Come so far. It is those same principles that guide us farther still cared was both that understand that powers derived from the people and not from government. Calvin coolidge understood this in his own time. Andive in an age of science the value of material things. This did not great our declaration. Our declaration created them. The spirit come first. Unless we cling to that, all of our material prosperity will turn to a barren scepter in our grass. He was right. The things of the spirit do come first. We must act now to protect them. The temptation to ask richard and his fractious battles from practical terms, it would only matter to those who value religious freedom and that was won over the course of centuries of persecution and blood. We should not surrender without a fight. The word religious they would is a war over free speech. Without the first, there is no such thing as a second. This is not a battle any of us would have chosen. And done we should join so gladly with our heart and mind set on things above. I really just liberty should not be linked to the everchanging opinions of the public. The contrary, we must understand that our freedom of conscience protects all in all of every persuasion all americans of every persuasion here it is unmistakable that most of the Obama Administrations attacks on religious liberty are aimed at conservative christian. The fact is that our religious liberties were designed to protect people of all faiths the best described as an evangelical catholic, and extended families quite diverse when it comes to matters of faith. Our liberties would mean equal protection for all. Third, for those of you who follow pop culture, you might e taken note of the recent duck dynasty and the producers and broadcasters for the duck dynasty show. You had noticed one of the first and the loudest and most aggressive defenders are the Robertson Family and the governor of louisiana. [applause] you may think i was defending them simply because on the governor of their home state, louisiana. You might have thought i defended them he cut my boys are huge fans of the show. You would have been wrong about that i defended them because my boys are huge fans of the show. You would have an wrong about that. Of course, they can choose what to put on their. The air. There was a time when liberals buthis country believed, that is increasingly not the case for the modern left in america. The modern left is growing tired of debates. The new strategy simply to try to silence their critics. These left is a newly mobilize and did all they could not to debate the issues, but rather to attempt to silence the robertsons. As you well know, the same thing with another week demonstration of intolerance from the entertainment industry. Featuringorking on Twin Brothers who graduated right here from Liberty University in 1988. I would like to ask them to stand up. Lets have a round of applause for the current and the grace. [applause] their grace. D [applause] show thisled their week allegedly because they learned that one of the brothers protested the democratic arctic invention and the other protested at an abortion clinic. Convention and the other protested at an abortion clinic. If i are the them have dated at convention, if either of them had road tested at a conservative convention, they probably would have gotten a raise. There is intolerance. To paraphrase, a liberal is who the modern left is completely intolerant of the views of the people of faith. A completely Secular Society where people of faith keep her views to themselves. Ronald reagans that freedom is a fragile thing and is never more than one generation away from extinction. It must be fought for and defended constantly each generation. In america are not being burned to the ground. Christians are not being slaughtered for their faith. Theres no comparison to the persecution of people of faith inside our borders and outside. We have established that our culture has taken a secular turn. We have established the persecution of christian is on the rise throughout the world. To establish religious liberty here is under siege. We have established that the left is no longer wanting a debate and simply wants to silence us. Now what . What do we do about it and what should you do about it . You should be optimistic and be of good cheer. This is an exciting time to be a believer. It is true that christians are the last group that it is ok to discriminate in america. So what . If god is with us, who could be against us . [applause] to the graduates, couple of last dont seedvice yourself as a victim. America has enough people seeing themselves as big ones. Go out as victims. Go out into this world that need you more than ever before. You should be bold in your faith and embrace opportunities to stand up for the truth. Just like those people in my life, you never know who you might be landing the seed of the gospel that could change someones life for all eternity. God bless you. Congratulations on your graduation carried god bless congratulations on your regulation. Bless and cancellations and congratulations to the class of 2014. [cheers and applause] with graduation season upon us, cspan is asking what is your advice to this years graduates . One posts Massachusetts Governor patrick spoke of the commencement anniversary at the university of massachusetts in amherst. He addresses Climate Change and supporting clean Energy Initiatives. Governor patrick is scheduled to leave office in generally when he finishes up his second term. This is 15 minutes. [applause] thank you. Chairman thomas the members of the board of trustees, members of the faculty and staff, senator rosenberg, representatives, honorees, distinguished guests, family and friends, and the proud and worthy members of the u mass class of 2014 cap underline applause]s and congratulations for reaching this milestone and thank you for having me. Handain event is dating in the degree for which you had worked hard for. Im aware of that and how important it is for me to get on and off as quickly as possible. I get it. Question is what is next . ,rom the time you were little some and had almost certainly been asking you what you wanted to be when you grow up. It is what adults ask kids, especially parents of their own kids. The kids answer with gusto. As young people get closer to seemsgrown up, the gusto to fade. When my daughters were college seniors, i would ask them and their friends what plans they were making for their lives after college. They hated that question. Is it made them feel pressured to choose a career before they felt quite ready to do so. I tried to be patient. Try to leave the site mentioning when i was their age, i do not have the option not to choose a path for myself after school. I also wanted them to understand as i do you that the choice you make now need not be and probably wont be the choice for all time. Wonder whereday, i in the world would we be if nobody ever wanted to be anything . I certainly hope there are future doctors, lawyers, engineers here. [applause] i guess there are. I hope there are future soldiers and sailors and nurses and elders here. [applause] apparently there are some of those, too. I hope there are some of you who will have more than one career in the course of their working lives and i hope that whatever you choose to do that you do it with integrity. Above all, i hope you will choose to be good citizens. Emphasis onmuch education as a pathway to a good job. I get that. Education will be the key to your success and ours as a nation. Despite strong job gains in massachusetts, we still have 220,000 people looking for work. Vacancies. The players keep telling us is that they cant find people with the skills that they need to do the job that they have. Your education here is more than just being prepared to be good employees. It is about preparation for citizenship itself. Good citizens take an interest in people and issues outside themselves. They understand community. They inform themselves about what is happening in their community and a volunteer. They listen. They both. Good citizens do not just live and work in a community. Community. What a Beautiful Community you are. You are 5500 graduate strong. Race,present nearly every ethnicity, and religion on the planet and scores of languages and culture. Many of you are the first ones in your family to learn english or to go to college or to graduate school. Through this community, you are connected to each other and to the larger world. Many of you clearly understand that and live out way. Live that way. I remember a student who grade a program to connect Homeless People to local resources for food, health care, and jobs. Or another student and other massnts of the u Engineering Team who designed a mechanical arm to help the disable kindergartner feed himself. For air force Staff Sergeant who having served two combat tours toiraq was to use his degree make Higher Education more acceptable to returning veterans. [applause] you and so many others exemplify the highest form of dreams and by seeing struggles. We are caught up in an Inescapable Network of mutuality, dr. King used to say. Tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly. Andany of you are living acting in that spirit and making the kinds of choices good citizens make. It makes this faculty, your family, and a very proud indeed. It seems to me that same spirit has to infuse more the public policy. Surely no policy choice before this community and common law in this nation is more emblematic and Climate Change. We cannot continue to consume so much of the worlds energy. It takes little responsibility for the impact of that consumption and the lives of others and the life of the planet itself. Week the Obama Administration released a report coauthored by over 300 independent scientists that catalogs the evidence of Climate Change and its impact. Assessment demonstrates that finally change is an issue right now and not just for future generations. The impacts that are being held in all corners of the country are in a range of manifestations including heat wave, coastal flooding, and intense precipitation and more extreme storms. Of those weather changes have. Mplications most of these conclusions are not new. We are seeing more Severe Weather extremes in our commonwealth and our region and more hurricanes and wildfires and more coastal damage and blizzards. Starting seven years ago with that future in mind, we massachusetts took a fresh look at the energy reality. We knew that it we harnessed massachusetts grown Energy Sources and reduce Energy Consumption and protect our natural resources, we could strengthen the environment and our economy. I am proud of the progress we and then example example we have set. Today we have nearly 500 megawatts installed and we will triple that by 2020. This to over 300 megawatts of wind capacity and today we have 103 megawatts of landbased wind and are poised to go home to the nations first offshore wind farm. We have tripled the energy we are saving from the Energy Initiatives and lead the nation in Energy Efficiency and Greenhouse Gas reduction. Working with other states that the regional Greenhouse Gas initiative, a lobar the Carbon Emissions throughout the region and demonstrated that that market based cap and trade approach worked. Between 2000 and 2012, the electricity generated from coal in england drop from 18 to three percent. Electricity generated from oil is down from 22 to less than one percent. We have reduce the Greenhouse Gas emissions by 60 below 1990 levels already and we are well on our way to the goal reducing emissions i fully pray five percent by the year 2020. Our economy reducing emissions fully by 35 by the year 2020. Our economy massachusetts grew at a healthy 2. 6 rate. ,n the last quarter massachusetts grew 69 faster than the National Growth rate. With over 5500 clean energy nearly 80,000 clean energy workers, massachusetts is one of the strongest Clean Energy Market in the nation. We can do more. By generating trace 15, generally 2015, we will make our communities more resilient. Several plans have been closed and the recent years and to remain. Years, bothext four should shut down. Massachusetts should finally end all reliance on conventional coal generation. To cleaner natural gas. We should be mindful of the hazards of pipeline leaks to our immediate safety and to the environment. We should have that same care that the source of extraction. We should double down on solar, wind, and hydro generation. We should migrate away from fossil fuels and transportation. Find better sources for Energy Efficiency. We are getting the Cleanest Energy possible at every moment. It is not the ideal today, but it will get us there tomorrow. It is how we move from good to better the best. It is an economy driven by homegrown independent sources and Renewable Energy and Cutting Edge Technology and hyper efficient cars and buildings. It is a feature within our grasp. We do not have to wait for disaster. Remember the stone age did not end because we ran out of stones. It is because humankind imagine a better way. Good citizens who no longer compromise the water and air we , why . Because good citizens understand we are all connected and bound together in the Inescapable Network of mutuality. I think of a young lawyer on my staff. He was at equal distance from the first explosion from the second one on boylston street. There are no strangers here. My daughter was walking towards boylston street when the first bomb went off. She helped care for the injured. We are not strangers. We are all connected to each other. We share the same fears and the same hopes and community. We are tied in a single garment of destiny. Affects one directly affects us all indirectly. We are one community. Be good citizens. The kind u mass has prepared you to be in your future and the world will be bright indeed. Congratulations graduates. God bless you. Good luck. [cheers and applause] as part of the 2014 commencement coverage, we are joined by an english professor who has participated in the schools commencement selection ross says. He is also served as president of the American Association of the university of professors. His latest book is no niversity is an island. Professor nelson, thank you for joining us. How does that university go about screening who to choose for the commencement address . What we do is we focus on the Commencement Speakers were who are going to receive an Honorary Degree which is rigid across ch is the case the country that has been speaker receives an Honorary Degree. The Faculty Senate has about 200 faculty members who are elected. They tie do consider them worthy of the speech and award a degree. In a senate meeting, we discussed the possible people. On a number of occasions, we have advised that the university not go forward with a particular person. In fact, just this year, we recommended against two people. They were not used. Im not going to give their names. But we might when their a kegs are given out to 150 faculty members, that gives you a pretty good test of whether they are likely to be a problem with other people on campus. It is a wide enough constituency that if there will be problems, the problems will be raised at that point. Do they take into account the wishes of the graduating seniors . No. All i can say really is that this year there were no graduating senior responses. I think the problem of doing that is that if were going to turn someone down, we really want to avoid publicity. You wouldnt want to embarrass someone. The whole purpose is to have a vetting process that avoids insulting or embarrassing a potential speaker. Of course, thats whats happened on many campuses this year. By the time a speaker is announced and they have not been through the vetting you ss, so thats when. Ave protests others have been concerned there be public demonstrations. The whole purpose is to avoid it. Im not sure you could really put a lid on the names. We want to show our viewers a recent cartoon of the boston globe on that particular issue. Some of the professors say, we believe we found some who will offend no one. And someone is screaming, hold on isnt that the walmart face . [laughter] typically, is this the sort of process that happens where the faculty has a Strong Influence on who gets elected . You have to get a broader feel. The commitment speech is an on location. People, controversial people speak on College Campuses all the time. They draw a large audience and it might speak before their particular constituency on campus. I think it is important that students and faculty be challenged by talks on campus and that they have many occasions to listen to controversial points of view. But commencements are odd. First of all, parents are there. Public is trans. They are a very large audience. So people tend to want someone with whom around a greater consensus can be. You mentioned Honorary Degree. What about payment . Do most get paid . And what about a speaker being withdrawn . With that payment still be would it still be due . I doubt if the payment would still be due in most cases. The truth is that sometimes when an Honorary Degree is off is offered, the speaker may not get a fee or the fee may be much lower if its an Honorary Degree. Money maycom and go. But a degree sticks with you ntil the end of your days. There are certainly speakers that are brought in really because there is a whole that hey have a particular interest in some of them so program the open initiative that will be an initiative. Apps hoping if it is a perhaps hoping if it is a wealthy speaker, they will donate to the university the future. I have seen many cases where Commencement Speakers and Honorary Degrees are targeted to in the hopesns, that they will work with the university in building some particular program that the university is concerned with. Typically, they will not be offering fees at all. The University Needs there money. Cary nelson is the president of the American Association of university professors. He serves as an english professor at the university of illinois. Her viewers can find out more at your website. Carynelson. Org. I also think, by the way, once you have announced the Commencement Speaker withdrawing that invitation is basically an act of cowardice. I do not think that should happen. That has happened this year. I think it is really deplorable. When a university does not have the courage to stay with its convictions. That is one of the worst things that can happen. It is also possible, in my view. To survive a demonstration i commencement talk. There is nothing wrong, in my view, with an organized demonstration, banners, chants, whatever. Taking place for 30 seconds or a minute. Then people engage and sit down and listen. A lot of people feel that any demonstration is unacceptable. I think you can live with a demonstration so long as the people demonstrating except that they have to let the speech go on. What is totally in conflict is that demonstrators tried to prevent a speech from taking place. Have beenkers to afraid that they will face that kind of demonstration. Where there is a violation of their freedom. That has happened in noncommencement situations. A fair number of times in the last few years. That really reflects a failure to educate people on campus about the need to let people have their say. Professor nelson, we appreciate you joining us on cspan. Indiana congressman was the 2014 speaker at Ball State University in muncie. The republican freshman class president told the story of his past on capitol hill, which included four years as an indiana state representative and serving as executive director of the state republican party. This is about 20 minutes. What a day. I want to thank the president for that introduction and every one of the university for this opportunity. I love commencements. They are a day to honor achievement and celebrate new beginnings for each graduate. It is also a day to remember the families and the teachers who helped you reach your goals. All the well earned smiles. Congratulations to each of you. Also to theons University President , who is retiring after 10 years of leaving this world class university. President , you are a force of nature. [applause] she even brought the sunshine today. There was no way it was going to rain on her last commencement. Your groundbreaking efforts will leave an indelible mark on this campus for decades to come. Thank you for your Incredible Service and best of luck in your next endeavor. I also want to it knowledge my wife, jennifer. She is here today with our children, emma, ava, and hudson. I want to thank my mom, my andifather, and my aunt for being here today. Masters ind her psychology from ball state in 1992. I love you all. Today, i stand before you as a u. S. Congressman. I also stand before you as someone who has lived a life a whole lot like your own. Up in modest circumstances in greensburg, indiana, and worked my way through school, to graduate from ball state no, to graduate from wabash college. In the late 1980s, i did spend a lot of time at ball state. Wabashate has girls and does not. I even lived in muncie the summer of my junior year, working as a waiter. I have great memories of this campus too. Today, i am going to talk to you a little about career advice, and not life advice. Life advice is far more important to happiness. Important life principles like put faith and family first. Be loyal. Listen. Higher a good accountant. Marry for love, not money. Find time for rest. Exercise. Larly and all worthy life advice. But Career Guidance seems far more appropriate for a commencement speech. In that spirit, i plan to focus on three simple principles that have helped guide me with my career. Own your opportunity, work a plan, and never quit. First, own your opportunity. For the better part of 400 years, from the founding of the first colonial settlement in h, americaand plymout has consistently proven itself to be the greatest engine of opportunity in the history of mankind. Closeer place comes even and we are all blessed to be a part of it. Unfortunately, pop culture sometimes send a very different message. I was struck recently by a scene in the comedy the internship. The movie did not win any oscars, but it stars owen wilson and vince vaughn. They play washed up 45yearolds competing with very talented 20yearold for jobs at google. Theye climax of the movie, are blearyeyed and downtrodden. It seems clear, theyre going to lose their job opportunity. At that moment, a discouraged the wholeern says American Dream thing that you that is all itn is nowadays, a dream. Graduates, do not ever allow yourself to believe that. Instead, think about this. There is more information on your smart phone than there was in the local library when youre grewdent your parents up. Sure, life in modern america is not all candy in rainbows. Yet, for all of our challenges, our country remains an amazing place. The land of opportunity. Here are a few facts for you. Despite chinas remarkable economic growth, americas economy remains double the size of chinas. Bigger than anyplace else in the world. When measured on a per person basis, as your economics professors would say, probably the most accurate measure of societal wealth. U. S. Production is ahead of china by more than eight. It is natural to worry about the future. For the parents here today, it is natural to wonder whether america will be the same country for our children that it was for us. Is, no generation in the history of the planet earth has had more opportunity than a College Educated young americaomingofage in in 2014. That is particularly true for someone who graduates from a worldclass University Like ball state. Ask yourself this question if the gates of entry were dropped at every country in the would beich country flooded with the most people . Course, the answer is america. Dont get me wrong our nation is far from perfect. It took hundreds of years for opportunities to open up, for women and racial minorities in this country. Even today, too Many Americans lack access to a quality education and the kind of Economic Opportunities necessary to have a fair shot at success. Four years, Unemployment Rates have stayed locked in double digits for those who lack a college education. Problems of wage stagnation and shrinking paychecks are a harsh reality for many in the middle class. These challenges must not be ignored. These challenges, i hope many of you will devote your careers to addressing. Yet today, the Unemployment Rate for College Educated graduates in america, is less than four percent. Today, the Unemployment Rate for College Graduates in america is less than four percent. , byyou are all right now definition, College Graduates. [laughter] [applause] i will not sugarcoat it. You may not get your first choice job. But you will have an opportunity in modern america. The rest is up to you. Own it. The second principle that i want to address work a plan. It has become the Great American cliche. An individual reaches the heights of success, winning an olympic medal or a grammy, a major election or the super bowl. They come to the microphone to say, i never dreamed it was possible. Well, i have a secret for you. That person is either incredibly gracious, oringly they are just not telling you the truth. Onetruth is, virtually no exceeds their dreams. Your ambition may grow and evolve over time. In fact, i hope you allow that to happen. With life experience, you should set higher goals or different goals than you have today. But your dreams are the limiter on what you can achieve. Please dont mistake what i am saying. Dreams are not some kind of magic pixie dust that makes anything possible. It is important to assess your abilities and that your ambitions to your unique talents. 511 power i was a forward in high school. My basketball career ended. If i had wanted to be an nba center, it would have been a difficult courier cap for me. Jobs do not include physical requirements of an nba center. Another nba career goal couldve been a pupil. What about being a sports agent or Communications Director . Sure, but, for attainable. Power forward. Your dreams are the start of a plan. It is the specifics of the plan that really matter. I first learned that lesson on my 27th birthday from a former threetime olympic people chase runner named henry marsh. He said, when i deal in generalities, i seldom succeed. When i deal in specifics, i seldom fail. Ooten, aouldnt w hoosier, communicated the same message in a slightly different way. He said into by end, life is a cinch. Yard by yard, life is hard. Both quotes teach inessential lesson. To reach her goals, you must move past the abstract world of dreams and start doing the specific tasks needed to achieve them. When you begin working with specifics, it is amazing how quickly progress comes. Let me give you an example from my own life. It was my 27th birthday and i had just heard this inspiring speech from henry marsh. I was two years and my locks where, feeling very uninspired by the work i was doing. I was ready for a career change. As i assessed my options at that crossroads, my biggest interests were coaching basketball, working in movies, and serbian politics. Politics. In a career in basketball was unlikely. The movies were out too. That left me with politics. As a trained lawyer, it seemed like a reasonable option. I left my steady job, focused on the specific tasks, and entered andcadeplus of twists turns that led me here today. My first job was as an unpaid bond here for a campaign. My next job was as a junior legislative assistant for a congressman. I earned less than a third of my former lawyer salary. My key issue was miscellaneous. Six months later, i got the job as a press secretary for another congressman. Each job was the next step toward working a plan and reaching my goals. My jobs next two years, included writing political tv commercials, serving as a counsel for a subcommittee, and managing an unsuccessful campaign. At age 31, five years into my journey, i ran for congress the first time. And clay stay close third p laced a close third. It was not always easy, but they helped me earn a job with the Indiana Republican party. That helped me get elected to the state legislature. Later, those experiences helped me become a partner in a large law firm. The president and ceo of a notforprofit. Along the way, i met my wife on a blind date while campaigning. Again, here in muncie. We started our family. I passed High School Dropout reform legislation. For a time, even gave up on running for congress. This was a 16 year journey. Eventually, i got there. Working the specifics was my key. It feels likely, we are just going started. The same can be true for you. By graduating today, you have already demonstrated the brainpower and persistence necessary to be successful. As you move forward in life, dream big. Transition quickly to the specific task necessary to reach your goals. Everything may not go as planned, but the joy in life is in the journey. You will be amazed at what can be accomplished along the way. This leads me to my final principle, which is also a life principle. Never quit. One of the frequent critiques of your generation, you have probably heard. The trouble all started when everyone got a trophy in little league. Many take that to mean your generation expects great reward for little effort. I do not see that in this generation. What i do see is something more subtle. In an effort to make our kids feel special by giving them trophies just for showing up, i think we may have unintentionally created a generation of young people who can be, not always our, but can be risk averse. Afraid of failure and reluctant to take on any challenge. This is a problem, because in real life, you do not always win. But you do have to try, even when there are no guarantees. You missgretzky said, 100 of the shots you dont take. But if therecrazy, is one thing i say today that i want you to remember, it is this. In the first 10 years of your career, if youre not failing in major ways, you just not pushing yourself hard enough. As i speak with top Business Leaders in our state, particularly top entrepreneurs, a common theme emerges. Todays young people are plenty bright. They are also not afraid to work hard. The biggest challenge in managing young people today is finding those leaders who are willing to stick their neck out, think outside the box, and take risks. Then, this is most important. And themselves accountable be willing to live with the consequences of any failures. You will not win them all. All of life does not include a trophy. Big rewards require significant risk. So, go forth. Let me finish with one final thought. Natural born talent is almost never the difference between success and failure. The number one indicator of success in life is your willingness to persevere when it would be easier just to give up. Family in met my 1975, we were not a picture of guaranteed success. Five,six, my brother was are singleparent mother was 25. She worked 40 hours a week, plus overtime, at the faucet factory. We did not have a lot of advantages. My mother always taught us that we were blessed by the grace of god to live in the United States of america. If we work hard and stayed focused, in this country, anything was possible. Who knows. One day, you might even grow up to be a u. S. Congressman. Course, the most remarkable thing about our country is that my story is not unique at all. Todays audience is filled with literally thousands of people who could tell a similar story about themselves or their parents or their grandparents. That is the true magic of america. We all get to be a part of it. So whether you aspire to be americas next great comedian, letterman, or to become teacher of the year. Whether you hope to be a trailblazing university gora, or, like joanne become the architect of the worlds next great building. Whether you dream of owning your own pizza empire, like papaa or servingder, your friends and neighbors with distinction in the medical field, in america it is all possible. Keep your hats on. If you own your opportunity, work a plan, and never quit, true. Dreams can come congratulations, thank you, and good luck. [applause] congressman john lewis recently talked about changes in the south since his childhood during his commencement address at the university of mississippi law school. He marched with Martin Luther king and lead a youth group during the civil rights struggle. This is 15 minutes. Good morning. Thank you for those kind words of introduction. Of 2014raduating class friends, imily, and must tell you itm the bottom of my heart, is a great honor to be standing here with you today on this important occasion. If someone had told me many i first came to mississippi 21 years old, a few pounds lighter, in 1961 on the freedom ride, that i would be standing here today i would say you are crazy, youre out of your mind, you do not know youre talking about. I am so pleased and so happy to be here. So, thank you. Thank you. [applause] to each and every one of you receiving a degree, congratulations. This is your day. You should enjoy it. Celebrate it. You deserve it. Over andparties are the candles are all blown out, the world will be waiting for you to take it to a better place. Youraduates of ole miss, can play a powerful role in building a better nation and a better world. Sometime in my travels around the country, people ask me about the current state of the civil rights and social justice in america. I guess we have accepted the fight. We do not live in a close racial society. We still have much more work to do. But we have made a lot of progress. As a young boy growing up on a farm, i had a little town called alabama. Ll in rural my father was a farmer. When i was 44 years old, and i do remember when i was 4. How many of you remember when you were four . My father had saved 300. He bought 110 acres of land. My family still owns the land today in rural alabama. On this farm, we raise a lot of cotton and corn, peanuts, chickens. It was my responsibility to care for the chickens. I fell in love with raising chickens like no one else could. I know a lot of you here in the state of mississippi know a lot about that. Chicks, churchs, fila. But you do not know a lot about raising chickens. I would wait for three long weeks for the chicks to hatch. Some of you may ask, why do you mark those first ones with a pencil . To time, another hen would get on the same nest and there would be more eggs. You had to differentiate from the eggs that were already sitting there. Do you follow me . These chicks would hatch. These chicks and give them to another hen and put them in a box with a lantern and rate them on their own. Get some more fresh eggs, mark them with a pencil, and sit for another three weeks. What i look back, it was not the right thing to do. Not the moral thing, not the most loving thing to do. It was not the most democratic thing to do, but i have never 18. 98 to order the most expensive incubator. Most of you are old enough to remember the big book. The heavy book some people call it the wash book wish book. I kept on wishing. I wanted to be a minister. From time to time, with the help of my brothers and sisters, we would gather all of our chickens together in the chicken yard. My brothers and sisters and cousins would line the outside of the chicken yard and make up the audience, the congregation. When i look back on it, some of the chickens without their heads. Somewhat shake their heads. They never said amen. But i am convinced that the great majority of those chickens that i preached to tended to listen to me much better than some of my colleagues listen to me today in the congress. Some of those chickens were a little more productive. At least they produced eggs. [applause] today, on this day, i just want to tell you a story or two. When i was visiting that little town of troy were visiting montgomery, when i would visit birmingham n. Saw signs of white me colored men, white women, colored women waiting. I would ask my mother, ask my father, why . They said, that is the way it is. Do not get in the way, do not get in trouble. 1955, 15 years old in the 10th grade, i heard about rosa parks. I heard the words of Martin Luther king on the radio. The words of dr. King, the actions of rosa parks, inspired me to find a way to get in the way. With some of my brothers and sisters and cousins, we went down to the little town of troy. Trying to check out some books from the public library. Trying to get library cards. We were told by the library and the library was for whites only. I never went back to the public library. On july 5, 1998, for a book signing. Hundreds of blacks and white citizens showed up. Signed a lot of books, had a wonderful reception. At the end of the reception, they gave me a library card. That may not sound that important. When people tell me that nothing has changed in this state, change in america i say, come and walk in my shoes. The state is a different state. Our region is a different region. We are a better people. To the vision. Ay the burden of separation. Were on our way to the creation of the beloved community. You muste said to you, find a way to get in the way. To get in trouble. Good trouble, necessary trouble. That is your responsibility. As you do not have a right you must speak up, you must seek out speak out and bring justice to our region, to our country, and to the world. That is your calling. Yes, if someone had told me that this boy growing up in rural alabama would one day have to serve in the United States house of representatives, representing the good people of georgia for almost 28 years it can happen. You must make your way out of no way. Yes, you must get in the way. You can do it. You have been trained. You have learned from the best. You have to give back. Just dont just do well. Do good. Be brave. Be bold. Be courageous. And never, ever give up. Never, ever give in. Never ever give out. Hold on. Keep your eyes on the prize. This is your day. Thank you for being you. Thank your parents, your husband, your wives. Your sisters, and your brothers. Thank your dean. Thank your professors. It has been hard for some of you. My mother used to tell me when i was working in the field you are not keeping up. I said this is hard work. It is about to kill me. She said hard work never killed anybody. On. On, press get involved. Forget about your own circumstances and get involved in the circumstances of others. Not just here. In the other state we call america. Not just in the state of mississippi or the south, but around the world. Follow the way of peace. Follow the way of love. Follow the way of nonviolence. Bloodied,en, left unconscious. Inoncussion on the bridge selma. I am not better, i am not hostile. I believe we can redeem the soul of america and create the beloved community. I tell you one story. It is not about me, it is that you. When i was growing up, i was in alabama, 50 miles from montgomery. I had an aunt. She lived in what we call a shotgun house. At ole miss here in the state of mississippi, here in the american south, you have never seen a shotgun house. You dont even know what im talking about. She did not have a green, manicured lawn. The lot is beautiful here. She had a dirt yard. You old shotgun house, could look up at night through the roof, the tin roof, and count the stars. When it rained, we got a pail to catch the rainwater. From time to time, she would walk out into the woods and put these branches together. Tie these branches together to make a broom. She called that she would sweep this yard clean. Especially on friday or saturday. She wanted it to look good during the weekend. For those of you who do not know , it isshotgun house is an old house, one way in and one way out. You can bounce a basque ball through the front door. One afternoon, a group of my brothers and sisters and a few of my First Cousins about 12 or 15 of us young children, were playing in the yard. An unbelievable storm came up. The thunder started rolling. The lightning started flashing. My aunt became terrified. She started crying. She thought the house would blow away. She got all of us together and told us to hold hands. We did as we were told and we all cried. When this house appeared to be lifted from its foundation, my aunt had us walked to the corner to hold the house in place. When the other corner appeared to be listed, we walked to that corner. The children were walking with the wind, but we never left the house. Call it the house of ole miss. Call it the house of mississippi. Call it the house of georgia. Call it the house of new york or california, texas. We all live in the same house. Not just american house, but the world house. It does not matter whether we are black or white, latino, asian american, or native american. We are one people, one family, we all live in the same house. We must learn to live together as brothers and sisters, as dr. King said. Or we will parish is. Go out there, use the law as an instrument. To bring aboutl a nonviolent revolution. A revolution of values, a revolution of ideas. You can do it. On your time, on your watch, you must do it. Thank you very much [applause] was graduation season upon us, cspan is asking the question, what is your dice to this years graduates . A few of you have already weighed in. Writes, know the constitution, live it, believe it, protect it. You can leave your advice at facebook. Com cspan. Almost 50 years after he graduated, senator Johnny Isakson rp turned to his alma mater to deliver this years commencement address at the university of georgia. He told them about his seven silent secrets to happiness and success. This is about 15 minutes. Was a teacher affects wasnt she terrific . Ick, isakson. On or graduates of the class of 2014, friends and significant others, congratulations. It is an honor to be here today. I have to tell you a secret. Me upere morehead called and said i want you to be the speaker at the spring commencement, i was ecstatic. This is my alma mater. Years ago, i graduated from the university of georgia. [applause] all of my children graduated from the university of georgia. My wife graduated from the university of georgia. When i got that phone call, i was ecstatic. I leaned back after i hung the phone up. I close the door my office and i said this must be the greatest speech you have ever delivered. You better lean back and think for inspiration. This is your one chance to climb the rhetorical heights of ecstasy. I thought if i could impact my college education, all of the memorable parts of it, and the great information i received, i could give a great speech tonight. Remember that day, june the sixth. Itrandnew coliseum is where was held. I remember the joy on my parents faces. Child in our family to graduate from an institution of Higher Education. Every member the goodlooking blonde who sat in front of me. Notthe life of me, i could remember who spoke at my graduation or what they said. Then i realize that this is not about me. This is about you. For just a couple of minutes, i want to share with you something that i call the six silent secrets of living a happy, successful, and fulfilling life. They really are not secrets. Everyone of them is known. Each one is a part of the tenets of every major religion. Each one is an Academy Awardwinning motion pictures. Parents do not talk about them enough with their kids. Officers do not talk about them with their students. None of us adults talk about them with each other. Theyre important secrets. I know you will forget who spoke at your graduation, but i deeply care that youre a member the six silent secrets of living a happy, successful, as the filling life. The first one is learning. Today, you graduate from an institution full of classrooms. In the bigger classroom, notice the world around you, many of you will take your diploma and it and at frame hang it on the wall. Use it like a passport and have it validated over and over and over. This is called commencement because all of us know that your education and college is something you build on for your entire career. The body of knowledge is compounded every seven years. It has been almost 49 years since i graduated. Knowledge is crap at it seven times since i last. Most of the things i learned have not been true. Or have been amended. As i learned how to learn, i have built my body of knowledge to compete in this day and this time. So never stop learning. Hadmost difficult subject i to deal with upon being elected to the United States senate was embryonic stem cell research. I am a Real Estate Broker. You know what i did . I called the university of georgia i called a doctor, a scholar here. He was a knowledgeable person on the research. He knew what Nuclear Transfer was. Educated this Real Estate Broker selected make intelligent votes and contribute to the united eight senate. This university will serve you long after your diploma if you take it with you and have it validated over and over and over again. The second silent secret is respect. And the nations conscience. Martin luther king junior said it best. Always judge a man by his character, never by the color of his skin. We are all different. Sizes,different different shapes, different orientations, different religions, different ages, different sexes, different ethnicities. We all have gifts from god to contribute. What i speak at high school graduations, i always tell the 235 pound middle linebackers, dont you ever kick sand in the face of the 135 pound math and science whiz. They may hold a scalpel to operate on your knee. Everyone of us has a talent to offer to everyone else. Life is about relationships. Relationships are about respect. The older you get, you realize that you meet people a second time along the way in life. It is always true. They will treat you the second time reciprocal to how you treat them the first time. The third silence to grit his ethics. I know that everyone is saying, here is an american politician. Talking about ethics. They do nothing but create special prosecutors and committees. They are always trying to find out what is right and what is wrong. It is really very simple. There is a rule for what is right and what is wrong. It is called the golden role. Treat people like you would like to be treated. I was in business for 33 years. I know a lot of people who made a lot of money and i know a lot who lost it. The difference between the ones who made him captain and want to lost it the ones who kept it knew that life was a winwin game. They knew if you left something on a table for the other guy, they would come back and do business with you. If you had to have the last dime, you might get it once, but never a second time. My favorite author once said it best. When confronted with a difficult decision, do what is right. Youll astound a few and amaze the rest. We all have the same boys at the back of her head. It is our conscience. It always raises that alarm. Always do a you do when everybody is looking. Dont just do what youre doing when nobody is looking. The way you treat everyone else is the basis for the success you will have in life. The fourth silent secret is love. I am not suggesting what were talking about when you daydream once or twice a day. Were talking about the people and institutions that have contributed to where you are and the ones in your future who will. You need to repay that love with respect and sometimes with money and talents. The first check you out to right is to the Alumni Association at the university of georgia. Or to the capital campaign. Or to the Building Construction campaign. This university has been built on tax dollars. Three times as many dollars have been given by donations for him institutions. The university of georgia is everything it is because of those who have given. You owe it to this university to give back. I have done it and you should do it. It is a great feeling. It is not a tuition youre paying. You are giving back what is been given to you. I love what will rogers said. Room at the back of his raised his hand and said you have known great artists and statesmen. What youn one sentence think the secret to living a happy, successful, the filling life is. He said love people and use things. Dont ever look use people and love things. The fifth silent secret is faith. I am at a Public Institution that i know how far i can and cannot go. Life is about success, but it is about trials and tribulations and it is about failure. You need to have an inner strength that a face to clear faith to carry you through. What got me through the losing years in politics and business was the faith i had and the inner strength i have from a belief i have in god. Find it sooner, rather than later. When you do, remember that you cannot check it in and out like a book. It on television. Look for it, find it, and it will help you throughout your life. [applause] lastly, the sixth silent secret is to dream. I am not talking about goalsetting. Im talking about turning the lights off to prepare the speech. Ng, if iself thinki could be anything, what would it be . We live in the greatest country on the face of this earth. People have volunteered and died to protect the opportunities we have. Every generation of americans has donated their sons to build freedom and liberty. Assemble, myto ability to say what i want to say we live in the greatest country on her. You can be anything you want to be. Let me tell you a story. Let me tell you about the 135 pound math and science whiz in my high school. His name is kenny asher. We went to our graduation and atlanta. Our party, after our senior party, was at robinsons tropical gardens, which was a butler building. We could make all the noise we wanted to. It is now called canoes restaurant. About 11 00, we sat on the steps to watch the river go by. We started talking about what we were going to be. I told kenny about my dreams. Then i let him talk about his. He said i am going to Columbia University in us all scholarship for math and science. Im going to do everything i can. You know what i really want to do . Write great music and entertainment lives of people. I thought to myself, this scrawny little booger will never be able to do Something Like that. I did not want to blow out his candle. I did not see him for six years until i was in minneapolis, going to a meeting at night. I was looking out the window of a cab. There on the marquee, it said orchestra,an and his accompanied by kenny asher. I called the hotel and up the theater. When the musical was over, the piano player up there, give him this remember and tell him John Isaacson called. He called me up. 3 00 you know how musicians are. I said kenny, you made it. He said i have just been lucky. I went to interject that luck is when opportunity meets preparation. He says i went to columbia and did good. I still play a lot of music. I went into new york city and played in greenwich village. I met a guy named george, who introduced me to a guy named frank foster. He had a touring jazz band and asked me to fill in one night. He liked it. A few weeks later, a paean of player had a heart attack. Frank recommended me to woody herman. I met him and washington, d. C. He took me all over the country. I have not entertained millions of people yet. I have not made it. I said, kenny, you will, i am sure. A few years later, he wrote and produced songs for barbra streisand. Later, he played with john london and yoko ono. I kept saying, you have made it. He kept saying, no i havent. One day, i will write great music and entertainment of people. On a saturday afternoon in 1979, my wife and i took our daughter and seven of her friends to the roswell theater to see the great hit movie of 1979, the muppet movie. You remember that movie. Thet the frog singing rainbow connection. After the movie was over, when you have a girls, your wife sits on one end of the row and you sit on the other. When you do that, you have nothing to do except watch the roman numeral skill by. I sat there and i watched as the production went by. I watched as costume and by. Then it said music. E rainbow connection arranged, produced, and written by kenny asher. I said, he made it. The next monday, he was nominated for an Academy Award and nominated for grammy. That song today is still one of the most played songs in the history of music, lal over the world. History move one day writing great music and playing before millions of people came true. Time to thinkthis about the last verse. I want to share with you. Sometime, youll find it, the rainbow connection, the lover and dreamer in you. As your graduation speaker tonight, i want to tell you that the rainbow connection is there for you if youre just willing to dream the impossible dream. If youre willing to continue to learn throughout your life. If you are willing to respect your fellow man and treat everybody with ethics and principle. If youre willing to love those who have gotten you to where you are undergoing to take you to where youre going to be. If you find a deep and abiding faith to get you through the difficult times. And if you are willing to dream, you can do anything in america that you want to do. You have built an educational platform to do it with. You may not believe me when i say this, but there is a dream just like kenny asher, to be filled. If you do not believe me, think about this. This is a stadium full of parents. You are their dream and they love you very much. Thank you. [applause] next, your life calls and comments on washington journal. Then Claire Mccaskill is holding a forum on and more speeches from around the country. What i am trying to say is that fraud kills. Ok . It is not partisan fraud. We have to do something about it. We do not have unlimited budgets. Money gets wasted on a building, that is never going to be used. It could have helped some people here in the United States. You keep seeing this again and again. Proud to work for the semester nation. I think it is important that people realize i was appointed by the president. Inspector generals are independent. But, it is important that people see that the government does care. Whoe are a lot of people care about wasting money. Sopko on his role as Inspector General and how american taxpayer dollars are spent on reconstruction in afghanistan. Sunday night at 8 00 on q a. This morning on washington harrison willd discuss major features of the house version of the National Defense act. Then, a review of the state of u. S. Bridges, a year after a highprofile collapse in washington state. Looks atlliam horn efforts underway to hunt and fish by amending state constitutions. We will take your calls and you can join the conversation on facebook and twitter. Washington journal is host good morning. We have a threehour washington journal. Theill be talking about state of bridges and highways. We will get to all of that this morning. It is College Commencement season and were asking our wers to write in about with your messages for graduates. We want to bring you through some of the commencement address highlights so far this year. We want