Twice in my life, I have experienced events when I remember exactly where I was and what I was doing. These events were also experienced by millions, even billions of people at the same time.

I was 19 years old the day President Kennedy was killed. It was November 22, 1963. A Friday. I was stationed at Amarillo AFB in Texas. My commander-in-chief was murdered and to the grief of that day remains with me still. The world changed. I don’t know if it has found its bearings yet.

I was 57 years old the day New York, Washington DC and Pennsylvania were attacked by hijacked planes. It was September 11, 2001, a Tuesday. I was in McCall. That day changed our sense of security and changed our experience of freedom.

Few here remember either day. Next years Freshmen were not yet born September 11, 2001. Most of our students were too young to remember that terrible day.

They are also too young to remember one would go to the airport, with friends and families and just walk to the gate. No T.S.A, no metal detectors.

I remember being able to walk to corridors of Congress, side by side with senators and congressman.

We lost our innocence and our freedom. It’s not the same world. It is more dangerous, more paranoid and more violent.

With last night’s Presidential address, we continue an apparently endless war in Western Asia. Now we add Syria to the countries where more people, including Americans, will die. Whatever we are doing, it isn’t working. And the truly terrible attrocities continue.

What I am about to say sounds naïve, unrealistic and by some possibly traitorous.

We are not listening or understanding why there is turmoil in the land billions of people call holy.

Listen again to the words of Jesus handed down to us by St. Luke: “ . . . love your enemies, do good to those that hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.”

Obviously, not a practical strategy. But one thing is certain, millions of deaths, trillions of dollars, decades of war have not worked. Except for the 2% of Americans in the military, most Americans are unaffected by the events in North Africa and West Asia. But the future is so uncertain, even today, some of our present students may well be on the elusive battlefields of the Middle East. Americans will certainly die and we will be no closer to peace and our freedoms will be even more eroded.

We say we are Christians, but we do not practice the teachings of Christ. It’s been a long time since that really happened.  

I don’t know how else to interpret, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” The words are clear.

Christianity is not an easy religion. But it doesn’t cost anything. And it’s the only thing that will work.

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