By Kimberly A. Blessing, Assistant Professor of Philosophy
emocracy is not easy. As we have
just learned—through the most tragic
of lessons—democracy is not something that can be taken for granted.
With freedom comes responsibility. With
education comes leadership. You are
here to receive a liberal education, the only kind of education
for free citizens living in a free
society. As educated members of
society, others are right to look to
you for leadership and guidance. And
we will.
You’re at a fork in the
road. The events that
brought you to this place
were entirely outside
of your control. You
do have, however, an
opportunity to regain
control. Through a
conscious effort, you
can decide how you
will confront this
new world.
I walked along streets crowded with blank
faces, a sea of eyes that no longer wanted to
see. In the confusion, an elderly woman fell
in front of me and broke her arm; she was
walking to the hospital to visit her husband
and was hysterical in her pursuit. I tried
to keep her calm as a policeman called an
ambulance that would not be coming on this
day; then two medical students stopped and
helped her to the hospital.
My living room became a crash pad for
displaced friends, every sleeping bag in
use for a week. For 17 days, I watched the
smoke where the towers once stood and
for 17 nights I closed my blinds to a downtown skyline brightly illuminated by strong
searchlights. In an attempt to get some
or ignorance. Decide to be informed and
responsible citizens. Perhaps you’ve never
been in the habit of reading newspapers or
listening to the news. Choose reputable
sources, e.g., newspapers like the New York
Times or the Washington Post; listen to
news on non-commercial, public television and radio stations: The NewsHour or National Public Radio. Be
thoughtful. Be reflective. Resist the
temptation to give in to sensationalism.
You have an opportunity to
define and refine your character. Decide to exercise
courage and compassion.
Resist the temptations for
compliance and indifference. Think hard about
these events. Initiate and
engage in dialogue with
friends and foes, your
parents and professors,
coaches and coworkers. Be
guided by a desire for justice. Resist the temptation
to seek revenge.
Face up to these
events. Resist the temp
During these difficult times,
tation to bury your head
in the sand, or hide Kim Blessing delivered this message to I can think of no one better
to turn to than Socrates. He
behind a veil of denial her philosophy classes on Sept. 12.
devoted his life to teaching
young people how to think for themselves.
He believed strongly in the democratic process—through careful and deliberate practice, young men and women could become
free thinkers and could determine for themselves what is right, good and true. Decide
normalcy back in my life, I returned to my to think for yourself and think carefully.
karate class, eager to find out about the fire- Resist the temptation to give in to relativmen who I sometimes trained with; they ism, which often gives way to skepticism
were fine, but Abdul, a Saudi architect, sat and ultimately, cynicism.
in a corner afraid to speak to the guys he Your life has now changed in an inalterable
had been so friendly with for years. I cannot way. Like Socrates, I have great hope for
imagine what he has gone through, but I can the young citizenry. Decide to rise to the
see the scar of insults on his face.
occasion and face these difficult and horriNow I watch the news of retaliation and I
think about the struggle of innocent Afghans
as they flee their homeland to be unwanted
in the world.
These days, Carl Morton says he spends most of
his time at a cabin in upstate New York, away
from the lower Manhattan apartment where he
watched the devastation of Sept. 11.
ble events with the seriousness and seriousmindedness that they deserve. Our fellow
citizens who have lost their lives, or lost the
lives of loved ones, deserve at least that.
Now, more than ever, we are in need of leadership and guidance, which liberally educated citizens can provide. Be deliberate in
how you choose to face these events; and
throughout the days and months to come,