Please watch.
Westledge Video
Monday, December 1, 2008
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Lou's Letter
Dear Westledge Friends,
Thank you Dear Kim for reading my letter to all of you gathered in A-l. I hope you are having a fine reunion time.
When Westledge opened in 1968, Barack Obama was just seven years old. Yet, today, here is a man whose "Audacity of Hope" articulates the spirit of Westledge and my personal belief system so closely that it is constantly amazing and thrilling to me.
It was an audacity of hope that allowed WestIedge to be founded. Obama's campaign spoke again and again of hope and change and progress. Early in that first fall semester in A-I, at a morning meeting, a young lady member of the student body rose to speak. She did so on her own -- no adult coaching -- no permission asked or given -- no approval sought. She organized the students and the faculty to boycott green grapes to protect Cesar Chavez and his pickers from deadly pesticides. How perfect was that unscripted moment as a dedication to the content and processes of Westledge.
That young woman was Elizabeth May, who was the head of the Sierra Club of Canada and is now the leader of the Green Party in Canada. She remembers to this day with such clarity the nurturing and open WestIedge environment that supported her and encouraged her and enabled her in her first public political foray.
I excerpt from "The Spirit of Westledge" spoken at the dedication ceremony on September 8, 1968:
· .. the ability to dream
· .. the allied ability to translate these dreams into reality
· .. negating pessimism, depression, and negativism itself
· .. trust and belief
· .. strength of conviction
· .. belief in oneself and in the individual
· .. bringing together [people] from different backgrounds, different abilities, with
different interests
· .. learning about each other
· .. learning to share and help and love each other
... learning about others' ways with resulting tolerances of difference
The spirit of WestIedge is cooperation, the aspiration to academic greatness and human greatness.
· .. the examination with sharply critical eyes of existing institutions -- including
Westledge
· .. learning, teaching, giving and taking
· .. reaching a finely honed mind in balance with a sensitivity of soul
· .. idealism and realism
After Westledge closed, I carried on its spirit working around the world for two nongovernmental organizations, Promoting Enduring Peace and EarthKind -- in the areas of world peace, the environment, and the publication of one of Judi's books, Jelly Jam the People Preserver.
Recently, I helped found the NGO Beyond Nuclear, headquartered in Takoma Park, Maryland. Its aim is to educate and activate the public about the inextricable link between nuclear power and nuclear weapons and the need to abandon both to safeguard our future.
Just some three weeks ago, the United States elected Barack Obama ... a man who brings such hope to our saddened country and hurting world. He is trying to break down racial stereotypes and prejudice as we tried to do at Westledge. He believes in everyman as we tried to do at Westledge. He would have loved how we flew various flags along with the American flag. He would have appreciated our communal processes like the work program. He, too, believes in conciliation and the power of talking through issues.
What can we do as Westledge people, now that Barack Obama is to be our President in less than two months? We can help him. He will need all the help he can get. The global economic failure will make his job all the more difficult. So -- let us all be active in our support of his dreams; let us make the audacity of hope thrive.
Let each of us help President Obama and all leaders who embody the spirit of West ledge succeed. May those leaders be ourselves whenever and wherever possible. Let us turn the "Audacity of Hope" into the reality of hope. Then the Westledge spirit would live on with magnificence.
With huge memories and love,
Lou
Thank you Dear Kim for reading my letter to all of you gathered in A-l. I hope you are having a fine reunion time.
When Westledge opened in 1968, Barack Obama was just seven years old. Yet, today, here is a man whose "Audacity of Hope" articulates the spirit of Westledge and my personal belief system so closely that it is constantly amazing and thrilling to me.
It was an audacity of hope that allowed WestIedge to be founded. Obama's campaign spoke again and again of hope and change and progress. Early in that first fall semester in A-I, at a morning meeting, a young lady member of the student body rose to speak. She did so on her own -- no adult coaching -- no permission asked or given -- no approval sought. She organized the students and the faculty to boycott green grapes to protect Cesar Chavez and his pickers from deadly pesticides. How perfect was that unscripted moment as a dedication to the content and processes of Westledge.
That young woman was Elizabeth May, who was the head of the Sierra Club of Canada and is now the leader of the Green Party in Canada. She remembers to this day with such clarity the nurturing and open WestIedge environment that supported her and encouraged her and enabled her in her first public political foray.
I excerpt from "The Spirit of Westledge" spoken at the dedication ceremony on September 8, 1968:
· .. the ability to dream
· .. the allied ability to translate these dreams into reality
· .. negating pessimism, depression, and negativism itself
· .. trust and belief
· .. strength of conviction
· .. belief in oneself and in the individual
· .. bringing together [people] from different backgrounds, different abilities, with
different interests
· .. learning about each other
· .. learning to share and help and love each other
... learning about others' ways with resulting tolerances of difference
The spirit of WestIedge is cooperation, the aspiration to academic greatness and human greatness.
· .. the examination with sharply critical eyes of existing institutions -- including
Westledge
· .. learning, teaching, giving and taking
· .. reaching a finely honed mind in balance with a sensitivity of soul
· .. idealism and realism
After Westledge closed, I carried on its spirit working around the world for two nongovernmental organizations, Promoting Enduring Peace and EarthKind -- in the areas of world peace, the environment, and the publication of one of Judi's books, Jelly Jam the People Preserver.
Recently, I helped found the NGO Beyond Nuclear, headquartered in Takoma Park, Maryland. Its aim is to educate and activate the public about the inextricable link between nuclear power and nuclear weapons and the need to abandon both to safeguard our future.
Just some three weeks ago, the United States elected Barack Obama ... a man who brings such hope to our saddened country and hurting world. He is trying to break down racial stereotypes and prejudice as we tried to do at Westledge. He believes in everyman as we tried to do at Westledge. He would have loved how we flew various flags along with the American flag. He would have appreciated our communal processes like the work program. He, too, believes in conciliation and the power of talking through issues.
What can we do as Westledge people, now that Barack Obama is to be our President in less than two months? We can help him. He will need all the help he can get. The global economic failure will make his job all the more difficult. So -- let us all be active in our support of his dreams; let us make the audacity of hope thrive.
Let each of us help President Obama and all leaders who embody the spirit of West ledge succeed. May those leaders be ourselves whenever and wherever possible. Let us turn the "Audacity of Hope" into the reality of hope. Then the Westledge spirit would live on with magnificence.
With huge memories and love,
Lou
What a reunion!
This is a place where we can share out thoughts about the great place that made us all better people.
Let's keep the conversation that took off at the reunion!
Let's keep the conversation that took off at the reunion!
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