Dear Saint Louis University,

Thank you for choosing to bring Jane Elliot to speak Thursday, Sept. 20, 2007 on this campus. Speaking crucial and compelling words about the unmistakable dissonance that pervades American society, she issued a challenge to make the choice to step out of comfort and complacency and start to make genuine choices to live actively aware and peacefully, with love and acceptance for one another.

I ask you, from this moment on to make such choices. Make the choice to smile, to talk to people on the elevator, to say hello to and thank the person who prepared you lunch, swiped your card and cleaned your table. Make the choice to move out of your comfort zone . do not let fear, apathy or complacency impair the imperative words of kindness and acts of love you are completely capable of sharing.

People chose to wear black and green to stand against racism and injustice in Jena, La. We need to make more choices like these to stand up for what we believe in. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s words echo “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”

What matters to us my fellow friends of Saint Louis University? Do we choose to be silent about the things that matter? I truly hope not. I hope we make a choice to decide what matters to us. I hope that what we choose to matter involves peace, kindness, hope, equality, justice, friendship, respect, acceptance and love. Let us find life in such choices. Let us start making choices that matter. Smile. Say thank you. Meet someone. Get informed locally, globally. Wear black. Speak peace. Choose to choose.

Peace and love,
Rebecca Gorley
Sophomore