Show High Nigh School Student Leaders Make Splendid Talks j r I J A A I v. v E I 1 1 A i x i The 1968 Graduating Class's four tour h honor 0 nor students left to right are Tom Terry Ann Hendrickson Steve Reese and Leon Welch Each addressed the assemblage age of ot classmates students school officials parents re relatives relatives relatives re- re and friends at the Commencement exercises held at the Park City High School auditorium on Friday evening May 24 1968 Steve Reese the 1968 Senior Class President spoke about the Viet Nam conflict Leon Welch remarked on the equal rights of ot citizens Tom Terry 1968 Student Body President analyzed the distinction between dissent and disagreement in re relation relation relation re- re lation to civil disobedience Ann Hendrickson recalled the many accomplishments o 0 of t f former students who received their diplomas diplomas diplomas dip dip- lomas from the present Park City High School building when it was first used in 1927 to present present pre pre- sent year 1968 PRESIDENT TOM TERRY OF PC STUDENT BODY Superintendent Nelson Principal Madsen faculty parents parents parents par par- friends and fellow tellow graduates graduates graduates grad grad- Dissent What is Dissent In continuation of the theme presented by our fir first s t two speakers I would like to take this opportunity tonight to speak on Civil Disobedience As you all know and must agree the US U.S. today faces many problems and crisis at home and abroad Just for a moment lets let's recall a few of our major problems the racial riots the increasing amount of disregard rd for law and order juvenile the problems problems problems pro pro- of drugs in the U. U S. S today the decline of morality protests on our college campuses campuses campuses camp camp- uses and the Vietnam War Where have all these problems problems problems pro pro- stemmed from It is my opinion that the root and foundation foundation foundation tion of a large percentage of our difficulties is d dissent is s e n t. t Civil Disobedience tied up in one word D Dissent i n t by definition means to feel apa apart rt from others and this I believe is the great problem of America today It Il overshadows all others mainly because it is a symptom an expression a cons consequence quence and a cause of all others I 1 Isay Isay say dissent and not disagree disagree- ment And it is the distinction between the two I would like Uke to make Disagreement produces de debate debate debate de- de bate but dissent produces dis dis- sension People who disagree have an argument but people who dissent have a quarrel can be in the majority dissenters by defini definition tion are in the minority A A liberal society as we have in America thrives on disagreement but is killed on dissension Take for example a debate an orderly exploration of a common problem It brings to life a new fact new arguments arguments arguments ments which makes possible a better s solution lution T This h his i s is essential and is what we must have to prevent a standstill of progress and achievement in our society On the other hand dissension only means discord As the dictionary tells us is marked by a break in friendly relations It is isan isan isan an expression not of a common concern but of hostile feelings And this distinction is crucial Disagreement is specific and programmatic dissent is formless and unfocused Disagreement Disagreement Disagreement Dis Dis- agreement is concerned with policy dissenters are concerned concerned concerned con con- with identify which usually means themselves Dis Dis- ask about the war in Vietnam Dissenters ask about me seek solutions to com common m 0 n problems dissenters dissenters dissenters dis dis- dis- dis senters seek power for themselves them them- selves The spirit of dissent stalks our land All over the country on more and more subjects we hear more and more people quarreling and fewer and fewer people debating How has this happened What can we do about it Im sure that you could point to many different causes to our problem of Civil Disobedience I believe however that we can pin point it in a few general areas In this century at least in theory no one denies the right of any person to differ with the government or his right to express that difference in speech in press by petition or in an assembly This is fine n e that is what democracy is all ail about however however how how- ever along with these freedoms freedoms freedoms free free- doms liberties and rights we as mature adults must accept them with some restrictions These restrictions are to an extent lacking today and in my opinion a cause of the problems at hand Next ask yourself this ques ques- tion How much are you In Influenced influenced in- in by what you read hear or see Our own media today is actually a factor in the in increase increase increase in- in crease in conflict smashing up a bar makes more interesting reading and is much more likely to enter the records than the peaceable activity of the bartender mixing drinks Just as a serman is t 5 newsworthy than a deb debate f and a debate still less newsworthy than a riot This may be natural and obvious but it has serious consequences for the condition of our country today The rise and multiplication of media has a to exaggerate exaggerate exaggerate the importance of dissent dissent dissent dis dis- sent in our society It makes dissent m more o 0 r e dramatic and newsworthy than agreement Our final cause seems to bethe be bethe bethe the quest for fOi minority identity We are in emigrant society We Weare are made up of many different groups who came here and who felt separate from one another In the beginning it was our ouraim ouraim ouraim aim to bring in conformity or assimilate those emigrants ad ad- ad In the last few decades however we have had a movement movement movement move move- ment from assimilation to inte inte- gration It is now no longer the right of the emigrant to be Americanized but it is the trend for us to actually encourage them to be different Feeling apart cannot hold a society together In fact It can only destroy the ideals and institutions that has made our country the respected nation it isSo is So So we must ask ourselves can we by means of radio television and newspaper find finda a way to dramatize and illuminate illuminate illuminate nate the fact that there are people today who live cooperate communicate and work to together together together to- to gether in a peaceable manner It is possible to produce re reports reports reports re- re ports on interesting news happenings happenings happenings hap hap- that will sell but which will not yield to the temptations temptations temptations to create and nourish dissent And finally can we change that present American outlook on life from down with everything to up with American Ameri Ameri- can ideals and This is our challenge and the future of American society de depends depends depends de- de on how we answer it And tonight as we greet your families teachers and friends who have stuck with us all the way and made this commencement commencement commencement commence commence- ment possible we want you to know that it is not only with Joy in a happy task accomplished accomplished accomplished but it is also with determination wit with h courage that we the class of 1968 accept this challenge of tomorrow |