[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 13]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 17809-17810]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




        TRIBUTE TO ALAMEDA HIGH SCHOOL VALEDICTORIAN BEN HOFFMAN

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. FORTNEY PETE STARK

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, September 8, 2004

  Mr. STARK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Alameda High 
School Valedictorian, Ben Hoffman. Ben, a resident of Alameda, 
California, did not use notes or index cards when he spoke with rhyme 
and rhythm to his fellow classmates during the graduation ceremonies 
for the Alameda High School Class of 2004. His remarks were met with a 
standing ovation.
  Ben's Valedictory Address, entitled ``Responsibility'' is an 
outstanding commentary about the challenges and opportunities facing 
the youth of today. He shared with his graduating class, remembrances 
of the past four years, looked at the injustice and violence in today's 
world and urged his classmates to make the world a better place in the 
future.

                             Responsibility

                         (By Benjamin Hoffman)

     A lot of people look at graduation, and say that it will give 
           us many new opportunities,
     I think its more than that, I think it gives us many new 
           responsibilities
     We live in a world where people of different nations
     Face starvation, extermination
     Exploitation, or discrimination
     Based solely on race, religion or sexual orientation
     These are the problems that we are facing
     Perpetuated by a lack of education
     But here we are at our graduation.

     For the past four years in this community
     We've had a unique opportunity
     To get a chance to truly see
     The value of growing up in unity
     And it'll just take a sec
     If we take time to reflect
     Bout the great affect
     How we learned to connect
     Protect and respect everyone we met

[[Page 17810]]

     Without expecting to collect
     And all of this in an atmosphere
     That provided not a thing for us to fear
     And I'm being sincere when I say I hold dear
     The value and promise of these past four years
     And now we have a responsibility
     Because of our recent history
     To promote an end to slavery
     And poverty, and adversity
     Wherever it may be
     Until the world is free.
     Free from the confines that define
     The lives that so many people are resigned
     To be living, without giving
     Any hope that mankind is not blind

     But much of mankind is blind to the suffering that exists
     And our first obstacle is going to be to conquer ignorance.
     But we got to start at home
     Gotta conquer our own
     Before our true potential can finally be shown
     Its been so easy to get caught up in only thinking
     About doing drugs or drinking,
     Or tripping over how your grades are sinking,
     Or that one girl you thought you saw winking.
     But those days are in the past,
     And although they may have been a blast,
     This graduation that's come at last, will be marked by 
           contrast.
     We are stepping out into a world that's real
     Where people feel that they have to steal
     Without another way to deal
     With the task of finding a meal
     No longer is hiding in ignorance acceptable,
     No longer can these lives be expendable
     Its time for us to put aside the bull
     And be commendable and be dependable.
     The problems are complex, and have potential to perplex
     So we must always continue learning, whatever happens next
     And after teaching ourselves, we got to teach one another
     We gotta treat the world as if it were our younger brother
     Never stop learning from the cradle to the grave
     To gain the strength to be brave
     And fight for the enslaved
     Cuz only through education can this world be saved

     If we're not unaware, there is a chance we just don't care
     And as we see others despair, we just say ``life's not fair''
     But this I can't conceive, cuz I know we all believe
     That when we care for one another, there is nothing we can't 
           achieve
     Today's event will serve as a testament
     To represent, the great extent of our discontent
     As we lament
     A grave injustice long ago
     Today several Japanese graduates are recognized
     For an opportunity that they were denied
     Replaced by internment, and tear-filled eyes
     And as we remember with regret, and stifled tears
     At the same time we are given hope, that these are better 
           years
     Today, people from opposing sides
     Of violent historical divides
     With their hearts and minds open wide
     Can be seen walking hand in hand.
     This is what Alameda has been all about
     But as we all go off on our own different routes
     We'll encounter intolerant people day in and day out
     But its important to recall
     That these people weren't born with such gall
     Its just how they were taught since before they could crawl
     And that leaves us with hope, that there's a way off that 
           slippery slope
     And all these people need is for us to toss them a rope
     To help them replace their ambivalence with tolerance
     And begin to appreciate our every difference
     As they find some sense, and stop acting so dense

     So we've recognized the problem and want to participate
     In ending hate, and yet the world awaits, with us trapped 
           behind a gate
     A gate created by fear
     This Post-9/11, orange alert threat
     White powder in the mail making you sweat
     Insane with duct tape and cellophane
     In this arcane campaign to abstain from pain
     Every time we see the world getting scarier
     Our first response can't be to build another barrier
     We got to tear them down, and stop sounding the alarm
     And instead open our hearts and open our arms
     To embrace the world, and all those in need
     From those who bleed, to those who can't read
     In order for us to move ahead
     We gotta get out from hiding under our beds
     Instead of continuing to spread the fear that we've been fed
     And once we're not afraid, we will refuse to fade
     And answer those who've prayed
     For someone to come
     To their aide

     But what I fear most
     Is that with all the problems we host
     You'll think the world's toast
     And all that's left is a ghost, cold and morose
     From coast to coast
     And lose all hope, cuz we're not even close.
     And as we see the depression
     Caused by years of oppression
     And violent aggression
     We get the impression
     That all the people in possession
     Of such lost expressions
     Have become resigned to the repression
     As we ask ourselves the question
     I'm only one person, what can I do?
     Well to this, I remind you all, history is made by only a 
           few.
     Never let your apathy, impede your sympathy
     To the point where you fail to see
     That it is WE that hold the key
     To unlock the chains and set the world free
     Never underestimate
     A small group willing to dedicate
     Their lives to something great
     With intellect, courage and humanitarian trait
     And in the four years that I've gotten to know this class, I 
           believe THAT is our fate.
     Our lives will have meaning and we'll have stories to tell
     Fighting to the end as the world goes to Hell
     The journey won't be easy, and we may get beat
     But at least we'll be right there, and have a front row seat.

                          ____________________