A Final Message to
The Graduating Class of 2014
Let, let’s just pause for a minute. Here you are, poised to achieve one of the
greatest accomplishments in your life, and someone hopes that you fail to
accomplish anything further. What is
more disturbing is that this person, is someone whom you may admire, idolize,
or at the very least, respect them for what they have accomplished in their
lives. So why would they, in their
infinite wisdom, hope you fail?
In my message to the graduating class of 2013,[2] I focused on the historical precedent of
America’s methodology of turning its nose on those who rose up in history to
achieve their rights. I talked about how
America won her freedom from Great Britain ( I hope you fail); I spoke about how
America fought against abolishing slavery (I hope you fail), and I spoke
about women fighting for the right to
vote (I hope you fail). But today, I
want to speak to you not about just the past, where “I hope you fail” was all
but the norm in America’s growth, but about the future of America, the future
of the World, and of course, your role, as graduates of the Class of 2014. I want to prepare you for your exposure, and
the potential that you will be told more times than you will be able to
count: “I hope you fail!”
From today forward, you need to be very prepared for some
very significant challenges ahead. There
are things that you will see and be a part of that will force you to stop, right in your tracks. You will be going on about your business, not
worried about a thing in the world, and suddenly, you will find yourself face
to face with a set of circumstances that will call into play, your reason for
being a graduate of the class of 2014.
That set of circumstances will perhaps force you to take a stand for the
betterment of your families, your communities, your state, your country, if not
the world at large. How you will
approach these circumstances will be a matter of your own decision. But in the end, you will be making a decision
to go forward. You will encounter
adversity, obstructionists, naysayers, controversy, even discontent. You may experience one, if not all of these
circumstances from family and friends.
And you may experience this kind of pushback from political leaders, and
community leaders. But because those
circumstances could be placed at your feet, or dumped into your lap, you will
be able to call on your education, your parental upbringing, your life
experiences, and all that is within you, to take on the challenge of the
circumstances that will virtually have your name written aaaaallllll over it.
What all of this potentially means to each of you, as you
prepare for the future, is that you will encounter people from all walks of
life, who, with their own agendas, with their own sense of power, who will not
be able to sign off on what it is you will want to set right. Your commitment to something greater than
yourself, however noble, and seemingly beneficial, will encounter every brick
wall, every roadblock, every broken damn there is, and on top of that, you may
encounter any of these challenges from someone whom you would least expect the
proverbiality of: “ I hope you fail.”
Nothing could be more crushing, than to hear from someone,
whomever it maybe, whether you admire them, know them personally, or have a
passing knowledge of them, that their position of authority, of leadership,
assumes so much power, that even when something is for the good of all, that
those in power work to ensure that it fails. You should never have to fear the wrath of
power that hopes you fail in your mission for success.
Recently, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie (R), has come
under fire with respect to an alleged bridge closure between New Jersey and New
York, that impacted thousands of commuters for several days. Allegedly, as an
attempt at retaliation against a political foe for not supporting him in his
re-election for governor of New Jersey in 2013.[3] Governor Christie’s actions, if found to be
true, suggests that Governor Christie’s administration wanted one of his
opponents to fail. And to that end, if
true, the chaos that ensued over the George Washington Bridge [4],
indicates how those in power are able to use their power to retaliate, to stand
in the way, or to prevent others from achieving success. Granted this is still under
investigation. The jury is still out on
this investigation, but if true, it would be indicative of what those in power
can do to affect the lives of others, even those who are innocent
bystanders.
Power is the key word here.
And if this looks like a Republican-bashing opportunity, it isn’t. It is about power. It would be easy to make this about the
Republicans, and take us off message, but it is about power, and when someone
achieves a phenomenal amount of power, regardless of who it is, even if it
President Barack Obama,[5] or
former First Lady, and former Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton,[6] the
power that envelopes anyone that gives them the confidence to thumb their noses
at others who are in contention, is power that is tainted, and confidence that
is being abusive.
This is to say that, conversely, as graduates of the Class
of 2014, many of you will assume roles of extreme power. You will be called on to make decisions that
will affect thousands of lives in your communities, your state, the nation and
the world. Your power must not be the
measure of your integrity. But your integrity
must be measure of your power. At no
point in time, in the future, whether you are working to make a change in the
lives of thousands, the lives of hundreds, or just a few people, those whom you
represent must never feel that your power gives you the audacity to hope that
they fail. At no time in the future,
should you feel so compelled, or so confident in your abilities, that you wish
someone else to fall on their faces, so much so, that your confidence makes you
forget how you reached your own ultimate goals.
For in so doing, your legacy becomes a house of sticks, falling to the
ground, into a pile of rubble.
As I concluded in 2013, I will conclude now, here in
2014. “I do hope that you fail.” My hopes for your failure, is an opportunity
to turn a negative into a positive. Without
a doubt, Rush Limbaugh,[7] Radio
Talk Show extraordinaire, apparently had every intension of seeing President
Obama fail. It was a negative comment,
in my opinion, made to any President of the United States of America. But, here I come, hoping that you fail,
too. But I want to make it a positive
thing. By hoping that you each fail, I want
each of you to take this opportunity to remember, that failure will be a
natural part of everything that you do.
Each failure will be a measure of how far you are willing to go, and how
committed you are to achieving your dreams.
But more specifically, here is how I hope you will fail:
- I hope that you will fail to give into the difficulties that
surround your pursuits;
- I hope that you will fail to listen to those who tell you with
certainty, that you can’t achieve your goals or dreams;
- And, as you achieve your dreams of success, I hope that you will fail to be self-centered, conceded,
condescending, or over confident, thereby forgetting all those who have helped
you achieve your greatness;
- I hope that you will fail
to adopt the level of confidence that allows you to wish the worst on
others, just so that they can’t
compete with you on a level playing field; Last but not least,
- I hope that you will fail
to ever believe that you are so powerful, so good at what you do, that you
can never be taken down by life’s greatest equalizer: Karma[8]
To the Graduating Class of 2014,
please accept my fondest wishes that you succeed in all that you do, and that
regardless of your challenges, that you not allow someone to discourage you
from your dreams, and that upon achieving your dreams, that you remain humble,
grateful, and appreciative for all of the great things that life brings your
way. Best wishes to you, the Graduating
Class of 2014.
[1] "I
Hope He Fails", Rush Limbaugh recording on Youtube.com- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XuYjWbAU2eU
[2] I
Hope You Fail © 2013, Wayne Lewis a Message to the Graduating Class of 2013: http://thecovetedcommandment.blogspot.com/2013/05/i-hope-you-fail1-2013-by-wayne-dan.html
[3]
Governor Chris Christie’s “Bridgegate”: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/21/bridgegate-legal-fees_n_5186540.html
[4]
George Washington Bridge Scandal- http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/Timeline-George-Washington-Bridge-Scandal-Chris-Christie-Fort-Lee-Bridgegate-239431091.html
[8] Karma-
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/karma
