NEVER CHOOSE YOUR HEROES LIGHTLY

“A VOICE FROM AMERICA”

(My Column in the Philippine STAR)
By Ernie D. Delfin


ADVICE TO ALL STUDENTS AND GRADUATES:
NEVER CHOOSE YOUR HEROES LIGHTLY

It’s another June, the beginning of summer, and also the end of school year in America (whereas in the Philippines June is the beginning of the school calendar despite a lot of rains and typhoons that often cause school closures!) when our children, relatives or friends’ children graduate. As parents, we attend their graduation or commencement exercises. I just attended one at Cal State University Fullerton last week where my eldest nephew Floyd Delfin graduated together with over 8,500 graduates from over 35,000 students in all colleges. The commencement speaker is the CEO-Founder of Intel and he was great! Next week will also be the graduation of my only son, EJ, from Fountain Valley High School, about 40 years since I also graduated from Holy Rosary Academy in Manaoag, Pangasinan! Times have flown quite fast as I have entered the second half or third or fourth of our earthly life.

I have heard many commencement speeches (I have delivered several such speeches in the past), and I found that many speakers have left almost nothing to remember such “commencement” advice years or probably even weeks after the annual exercise. I dare say that many of us would not even remember the speaker’s “words of wisdom” and probably even the name of the speaker who delivered them.

I often wonder what criteria do school administrators use to choose a speaker. Let me highlight a point. In the news recently even the prestigious University of Pennsylvania invited U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan as the person most qualified to give advice to its 2005 graduating class. The university even bestowed upon him an honorary doctor of laws degree! Any politically or globally oriented person who has followed the coverage of the UN and its oil-for-food scandal at how this UN aid program turned into what Fox News described as “the biggest graft-generating machine ever and enriching some of America’s most forceful opponents at the United Nations.” At the helm of the U.N. (at that time and still is) is Secretary General Annan, who, despite being cleared of a direct role of the scandal was harshly criticized by a U.N. report for misleading investigators and for not scrutinizing his son’s lucrative involvement in diverting oil-for-food dollars to the Swiss company for which he worked for. Question: What relevant advice can this bureaucrat credibly offer to the graduating class?

On this commencement topic, our Orange County Register in today’s Sunday issue (June 5) the editorial staff has recommended nine people who can be one of the best individuals who can dispense some relevant and inspiring commencement exercises to any graduating class, be it a high school or college. As I have read the works of these nine thinkers and doers, I agree with the OCRegister’s editors that commencement speakers should be people of principle who understand how our present world really works, who are honest thinkers, preferably doers, who have insights into the basic debates of life and who can deliver such message reasonably well.

Allow me to share you, my readers, two people of the nine that the Orange County Register thinks can deliver a profound message to any graduating class any where in the world. First is Burt Rutan who has designed 38 new airplanes in his three decades of hands-on involvement in aviation. He has been featured by 60 Minutes and that interview captivated millions of people. His SpaceShipOne won the Ansari X-Prize last October by flying beyond the atmosphere and repeated the feat a week later. Two of his designs will soon be on permanent display in the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum. A quote from the Register: “What’s really fascinating about Burt Rutan is how creatively he thinks about the world beyond airplane and spaceship designs, about what it takes to create a society in which accomplishments like his are possible and help to inspire even more from others. And he has an irreverent sense of humor fed by a keen understanding of the importance of doing things you love and having fun doing them if you want to have a good life.”

Reading about Mr. Rutan reminds me of my rare privilege to meet and hear Astronaut Buzz Aldrin when he was our keynote speaker in a Florida Convention about eight years ago. To me, Mr. Rutan’s life and passion are real accomplishments that can enhance the quality of life on this earth. Indeed, his actions speak louder than words!

Another person who can be a great commencement speaker is a syndicated columnist, scholar and author Thomas Sowell. His works speak highly about this deep thinking economist who has debunked many myths of the liberal world populated by bureaucrats and PH. D’s in many U.S. colleges and university who have marketed the liberal ideas that subscribe that outside factors such as gender, sexual preferences, race, ethnicity, economic background, government’s affirmative action are the determinants of one individual success. Mr. Sowell, who parallels the accomplishments and philosophy of Justice Clarence Thomas (of the U.S. Supreme Court) can leave an everlasting truth to any graduate that an individual can succeed on his or her own, without government favors, regardless of his background, religion, race or ethnicity.

Mr. Sowell’s 2001 book, “Basic Economics” and his recently published book “Affirmative Action Around the World” should be made as required text books for all economics, social science, political and business students all over the world.

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I have been back to the Philippines many times the last 25 years, and it quite sad to witness the continued deterioration of the country’s education system. Many college graduates and even teachers cannot even express themselves clearly and succinctly. Critical thinking and high and lofty ambitions among the young have dramatically declined. Many young students’ role models and heroes have become a laughing matter as they wanted to be like their aunts, sister or cousins who are DHs in Italy or Honking or caretakers in the USA or Canada. Some of their role models who have made to Congress are college dropouts, basketball players, comedians and actors! Dollars and consumer products have become the number one magnets that influence their career paths!

The education system during my father’s generation was excellent as some of his classmates who finished 7th grade could be equivalent to being a college graduate nowadays. Their going to school was an honor and they took the task responsibly with daily pride and discipline. That generation had class.

Our class in the 60’s was also great as the age of idealism was at its peak. Man landed in the moon; Young people joined the Peace Corps. John F. Kennedy challenged his fellow Americans with his immortal admonition “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country!

Indeed our choice of heroes and role models has indelible marks in our lives. We become what we want to become largely because of the people and ideals we pattern our lives after. There are primarily two factors that can mold our lives: the people that we associate with constantly and the kinds of books we continue to read even after school. They are the water and fertilizer that contributes greatly to our growth.

To the students and graduates everywhere, especially in my dear Philippines, if this writer can give you one piece of advice, it is this: “NEVER CHOOSE YOUR HEROES OR ROLE MODELS LIGHTLY!”

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The reported extremely lavish condominium rent of Phil. N Y Consul Cecilia Rebong in the Trump Towers at $10,000 (over 500,000 pesos!) a month has caused a tsunami in cyberspace among Filipinos who find this gargantuan amount of expenditure unconscionable. Considering that the Philippines is bankrupt and is being made afloat because of OFWs ( not real “heroes” but are milking cows) this misplaced expenditure is an insult of the suffering Filipinos who are going hungry, who lack hundreds of thousands of school rooms and books and other basic necessities of life. Consul Rebong letter to the Editor is balderdash; she does not refute this allegation instead her letter adds insult to injury…. She must be recalled by the hand that appointed her immediately.

There appears to be a pattern of callousness and insensitivity of many of our leaders (and their families) reminiscent of alleged $20,000 a night suite in Las Vegas for the First Gentleman after his two million pesos birthday bash “donated” by his patrons or beneficiaries. This sad news also parallels how the generals of the Phil military (like Garcia, Ligot and others) can live in luxury and travel abroad, buy expensive real estate that their normal salaries cannot afford. Yes, these are the corrupt leaders that must not be allowed to exist in our society. They can become the wrong role models and heroes of our young people who see them living in opulence without morality!

The GMA administration is getting in deeper dilemma as the perception of her family being a part of the problem persists. Madam president, show concrete examples that you are serious in fighting massive graft and corruption in your administration by sacking out people who are bleeding the country! For the sake of the country, the only one we have, clean all the closets of your government starting from the top. In the final analysis, the buck stops in your desk!

Prove that you are a moral and decisive leader, if you really are, and the Filipino people can still really behind you!….. The Philippine ship is sinking and time is running out! Your place and legacy in the Philippine history are in your hands! Don’t squander that opportunity! This writer is praying for you.

God bless you and the Philippines!
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Email writer at: ernie.delfin@gmail.com or drbannatiran@yahoo.com
Websites: www. healthycoffee.com * www.foundationfornextgeneration.org