The the Medal of Distinction is
awarded to those individuals
who have made humanitarian,
cultural, intellectual,
or scientific contributions to society
or achieved noteworthy successes in
their chosen profession or given
significant service to the university,
our nation, or the world. It
feels like. Come home because it is.
This is home. This is home.
I once walked this campus as you did.
For the classes in the same classrooms,
you've taken classes.
Walk the graduation ceremony
just as you're walking today.
Some of the best and most
important years of my life
were spent here. I graduated.
There's one message I hope you take
for me today. Is this is no time?
To be on the sidelines.
It's not hyperbole,
I mean it from the bottom of my heart.
We need all of you. To get engaged.
In public life, the life of this nation.
And the prominent leaders are leaders. Well,
now it's your hour. The challenges
are immense, foreign and domestic.
But so are the possibilities, you know.
When I was a young,
everything is possible in America,
not a joke. Everything.
I believe that with every fiber of my being,
this is a decisive decade for America.
At a time when we can choose
the future we want. At a time,
and must decide that darkness will
not prevail over light rights.
Well, now it's always remember.
Democracy is a human enterprise.
We do many things well.
Sometimes we fall short.
That's true in our own lives.
It's true in the life of the nation.
And yet democracy makes
progress possible.
And progress comes.
We began to see each other again,
not as enemies.
But his neighbors.
Gunned down by assassins.
Too much violence.
Too much fear. Too much grief.
Let's be clear.
Evil came to that elementary
school classroom in Texas.
To that grocery store in New York.
Too far too many places.
Were innocents have died?
In the face of such destructive forces,
we have to stand stronger.
We must stand strong.
We cannot outlaw tragedy, I know.
But we can't make America safer.
We can finally do what we have
to protect the lives of the
people and of our children.
So I call on all Americans as our.
Join hands and make your voices heard.
I worked together to make this nation
what it can and should be
possibility. Prosperity protect
dear generation is the most generous.
The most tolerant.
The least prejudice.
The best educated generation
this nation has ever known,
and that's a simple fact.
And he paraphrased. He said
the the church generation.
More than anyone else who will
have to answer the question.
Who are we? What do
we stand for? What do we
believe? Who will we be?
I want to talk to you all about today. Though
I think even my Prof.
You can make the difference.
You can lift the country up.
You can meet the challenges
of our time.
I've always believed this nation
can be defined by one word.
As I said before, possibilities. It's
still true today.
And so do the university class of 2022.
There's no limit in what
you can do, I promise you.
So get going for God's sake.
Godspeed on your journey.
Keep the faith and take it back please.
This is yours.
Take it back. We need you.
God bless you all, and May God protect
our troops. I really mean I believe
in you. Thank you. Thank you, thank you.