On Dec. 20, 1989, the U.S. Army attacked a poor neighborhood in Panama. Preliminary military reports said that fewer than 100 civilians died. Later, the truth surfaced that nearly 4,000 civilians were killed during a one-night bombardment and subsequent “clean-up” operations by our country.
Several burial sites were found around Panama — many of them surrounding the U.S. military bases — where large numbers of civilian bodies were buried. Some of them still had plastic ties around their ankles and feet, obvious clues that they had been executed and not died fighting.
The Bush administration and the four major newspapers in the country heralded the invasion as a success. Bush received a standing ovation from the House for ousting an “evil dictator” named Manuel Noriega and “restoring democracy” in Panama.
The point of this sad story is not to assert whether this was a great atrocity or another victory for democracy. If you want more facts, check out a documentary in the Media Services collection titled “The Panama Deception.”
The point is, if you’re more than 10 years old, then you were alive when this happened. Most of you were probably living in this country.
The point is this: As our country continues to “restore democracy” — and the U.S. economy — around the world, make sure you’re a part of the democratic system.
There are many things that our country does that we haven’t had much control over. The Panama conflict is just one on a very long list.
Our government officials are representing us to the rest of the world. In the coming years, our government will make thousands of crucial decisions that not only affect U.S. citizens but the entire planet.
Please, please, please make sure you have a say in the choices we make. As you leave college — whether it’s this year or in five — remember that you can effect change on a large scale. Remember that one person does matter.
So make a difference with this education we’ve been blessed with. Any difference. Whatever difference that sounds exciting to you. Just don’t sleep through our future, distracted by the lavish luxuries of “Livin’ in America.”
Any small difference is a big deal. You can start by being an informed voter and voting every chance you get.
But whether you are able to fight your way through the political machine and be an elected official or you teach kindergartners to tie their shoes and share, you are doing something extremely important for the future of our world. Both of these tasks, and every one in between, will help ensure that our country contributes to a peaceful future for the planet, rather than a war-plagued capitalist regime where we’ve got everything and 6 billion other people hate us for it.
Whatever you choose to do with your life, just do it passionately and know that what you do is affecting arguably the greatest superpower ever in arguably the most crucial time in our planet’s history.
I leave you with this. If you’re graduating this Saturday — or if you’re going to watch a friend walk — you’ll probably hear a bunch of clichés about the real world not being so real.
Well, here’s mine: Listen to every word of it. Embrace the non-reality that is capitalist society and truly ponder what you think about it.
As we go out into the world, with our top-notch education and our feet in the door to many great jobs, remember what the real world is. It’s a planet that is being shared by billions of people, not just a playground for us to make money, buy fast cars and live in nice houses. Those things are nice, but they carry the responsibility of living in the country that leads the world into a unifying economy.
So please, don’t just sleep through life. Don’t get knocked out by the “real world” and wake up forty years from now with nice things but a burning guilt that we didn’t do anything to prevent the atrocities that happened.
And dangerous decisions will be made if educated people like us don’t step up and guide our democracy and the globe toward peace.
The world can be a beautiful place for everyone, but a real peace can only be achieved in a world with real leaders.