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Posted 09/24/02
Thank you, Provost Sherr, thank you President Wright. Good morning 06s. Did everyone have a good time during orientation?
I have to say, it was tough to decide on what to say to you today. I finally decided on the important topic of time management. Actually, no, I'd rather talk to you about how no one rages anymore. Well, why don't I just start with this?
Some of you might be surprised to know that I am actually not the first Janos ever to address a Dartmouth convocation. I'd like to take a moment to speak about this other Janos. Born in Budapest, Janos was a mathematical prodigy who came to the U.S when he was 14 to escape the Nazis. He then changed his name to John, became a distinguished professor at Dartmouth, and went on to serve as one of our greatest presidents. During his tenure he helped students cope with the Vietnam War, raised the prestige of the faculty, supported a struggling Greek system, and, most importantly, presided over our school as it became co-ed. Because I'm not sure that he was ever properly recognized by his birth name in his years at Dartmouth, I would like to take a moment to applaud the great work of Janos G. Kemeny, the 13th president of Dartmouth.
I bring up President Kemeny because he was a great leader in times of change, something that seems hard to come by these days. Today everyone is yelling, as if they have something important to say, but all that comes out is a cacaphony of confusion, 'the man and the fish can coexist peacefully', 'I did not have sexual relations', 'don't fake the funk on a nasty dunk', 'two trailer park girls go round the outside, round the outside', 'know your role and shut your mouth'.
Use the wealth of great minds here to create a new culture, a new leadership, that you respect, and that you believe in. You are all privileged to be at a place where knowledge flows so freely, but once something becomes a great privilege, it also becomes a great responsibility. Your hard work has earned your place at Dartmouth. Your debt is to make something of it.
This generation, like every other generation, will need great leaders. What the world doesn't need is more pong players. Lord knows it's hard enough to get a table as it is. The world doesn't need more leaders who spout empty buzzwords like 'compassionate conservatism.' Instead, it needs a generation willing to make sacrifices in the name of compassionate activism.
Compassionate activism means looking beyond our immediate concerns, our own borders, to realize the enormity of the problems others face around the globe. The death of 2800 Americans was a terrible tragedy, but it should not allow us to forget and devalue the 35,000 people across the world who die of starvation and malnutrition every, the thousands of Chinese who died in floods just this summer, or the thousands of unnamed uncountable victims of recent genocides, from Bosnia to Rwanda. We must learn from the mistakes we made in Latin America that led to great suffering at the hands of U.S forces and U.S backed dictators. We must never again support a tyrant like we once supported Saddam Hussein. And we must never forget that only one country used weapons of mass destruction in World War II, Vietnam, and Afghanistan, and that was the United States.
Our task is daunting, to prevent the war on terror from obscuring the greatest war, the war on poverty that we never won. We must remember the words of Bobby Kennedy, who noted, "Few will have the greatness to bend history itself; but each of us can work to change a small portion of events, and in the total of all those acts will be written the history of this generation."
Activism can mean what you want it to, but whatever it is, Dartmouth has an abundance of it. Political groups, social causes, artists, everyone is waiting to enlist you: The Free Press, the Rainbow Alliance, the Navigators, AREA, among others, and of course, the Student Assembly, which will always be here, working to create a better Dartmouth for every student.
But your chance to change the world will come in good time. First, you have to make it through freshman year. I had a somewhat uninspiring first year. I must have watched movies like Casino, Spinal Tap, and the real Star Wars trilogy at least six times apiece, and now I shudder just looking at empty vcrs. I went on a bunch of ill-fated road trips where I slept in cars, trying to get away, but just wound up happier each time we'd speed under an afternoon sun across that route 10 bridge over the Connecticut that takes you from Vermont back to Hanover. I also watched lots of WWF with my hall-mates in New Hamp, or 'the Shire'. My favorite wrestler, Hunter Hearst Helmsley, would always say to his enemies, "this is my time. Your fate is in my hands. You are in my hands", and I think Triple H's words are really relevant to what you guys are going through right now. This is your time. For most of you, this is the last time you will ever play a sport in a real league in front of real fans. For many of you, this is the first, last, or maybe only time you will ever be president of an important organization. Your fate is in your own hands. Your parents will only know as much as you tell them over the phone every week. Your professors have no idea what you're doing, and won't ask if you hand in a good paper and take 2 exams every term. Heck, you don't even have to go to class, but that seems foolish doesn't it? There's no honor in cutting a class when you're only asked to be there 2 or 3 days a week. Take care of yourselves, and don't get mono. If you ever find yourself drinking too much, don't blame it on the location of Hanover, or the fraternities. Blame it on yourself, and chill out a bit. If you find yourself stressed over classes, don't go to Novack, where all your friends will be procrastinating. And please, don't throw eggs at police officers.
Anything you try to keep by force you will lose. 25% of your long distance relationships will end with a sobbing breakup, and 75% with a whimper. Appreciate that it is hard to stop a moving train; if you ever tried you would know. These will be the most fun four years of your life. There is no question about that. Always remember, however, that many are called, but few are chosen. You don't want to blow this. Of course, under my regime you can always have high paying jobs working in my salt mines.
Keep in your heart, through all your pitfalls and triumphs, the immortal words of Daniel Webster, who argued in the historic 1819 case, Dartmouth vs New Hampshire, "It is, sir, as I have said, a small college. And yet there are those that love it." Daniel Webster had three-dozen raw oysters and a bottle of whiskey for dinner every night, you can look it up.
You're at a place unbelievably rich in tradition. You may not like all of those traditions, but they hold us together in times of great change. As our government pushes us towards a war with Iraq, I'd like to share one of those traditions with you right now. You all know the two regular verses of the alma mater. But there is a third verse, sung only in times of war, to honor Dartmouth people in the military. I was going to have Bono come sing it for you today, but he's not here right now, so I'm just going to read it.
They were mighty men of old
That she nurtured side by side;
Till like Vikings they went forth
From the lone and silent North,
And they strove, and they wrought, and they died;
But the sons of old Dartmouth,
The daughters of Dartmouth,
The Mother keeps them in her heart
And guards their altar flame;
The still North remembers them,
The hill winds know their name,
And the granite of New Hampshire
Keeps the record of their fame;
And the granite of New Hampshire
Keeps the record of their fame.
You don't have to fight wars to become great. Whatever spectacular things you accomplish in your four years, remember that the granite of New Hampshire will keep a record of your fame. Let this amazing place help you become who you always wanted to be, do what you always wanted to do. And look out for each other along the way. Men and women of Dartmouth, all mankind is your brother-and you are your brother's keeper. Thank you.
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