fly out of Evansville. • Work on your writing skills. • You and your significant other should never wear matching outfits, and no one should ever, ever wear dark socks with shorts. • You are only as good as your team. • Learn CPR and the Heimlich maneuver. • Buy low and sell high. • Visit the World Trade Center site in New York, and remember why we are at war. • Travel every chance you get, and learn at least one other language. • Vote. No Excuses. Vote. • Let people get off the elevator before you get on. • As Kipling said, “Meet with Triumph and Disaster, and treat those two imposters just the same.” • Pick up once piece of trash every day. • Be on time. • Wear sunscreen, floss, gargle, and stay in shape. • Hustle. • Don’t take yourself too seriously. • Be civil and have fun. • Never cough or sneeze into your right hand. • Do what you say you are going to do, and do it when you said you would do it. • Don’t cut in line. Don’t talk at a movie; and if you are not passing or turning, get out of the left lane. • Treat everybody – everybody – with dignity and respect. But I’m not going to do that. Instead I would just like to leave you with a few thoughts. First, my name is Joseph Eugene Francis Kernan. I am a white, Irish, Catholic, heterosexual, American Democrat. And I’m proud of it. I am also proud that as fortunate as I believe I am, I recognize that not everyone on the planet wants to be me. In fact, there are many who dislike me for one or more of my traits, those that even hate me, and some who would kill me without a second thought. How can this be? It is easy to dislike and distrust that with which we are unfamiliar, and to pass judgment on the basis of appearance or perception alone. We are taught to “Love thy neighbor as thyself.” That does not apply just to the guy down the street who let me use his lawnmower. It applies to every person on the planet. Of all the challenges we face, I believe that bigotry is the greatest barrier to our living a life where we recognize that we are all God’s children – equally – every day. Intolerance is one of the simplest, and most destructive, of human feelings. And the more certain and self-righteous we become in knowing that our way is the right way, and the only way, and that those who are different must be wrong, the more destructive it becomes. Crusades. Holocaust. Jihad. Ethnic cleansing. The Troubles. Holy War. We need no more warnings, no more proof, of where prejudice, and the hatred it spawns, can lead us. Elie Wiesel said, “Those who kept silent yesterday will keep silent tomorrow.” I will not be silent, and I trust that neither will you. Second, while we are seeing good signs in the economy, you are going out into a job market that is uncertain. Look for something that you want to do, hopefully here in Southwest Indiana. If you enjoy doing something, it is likely that you will be good at it. And if you do something well, you will probably enjoy it. Recognize that this is not the end of your educational career. The average lifespan of a particular job is shrinking, and in order to achieve stability and take advantage of opportunities, you will have to make sure that your skills are current. Grab every bit of training and continuing education you can. Many of you will go into public service – teaching, health care, social work, government service – and for that we are all grateful. No matter what you do, please look for opportunities to make a difference in the place you call home by volunteering your time. Our ability to contribute is in large part determined by our capacity – and the greater the capacity, the greater the responsibility. Coach a team, mentor a child, work for the United Way. Volunteer through your church, a social organization, or on your own. Do something, something you enjoy doing. Your community, both local and global, will only be the kind of place you want to live in if you make it so. Third, we all share the apprehension of what the war on terror means to us here at home. We have never been more prepared to prevent terrorism, not in a better position to be able to respond if something should happen. There is unprecedented cooperation among and between federal, state, and local agencies. And we get stronger every day. For your part, make common sense preparations for your families in the event something does happen. Prepare in the same way you would for any natural disaster, such as flood or tornado. While you’re at it, see if anyone in your neighborhood may need assistance, particularly the elderly who live alone. And continue to be aware of your surroundings. Don’t hesitate to report any suspicious activity to local authorities. Be vigilant, but don’t be frightened. Finally – congratulations! Remember USI and all you have learned here. Every year send a few bucks back to Dr. Hoops so that others may have the same opportunity you did. Do good things by doing the right thing – always. Have a great time, and think about someone else every day. Be kind to friends and strangers alike, rejoicing in our differences as well as our similarities. Cherish your family – every member. Be grateful for all you have been given. Share it every chance you get. And you will leave this world a better place than it was when you got here. Have no fear – just go for it! Thank you! |
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