One thing that we all have in common is that none of us are perfect. No matter how wonderful our lives may be, we all make mistakes.
The great thing about mistakes is that we can work to correct them – whether the mistakes are our own, or those made by others. Each of us individually has the power to right wrongs.
As we all know, President Obama delivered the keynote address Sunday at Notre Dame’s commencement ceremony. His participation at the prestigious university nor the honorary degree he received were welcomed by all. Many conservatives thought that Obama’s support of a woman’s right to choose abortion was in direct opposition of the Catholic faith. Weeks leading up to the graduation, people protested, the topic was debated and many offensive words were said. The mud slinging was in full effect.
Despite all of the opposition, however, Obama not only attended the festivities and accepted his degree, but he gave a very powerful speech that addressed the issue of abortion directly.
Rather than using the speech to support his views on abortion or oppose another’s, our esteemed president essentially said, let’s agree to disagree, yet work at alternatives to abortion so that this major issue and divisiveness amongst one another can become a smaller issue.
The president spoke of reducing unintended pregnancies, making adoption more affordable and providing care and support for women who carry their child to term.
Obama’s speech was the calm after the storm. Even some of the individuals who opposed his views initially, couldn’t dispute the truth and effectiveness of his words. Fair-minded words, as he often said.
In addition to addressing the abortion controversy head-on, there were several other poignant statements made by the president. One particular part of his address that really resonated with me was when he discussed the issue of finding common ground – a task, he said, that wasn’t easy for people to do.
“Part of the problem, of course, lies in the imperfections of man – our selfishness, our pride, our stubbornness, our acquisitiveness, our insecurities, our egos…,” said Obama.
He spoke the truth.
Oftentimes, it’s hard for us to find common ground because our egos won’t allow us to do so. Some people can get so caught up in their positions, the amount of money they make, or the people they associate themselves with that they become elitist and lose the gift of compromise.
I am a firm believer that some of the best ideas and solutions that are for the good of all people come about when individuals from different backgrounds and socio-economic levels join together to dialogue. What more effective way for the rich and affluent to understand the needs of the poor than to be amongst them – conversing with them about the plight of their community.
When you don’t have this sort of open communication between different types of people, the ails of the community may never be fully resolved because there’s a lack of understanding.
This is why it’s so important to make informed decisions about the politicians you vote for and eventually put in office.
Sadly, on a local and national level, there are politicians who have significant decision-making capabilities, yet they make the wrong choices for their constituents – either because they don’t understand the needs of the community, or the politician makes decisions based off of self-interest and crass materialism.
“The strong too often dominate the weak,” said Obama. “And too many of those with wealth and with power find all manner of justification for their own privilege in the face of poverty and injustice.”
In knowing that such unfair inequities exist, it’s our personal responsibility to right the wrongs. In righting the wrongs, you don’t need an advanced degree or the support of the unsupportive, all you need is the sheer determination to do it. It’s something we all have access to, it’s just that some of us may have to do a bit more soul searching to find our inner power.
Doing the right thing says a lot about a person. I encourage you to always advocate for the good of people.
