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Understanding 9/11tv Commencement Speeches Defense Sec. Delivers Commencement Address at South... CSPAN May 10, 2024 7:05pm-7:28pm EDT
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>> american history tv. saturdexploring the people and t that tell the american story.2:, talks about prohibition. union and confederate shoulder -- soldiers often fraternize. remember the koreanar. ra jun, a korean recipient, lay in honor at the r om text ierest -- texash 7:00 eastern, the american history tvchanges in policy and. is week, the 1987 hearings on the around contra affair examing the clandestine operation of selling missiles to
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iran in exchange for the release hs with proceeds going story. watch american history tv saturdays on c-span two ffull sm guide or watch online anytime at á1c-span.org/history. >> u.s. defense secretary lloyde university, a historically black institution. he is fi by james clyburn. at this time, i'm honored to have one of south -- south carolina states most loyal sons. toement
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speaker. at thiti another then congressman james clyburn to our podium. [applause] >> thank much welcoming me to these to the members of the board of trustees■w, theians, and members of the class of 2024, when i was growing up in sumter, my dad said to me on one rst sign of a good education is goodnow if t'e to all of us how well you ve
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been educated by standing, turning to your pas guardians, . [applause] now today, it is my great honor to year's spring commencement speaker the third. man of many accomplishments. he ide soldier, a dedicated public, anlloyd austit african-american t nations secretary of defense.
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[applait's been 41 years he spen uniform. he spent the last eight years in the private sector, at least up until he got the call from president bidenadministration. now i was a history guy. i don't know much about math. i th those eight, youfor years, he's been married to his great wife charlene. got to meet in person before i met him. although i've been introduced to him via the telephone by presid0ky knew i wanted to
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he has not disappointed me one bit. the first corps in combat and the first african-american to a lot of firsts for him. but there's a certain rhythm to history. i learned my love for i have found that rhythm. there's rhythm to general austin's his.general, as i saids the firstserve as secretary of .
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however, he grew up in huntsville, georgia. the rh t this is that the firstic to graduate from west point back in 1877 was from thomasville, georgia. so he has arisenith him -- a rhythm wh him. when he walks, talks, attempts to dance. but heasi be associated with that rhythm. i am pleased and hont to you toy 2020 spring en speaker general lloyd austin the third. use]
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's raining but i don't think there's an■ybody out ther. again. good morning bulldogs. all right. that's more like it. 's great to be here at south carolina state. i'm tus graduate. [applause] this truly is a good-looking crowd. i know that i'm standing between you and your diplomas and some other thas congressman clyburn'm a former general so i know when i'm outnumbered. i'm going to try to keep this pretty brief.
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e] i believe that a goo■dd commencement spe tall could -- good commencement speech should be short. congress clyburn, thank you fo it's an honor to be here with you. you've been a personal inspiration and a true friend. you are a paragon of leadership. you've always fought to make america's pr for every citizen. that's why just last■■mi week, president biden awarded you america's highest civilian honor
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. edalf freedom. [applause] you met your light life -- late eburg. you both gave so much to this university. today, the college carries on in her legacy. the james clyburn university transportation center will prepar students for great ha soessmanks f everything that you and miss emily have state and for our democracy. ■ leading your all moderate so well. thanks for aartment of defense service in the united states
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army. trustees, distinguished faculty, dedicated, thanks for doing so much for south carolina state. i know you've alreadyd/ur parts. i want you to give them another rounof applause. [applause] i know that everyone knows that tomorrow is mother's da right? sunday is mother's day. sunday is mother's day. i'm living in the future guys. ay is mother's day. don't forget. let's give our mause. [applause]
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brings me to you, the class 2024, let's make some noise. [applause] graduate we are heo your class had an especially challenging road to graduation day. 2020 as a pandemic erected, your class was less than half the normal size. it was u it was hard. but you dug to get you stuck by each other. you made it to today.now, many t in your family to graduate from college. [applause] that's a phenomenal achievement. balanced school with work, with raising aily , with giving back to the community. coulcall it grit.
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you could call it hussle. ou here, we call it bulldog tenacity. so class 2024, you have worked incredibly hard to get here. we are all very proud of you. you should be proud of i have to give a special shout out to the south carolina state armythe legendary bulldog batta. [applause] over 75 years, this rotc program has produced more than 2000 u.s. the 1972 south carolinata ■became one of the first hbcus o enroll female army rotc cadets. all siof■9■6 women became
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colonels. [applause] believe it or not the universityas the careers of more than 20 generals and admirals. mayave some future generals in the crowd with us today. so let's congratulate the newest second lie■'utenants in the u.s. army. [applause] so as i said, i'm going to keep it brief. i want to share three things with you today. then i will let you get back to brfirst, as the old guy, i will explainhat've learned about the power of education. the importance of giving back. finally, iwhat congressman clyburn has called a message of expectations. the powe■er to make change even
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when it's hard and to help america live up to its full promise. ' lived3[ that. i grewp inour local public high. i was a tge integrate their. those were hard days. painful days. ugly days. i'm of every person who fought to make sure that i could get a good public education. teachers. the officials. the neighbors. member their their decency. i still carry forward their lessonch ithat living up to this country's values means bringing everyone
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along and leaving no one out. drawing on the full talents of l the american people. i'm honored to stand here today with as america's firs defense. [applause] doing to keep me out of that school imagined that they were blocking the educaon of a future four-star general. but you never know which kid is g row up to be bob johnson or oprah or chadwick boseman or stacy adams or barack obama or kamala harris. yo we lose when we leave someone out.
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american despair. we don't have one citizen tsqua. that means that we need to keep working togetho barriers and toe playing field andeverody compet. you know, i west point. as a cad from all walks of life. i was a southern kid far awaybue than just mathematics and military strategy. they believed in us. i was lucky to have educators including some special black mentors who showed us all how to become a team and how to turn our differences into strengths. hoto tresults. they showed us that le isn' do. so here's my second message.
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your education at south carolina state has already changed their lives. number of new things. it's already shaped your character and equippedou to excel. that won't stop. for nearly 130 years, soulinathe skild leaders that our country needs in agriculture, education, south carolina state trains more black nuclear chool in the country. [applause] a national security agency has ated south carolina state as a center of academic as it -- excellence
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this university educates its ua future. u for the challenges ahead. i know you'vent kania say that you can get there from here. that has always been the story of america's hbcus. openhe doors ofratio opportunity. biden has not, per that help p% of america's black engineers. 50% of black lawyers. and 70% of doctors and dentists. i can't put it better, any
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tter than my major general retired gabeur of the class of 1976 who i proudly served witith y. hbcus provide an opportunity to do goodness and to prosper and to pro anation that otherwise me so class of 2024, we need your service to the nation. so find ways to makee a part of something b as you heard congressman clyburn say, i had a bri0 career in ther career in the u.s. army. we need so o stand up and defend the united states in uniform. but we also need all ofn ways.
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you can do that as a a doctor, as a or usiness in your cni an usher in yourrcgirl scout trr by registering people to vote. in times like these, civic engagement is not optional. bri final message for you. asa you know the congressman also grew in the segregated south. he always had bigone day, a wel- neighbor warns james to keep his ambitions to himself. his mother called him to the
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kitchen tashe looked him in thed grew -- told him, don't pay any attention to what that lady said. s said that she and his fathernd his ber themselves to e that was her message of expectations. cls of 2024, that message is asell. it won't be easy but we will help you out there. you have to put in the work to keep dmy friend and mentor colin powell addressed graduates back in 2011 and he said, no matter what your past is, no one owes you a thing. you have to perform to get ahead.
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you've already proven that you are going to per.class of 2024,. you overcame. you made it to today. shown in the words of your schoolready to do and da. sc state. you are graduating in challenging times. divided times. so many things still bring us together as americans. ourn, our democracy, the rule of law. the new beyonce album. i got you. ladies and gentlemen wdon't get to choose our times. we do get to shape our times.
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in a democracy that'syrelevant,s abity for every citizen. anmay of 1964. hansberry spoke to a group of talented1:ng black ic said, the nation needs your gifts. of 2024, the nation needs your thre nati resilience. the nation needs your service. so congratulations class let's hear it for bulldog nation. may god continueo bless the united states of america. thank you very much. [applause]
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for our spotlight podcast segment, jessica lovington talks about her law and politics podcast and other news of the day. c-span's washington journajoin 7 rning on c-span, c-span now or online at c-span.org. ♪ announcer: saturday, former .jesident donald trump s live coverage starts at 5 p.m. c-spa c now, and online at ♪ announcer:d
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