President Barack Hussein Obama delivered a stirring commencement address to 2020 graduates, America, and the world.
President Obama spoke today and tens of millions listened to thoughtful words, complete sentences, challenging ideas, and clarity of purpose laid out logically, with energy, and with passion and heart.
We heard lofty ideals of what it means to be American and to be a responsible citizen. And we heard practical ideas of what each individual can do to be a productive citizen.
In short, we heard the polar opposite of the idiocy spewed daily from the mouth of the stupid person occupying the White House.
Speaking to students and Americans clamoring for vision of something, anything, President Obama delivered words that challenged hearts and soothed minds.
President Obama’s speech made America great again, if only for a few moments.
The President spoke to graduates today because he was asked to by high school seniors who, due to the Covid-19 Pandemic that’s been woefully managed by an inept and utterly dumb administration, are prevented from having traditional cap and gown graduation ceremonies.
President Obama actually presented two speeches today.
His first speech of the day was to graduates of 74 historically black colleges and universities across America – HSBC’s.
In that speech he didn’t hold back and spoke with a level of comfort and ease that only he can and encouraged the graduates reminding them that “Injustice like this (Covid-19) isn’t new. What is new is that so much of your generation has woken up to the fact that the status quo needs fixing; that the old ways of doing things don’t work; that it doesn’t matter how much money you make if everyone around you is hungry and sick; that our society, and our democracy, only works when we think not just about ourselves, but about each other.”
President Obama in one paragraph repudiated the Trump, Pence, Mnuchin, Jared, Pompeo, McConnell, and GOP purpose for existing: make money, be greedy, break laws, don’t care when your fellow citizens are dying.
President Obama also turned his eloquence to the current non-functioning government, stating for all to hear: “More than anything, this pandemic has fully, finally torn back the curtain on the idea that so many of the folks in charge know what they’re doing.. A lot of then aren’t even pretending to be in charge.”
The President called the current administration a Confederacy of Dunces. (he didn’t, but he may as well have.)
After a quick lunch and laughing it up with Michelle, President Obama then went live on all networks, cable news, YouTube, and streamed straight to Trump’s barely functioning orange brain.
Then it was time for the President to address high school graduates.
After a stirring opening that showcased the beauty of America’s diversity and showed just how similar we are as a nation – we all identify with the fun challenging times we call high school. From our friends, teachers, studying, sports, clubs of every type, and all the way to our cliques, “The quad,” sleep deprivation, college prep and workforce prep, we remember the good, bad, awful, wonderful, and the joys and trials of high school.
We saw a kaleidoscope of colors, shapes, sizes, and voices representing all the coasts, midwest, south, and points in between as our kids showed up and showed out.
President Obama summarized his speech to high school seniors thusly:
- Don’t be afraid – learn from our mistakes and make things better
- Do what you think is right – ground yourself in values that last
- Build a big community – be alive to one another’s struggles
Go to YouTube to see the speeches. They are worth your time.
President Obama’s speech was carried live by all the major networks, all major cable news, YouTube, Snapchat, Twitter, and a host of other platforms as a nation starved of civility, intelligence, empathy, and a true leader demanded and got full access to the president who means so much to so many.
If you take away any quote, take this: Doing what feels good, what’s convenient, what’s easy, that’s how little kids think. Unfortunately, a lot of so-called grow-ups including some with fancy titles and important jobs think that way. Which is why things are so screwed up.”
Tomorrow we will move back to our real life of uncontrolled stupidity that flows from the White House and the orange stupid mouth of the occupier “president.”
But for one night, America could again be proud that one of our own fully represented the best of us, for all of us.
© 2020 by Myron J. Clifton. All Rights Reserved.
Dear Dean 
Miss President Obama every day! Well stated! ❤️
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