Graduation speech draws boos, catcalls

VERNON-High school graduation speeches are seldom controversial, and they rarely are interrupted by catcalls, especially from adults in the audience. But that's what happened at Vernon Township High School's ceremonies last Saturday. The speaker was Board of Education President Howard J. Whidden Jr. During his speech, which exhorted graduates to vote and to exercise their right to question their government, a few adult audience members shouted and booed. Some voices cried out that the speech was "political." A man's voice rose about the crowd, "We came here for a graduation, not a political speech. Shut up." Whidden continued unperturbed. Many students clapped and cheered Whidden at the end of the speech, and congratulated him afterwards. Following is the text of Whidden's speech: From my long association with the Vernon Township schools I know full wellthe outstanding job our teachers do in educating our children, not only in their required subjects, but also in other areas of life so that they will be joining society as functional and responsible adults. As a retired social studies teacher who always stressed civic responsibility, especially exercising the right to vote, I was appalled when only 42.3 percent of 18 to 24 year old voters cast a ballot in the 2004 election. It is not my purpose to dissect or discuss that election, other than to say it was certainly one of the most exciting races we have had in years, and one in which the differences in the major candidates was so distinct. So why then, did 57 percent of our young citizens decide to sit this election out? The attacks on the Pentagon and the World Trade Center almost four years ago resulted in our president having the highest popularity rating I can recall for any president in my lifetime, yet three years later he was only able to eke out re-election with 51 percent of the vote. What does that say about our country and its people? Again, why did 57 percent of our young citizens decide to sit out this election? I am reminded that thirty-five years ago our country was very divided over an unpopular war that some said was necessary to maintain freedom for the people of South Vietnam, while others said it wasn't worth the number of American lives lost. The cost of the war was spiraling out of sight and people were beginning to question the government's truthfulness over the Gulf of Tonkin incident, the basis for our massive build up of military forces in Southeast Asia. Recently returned from Vietnam, a young ex-marine was eager to return to college to get his teaching degree, to marry, and to raise a family. As the war continued and our involvement grew, so did the anti-war protests. In his youth this ex-marine somehow saw these protestors as being "unpatriotic" because they were not supporting our government, and their protests were undermining the morale of our fighting forces. He had learned from his father and the whole World War II generation that our country always did right, and our government leaders never did wrong - that was true red, white and blue patriotism, or so he believed. "My country, right or wrong." It has taken this ex-marine thirty-five years to realize how wrong that was. If patriotism is an unconditional love of our country, then it must also be an unconditional devotion to its ideals. As citizens of this great country we have not only the right to question our government leaders, it is also our responsibility. Whether it is your board of education, the town council, the governor, a senator, and even the president, we have the right to ask questions and to expect honest answers. No person is above the Constitution of the United States, the source of our rights. Be wary whenever someone suggests weakening or giving up any of those rights even when it is done under the pretext of making us safer. There is a plaque on the base of the Statue of Liberty that quotes Benjamin Franklin: "They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." Edmund Burke, a member of the British Parliament who supported the colonies during our Revolution, seemed to concur when he said: "The true danger is when liberty is nibbled away for expedients, and by parts." I know many of the young adults graduating tonight and their friends in the audience take their voting responsibility seriously, but for those who don't, I ask you: Why didn't you vote? Is it voter apathy? Do you think your one vote doesn't count? Let me also ask: How important is your one vote? Ask the governor of the state of Washington who last week was finalized as the winner out of 2.9 million by just 129 votes! You might ask that question of a board of education member who, four years ago won re-election by only two votes. There are many examples across the country in which thousands of votes are cast and ties do happen. But more importantly, vote because you are aware of events that have a direct bearing on your own lives. You must certainly be aware of the national discussion over social security for which you will shoulder responsibility for a long time to come as taxpayers. And many of you may be called into the military to proudly serve our country, just as I did. So when you sit out an election, when you waste your vote by not voting, then you should have no cause to complain when things happen to you that you don' t like. But if you do nothing else, please, for our sake but especially for your own, take an interest in the world around you and become active, participating citizens in our great country. Thank you.