Optimism towards the conflict in Iraq, encouraging diversity among young people and supporting funding for education was the message from former United Nations ambassador Andrew Young in the inaugural lecture of the First Year Distinguished Speaker series.
“I always think that no matter how things are, they’re always going to get better,” Young said. “I’m grateful we seem to be coming through the war with much less suffering and destruction than anybody could have anticipated.”
Although he said conflict with Iraq could have possibly been settled non-violently, he said the United States acted decisively.
“Given all that we have seen happen these last few months I have to say I’m very proud of this country,” Young said.
Young said the factors in rebuilding Iraq successfully are preventing a civil war and helping them to create a federation of freedom.
Young also spoke about the importance of diversity in the lives of young people, and the contribution it makes to education.
“We all learn from being challenged by diversity,” Young said. “If education doesn’t challenge you with diverse cultures, it’s not education.”
He also said education is not just what is learned from textbooks, but what is learned from interaction with people from other cultures.
“To create a cultural ghetto of people who are the same would be to negate the concept of education,” Young said.
Students were encouraged by Young to surround themselves with many colors, cultures, languages and behavior patterns while at Ohio State.
“This is the world in mini. If you can understand OSU you can make it anywhere in the world doing anything you want,” Young said.
Young also spoke about the lack of support for education funding in Congress. He said Congress should not take away from education to build more prisons.
“An intelligent society doesn’t put emphasis on prisons and cut education, and we are an intelligent society,” Young said.
Young is a former U.N. ambassador, congressman and mayor of Atlanta and is the chairman of GoodWorks International.
“He is truly one of our nation’s most insightful leaders,” said OSU President Karen A. Holbrook.
The lecture was the first in a new speaker series presented by the First Year Experience Program.
