Kerry focused on Drinan's social activism in Congress, especially his opposition to the war in Vietnam. "He brought to Congress a moral opposition to the war and his testimony against the war became that much more powerful," he said. Drinan was also the first congressman to call for President Richard Nixon's impeachment. However, these early protests were in response to the secret bombings in Cambodia, not the more popularly maligned Watergate scandal, Kerry said. This action showcased the "boldness and uniqueness of this priest in a critical moment in American history." All of this social activism stemmed from his two loves: the Catholic Church and politics, and despite the forced exodus from Congress, Drinan never really left public life. "There was no separation between his political life and his life," Kerry said.
BC Law School Dean John Garvey, also spoke about the legacy of Drinan. "He influenced the law school with an ethic that's still palpable," Garvey said. Garvey praised Drinan's foresight in surrounding the law school with such successful and talented lawyers, a feat that helped make it the nationally prominent institution that it is today. Garvey also said that his admiration for Drinan only grows as he continually performs his own functions as dean. "When I'm 86, I want to be Bob Drinan."
Although the predominant focus of the evening was the sharing of stories about Drinan, Kerry did not leave without speaking directly to the many students in attendance, something that encouraged the senator. "You must take the great education at BC and connect that with everything you do from now on," he said.
Kerry used his own experience as an anti-Vietnam activist to speak about the frustration that can grow among college students, especially when they see national situations very clearly and no one in power seems to be taking any action. "This can be demoralizing," he said.
He said students should never allow cynicism and apathy to grow. "If people are really Christians, they are involved in life," he said. He also sees Drinan as a model for how students should approach life and politics. "He is the antithesis of cynicism because he got things done," Kerry said. He said that despite these excuses for not taking responsibility, students must see what is really happening in the world because "the best antidote for cynicism is the facts."
"Young people put themselves on the line in a very immediate way," and this is why it is so important for students to be involved in politics, especially in a grassroots capacity, Kerry said. He sees this happening right now, especially around the Barack Obama campaign. While the current student generation is much different than Kerry's generation, he believes that there are still many problems to be solved. America must be put "back on track," he said. Kerry recalls the common complaint against the anti-Vietnam movement of the late 1960s and early 1970s: "your country, right or wrong." Kerry said that his response was always that when America is on the right track, it should be kept there, but when it is wrong, it must be fixed. "Now, we need you more than ever to make it right, and that is what Bob Drinan stood for."
Spring Break
