University of Michigan Commencement

We had the privilege of President Obama giving the commencement address at the University of Michigan today. He gave a wonderful speech in which he encouraged people to be "nicer" to each other, to listen to other points of view, to appreciate the fact that we can have different opinions in a democracy. He said that change doesn't come easily or quickly, but that historically the people of our country have always responded to change that safeguards and protects our well-being.

And then...I look at the blurb on the Internet about his speech, and almost every single one of the 11,000 comments were negative, ugly, anti-Obama, anti-government. People don't want to listen to what other people have to say, the just want to hear themselves talk, and talk ugly.

How disappointing. How sad. I fear for the future of our democracy when people are so disrespectful, so filled with hate, and so fueled by their self-righteousness and selfishness.

To all the graduates of 2010, including my son Jason, you are our future, please keep your hearts and minds open, please build on the friendships and understanding of other cultures, races, religions, and sexuality that you have grown up with and nurtured in college, so that our world can learn from what you can teach us.