Give Back: First Lady Michelle Obama’s UC Merced Graduation Message
Posted By Vicki McClure Davidson on May 18, 2009
By Vicki McClure Davidson * Frugal Café Blog Zone
UC Merced graduation speaker Michelle Obama, May 2009 | Photo credit: AP
This was the first time she has been a commencement speaker at a college graduation.
Michelle’s message: “Give back.”
Michelle Obama urges graduates to give back
By Garance Burke
Associated Press | May 17, 2009
…In her debut as a commencement speaker on Saturday, Mrs. Obama evoked the struggles of California’s founders — settlers and former slaves, trailblazers and immigrants — to encourage the 493 members of the school’s senior class to use their newfound skills to lift up those around them.
“Many of you may be considering leaving town with your diploma in hand, and it wouldn’t be unreasonable,” Mrs. Obama said before a crowd of 12,000 wilting in the blazing afternoon sun. “By using what you’ve learned here you can shorten the path perhaps for kids who may not see a path at all. I was once one of those kids.”
Clothed in a long black robe and academic regalia, Mrs. Obama spoke of her own drive to get ahead despite the odds, recounting the challenges her working-class family faced on Chicago’s South Side.
“You will face tough times. You will certainly have doubts, and let me tell you because I know I did when I was your age,” she said. “Remember that you are blessed. Remember that in exchange for those blessings, you must give something back. You must reach back and pull someone up. You must bend down and let someone else stand on your shoulders so that they can see a brighter future.”
I agree with Michelle Obama that we should all give back… as WE choose. There are thousands of ways Americans already do this: you help out at your church, temple, or mosque and at your child’s school, you donate to charities, you give your time and services to youth, local, or federal programs, you spearhead community drives for blood, food, books, and clothing, you become involved in local politics, local arts, local sports. American citizens are the most generous people on the face of the earth. Americans freely give billions of dollars each year, here and abroad, in cash, free services, and selfless commitments of our time and talents to help elevate the lives of others.
But that is a personal choice each person must make, not a mandate levied by the government. Once giving is forced and required, it is no longer a philanthropic endeavor. It is no longer “giving back.” It is servitude.
Freedom is key to all gifts of charity. We also have the freedom to choose to NOT give freely to charities… as Pres. and Mrs. Obama, as well as Vice President Biden, have also demonstrated:
Bloomberg: Obamas Donated Less Than 1% of Their 2000-2004 Income (Update4)
Hot Air: Biden’s 0.69% compassion
In America, you’re still permitted to expect others to give when you yourself are not that generous. More simply, there is no law against the hypocritical “Do as I say, not as I do” rhetoric. Yes, we’re still permitted to be hypocritical in America. Even if the hypocrites are our president, his wife, and our vice president.
Related reading:
The Daley Gator: Michelle “Guns” Obama to grads, GIVE BACK!
Michelle Malkin: Recessionista: The cost of MichelleO’s commencement appearance and Michelle Obama’s graduation advice and To GIVE and to SERVE: the $6 billion National Service boondoggle
Bookworm Room: FLOTUS gave all right *UPDATED*
Michelle Obama Watch: Complaints About FLOTUS Delivering Commencement Speech at UC Merced
Fresno Bee: Is expense of first lady’s visit to UC Merced appropriate now?
Hot Air: Aw: Stingy president stiffs daughters’ school with weak charity gift and Obamateurism of the Day
Courtney Hazlett, MSNBC: Obamas prove stingy with school auction
Danishova: In graduation speech, Michelle Obama perpetuates myth of underprivileged childhood
Bloodthirsty Liberal: Dispense with the Commencement
Fire Andrea Mitchell!: Irony of Ironies – Michelle Obama tells UC Merced graduating students to ‘give something back’
Scared Monkeys: Michelle Obama… It’s in the Shoes… Especially Those $540 Lanvin sneakers… Nice Image in Face of Depression… Let them wear Keds
RedState: It’s Only Spending by Black Democrats that I Don’t Like
Patriot Burr: Brownshirts, Anyone?
Frugal Café Blog Zone: “Blame Bush and Buy a Puppy”: KFYI 550 NewsTalk’s Spoof on Pres. Obama’s ASU Commencement Speech and Snub the Brits – Embarrassing “Change” We Can Count on in Obama’s White House
Jim Blazsik: Notre Dame honors a pro-abortion President and arrests a pro-life priest
My Way News: Obama calls for understanding in Notre Dame speech
The Christian Science Monitor: Obama answers Notre Dame hecklers with ‘fair-minded words’
Caffeinated Thoughts: Notre Dame: Prestige Above Principle
Bloomberg.com: Obama Says U.S. Long-Term Debt Load ‘Unsustainable’ (Update2)
About the author
Hey, I agree with your take on we should direct where we want our charitable donations to go. I was at the UC Merced for her speech. My son was graduating. She did a great job as a commencement speaker and helped put the UC in nationwide attention. I think it was the cheapest PR campaign a university could do. Where could they get nationwide attention for $700,000 in a ad campaign. And no, I didn’t vote for them, I don’t like the hope and change with increased taxes. My son remarked he will be paying for their policies for years to come.