Speech Given at LaRoche College, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania April 12, 1996
Some see things as they are and say "Why?"
Others as they ought to be and say "Why not?" Many of you may recognize this as a quote from George Bernard Shaw.
It is an especially appropriate question, an appropriate choice to consider when faced with decisions between war and peace... ...between weapons and flowers. This is an easy choice for a child, but unfortunately not one as easily made by grown-ups. Choices... The philosopher Kirkegaard said that when individuals are confronted with difficult choices, THE MOMENT OF DECISION IS SHEER MADNESS. Adversity hurls difficult choices at us, at our very beings, our very souls... YET... Adversity is often just a disguise for unrealized opportunity -- a dark mask which can be unveiled by a decision to say... Why not? As a young boy studying the history of Nazi Germany I often wondered about the WHYS and the WHY NOTS of the era. At the time, I believed that had the good people of America, especially the men of steel of western Pennsylvania, known of the full truth of the Holocaust, that we would have arisen as one to intervene in time to have saved lives. For we were Americans... we ARE the good guys. No just cause is too difficult for those who act with the might of moral justice. Although far too slow to respond, the Americans have now accepted a similar challenge in Bosnia. We are there because it is the right thing to do. A salute to our leadership for having the wisdom and courage to act based upon moral conviction rather than economic interests. To exercise our miltary might for the sake of human life and dignity. A salute to the military personnel themselves -- and their families. I know their choice would differ. I salute all the humanitarians who offer aid to the hapless victims of war. My final salute is to all those who have the vision and courage to say: WHY NOT? To go beyond expectations and make a vision a reality. Pacem in Terris is the offpring of such a vision. Each "Why not?" query -- each examination of how things ought to be -- starts with a single vision of a single person. That person here is Monsignor Kerr. He issued a declaration based upon his particular vision: "Come join me. I am offering an invitation to history." I find this invitation, this choice, to be an offer I cannot refuse. This same invitation is extended to each and every one of you: To make a choice.
A decision to join.
To support the Pacem,
To support these very students,
To support future scholars. Accept this invitation.
Choose flowers over weapons.
Say "Why not?"
Come join...
Become us...
PEACEKEEPERS ALL.