Personal heroes? I have them. I had the opportunity to sit down with Dr. Wiesel in 1996.
He was, and still is, a visiting Professor at my alma mater. For decades he’s lectured to our students about politics, genocide, non-violence and silence. I’ve heard people describe his lectures before and I knew what to expect, but as a student of International Law, I was blown away by his voice; he was sober and humorous, unashamedly explicit, and most of all, sincere. And the way he handled himself was amazing. Every question/questioner during the Q&A was handled with the same amount of concentration and respect as the one before it, that is, except for the one person that asked about Holocaust deniers. Dr. Wiesel simply responded, “I do not talk to evil.”
I got lucky. It just so happened that I asked him a question he liked. He pointed to his assistant and said, “Please set up an appointment with this young man.” My heart dropped.
I had a half an hour in Dr. Wiesel’s office. I remember that I carried in a stack of books, note cards and 100 or so post-it notes with shaky hands in a soaking wet shirt, and you know what? I don’t think I touched a single one of them. We sat there, talked and parted ways. 30 minutes, simple as that.
I hold on to that time as mine and I don’t think anybody knows what was discussed, save my wife, but that man will forever hold a place in my being. He writes:“The true power of the prophet derives from his moral conviction. And from his courage and persistence in expressing it. He does not represent any political group, nor is he the representative of any social class. Typically, he is alone.”
Elie Wiesel won the Nobel Prize in 1986. Now, at 81-years old, he continues his crusade for peace and human dignity.
Given Barack Obama’s time in office, heat in the Middle East, campaign promises and a majority in the senate, I think the President has a long way to go before he can fill the shoes of a Nobel Laureate.
The opposite of love is not hate, it’s indifference.
Fill the promises. If you must act alone, act alone. End the wars. This isn’t a Nobel for Effort.
