Remarks of
William O’Shaughnessy
President
Whitney Radio
WVOX & WRTN
at
College of Mount Saint Mary
46th Commencement Ceremony
Newburgh, N.Y.
May 16, 2009

Mr. Chairman John Donoghue … Father President Kevin Mackin … a great educator … a magnificent priest … a Franciscan, which says it all ...

Sister Ann … who served this Hudson Valley treasure so well and with such dedication …

Mr. Jack Abernethy … a statesman of our profession of national reputation … a child of the Hudson Valley in whom we are all so well pleased by his high estate at Fox Television and Broadcasting.

Distinguished Faculty of Mount Saint Mary ...

Influential Trustees … the guardians and sustainers of this great institution …

And Graduates … those who really earned your degrees …

And also your Parents … whose sacrifices and support during your years at the Mount were only the most recent manifestation of their love for each of you.

As it appears that I am the only one that stands between you and your own degree … a position from which I propose to extricate myself expeditiously, if not deftly … I will be mercifully brief.

I thank you all for this honor.

I never thought I would have the privilege of standing here … especially after the Jesuits gave me a 28 in that Chemistry exam in high school!

Did anybody ever sink so low as to get a 28 on a test? (We should start a club!)

And Algebra and Trigonometry … fuhget about it!

Somehow, despite that … I’ve been asked, over the years, to lecture at some 17 colleges. But none ever stuck a cap on my gray head or offered me a degree! A real one like yours. Or “honorary” … like mine.

So I won’t forget this day. Or your kindness.

You know … “Doctor of Humane Letters” has a majestic, almost noble ring to it … but I was hoping, if you must know, for something I could relate to. Don’t you have something like “Doctor of Humane Chemistry” … or “Doctor of Computer Software?” How about “Doctor of Intergalactic Trigonometry!” I’m really good at that! And it would enable me to get back at those wonderful Jesuits who get even with me by publishing my books … revealing my shortcomings to an even wider audience.

During a luncheon at Mr. Maccioni’s in New York City with Father Kevin and Joe Reilly (the leader of all the broadcasters in this State … the president of our entire tribe) … and my friend for life, my old Army buddy John Kelly, whose presence blesses the day … this Honorary Degree was under some “discussion” I can tell you, at that glorious sit down with Father Kevin. Actually it was a pretty “memorable” lunch (I think we stumbled out of there rather late in the afternoon, as the sun was setting over Manhattan, in fact).

But not before Father Kevin said: “I’ll give you three or four minutes to sum up everything you’ve learned in 71 years.” I told the president of the Mount: “I’m not a scholar. Let this cup pass.” It did not.

And so I’ll tell you what I’ve learned: Plagiarism! That’s what I’ve learned!

The two best ideas I’ve ever encountered came from a failed baseball player with too many vowels in his name known as Mario Cuomo who served this State as governor when most of you here assembled were but in grammar school, I imagine.

He was – he is – the son of a man who came here from Italy to dig trenches. And his son became governor. (That man – Andrea Cuomo - also had a grandson named Andrew who, many believe, might also have the makings of a fine governor.)

I want to tell you that this Mario Cuomo … Andrew’s old man … told me everything I think we need to know about life issues. So here it is … … and I hope you won’t pull my honorary degree for plagiarism!
Mr. Cuomo said on the radio one day down in Westchester: All the major religions – Judaism … Christianity … Islam … Buddhism … have only two ideas at their foundation. Just two.

And you don’t need a guy who came down from the mountain with tablets to instruct you on these fundamental ideas. Or an O’Shaughnessy. Even an ethical humanist … or an atheist … should be able to figure this out as a smart, sensible, practical way of living.

It started – this one basic notion – with the Jewish people – the ancient Hebrews – four or five thousand years ago.

They called this instinct: TZEDAKAH … which means we’re all brothers and sisters … we’re all alike and we’re all in this together as children of the same, one God.

Then they added the second part: a concept known as: TIKUN OLAM … which means: God created the world … but didn’t finish it.

That’s our job … to finish it. To complete it.

And guess what … speaking of Plagiarism! … the Christians stole it whole from the Jews with the teaching of the Nazarean – the Carpenter’s Son.

Now, I’m a reporter, a broadcaster … so I can tell you exactly how it happened – with great certainty.

The Lord, you see, was striding down the street one day … hanging out with some followers … and a wise guy … a scoffer (probably a professor of Chemistry) said: “I heard you were sensational in the temple last night, Rabbi!”

The Lord replied, with a smile: “Yeah … I had … a pretty good night!”
And then the scoffer said: “So … give it to me in a headline … something I can understand. But do it in a 20-second headline …or a 60-second sound bite (for Mr. Abernethy) … I’m a little busy.”

The Lord said: “I’ll do it for you in 10 seconds … Love Your Neighbor … as you love yourself … for the love of Me … for I … am Truth.”

So that’s it? … I inquired of Mr. Cuomo.

That’s The Whole Law, said the Governor.

God created, but didn’t complete … or finish … the world in which we live and to which you now go forth.

And we are thus called to be “collaborators in Creation” as the philosopher Teilhard de Chardin put it. (another Jesuit!)

And with the essential confirmation from the Lord … to Love Your Neighbor … that really is … The Whole Law.

# # #

Jimmy Breslin, one of our greatest writers and a journalist who makes his living with words … even more gracefully than Mr. Cuomo …and much more artfully than I am able … had to get up the other day for the sad task of burying a daughter.

Kelly Breslin was 44.

Her father got up … looked out at the church … and said simply: “In her 44 years … she never … hurt … anybody.”

And then he sat down.

He’d said it all.
# # #

I remember something President Kennedy said: “When the dust of centuries has fallen on our cities … we will be remembered … not for the battles we have won (and Mr. Abernethy … I would add: not for the ratings we have won) … but for our contributions to the human spirit.”

And while I’m at it … I also recall an observation from another wise man in the public arena. Walter Nelson Thayer was a New York investor and publisher (of the New York Herald Tribune, of sainted memory) back in the 70’s and 80’s. (He was also the grandfather of my own son and heir David who brought my granddaughter Lily here today). Mr. Thayer, a partner of John Hay Whitney, and a pillar of the Eastern Establishment and moderate-progressive Republicanism, once said “New York is littered with guys whose only goal is to make money … dot, dot, dot … they almost … never … do.”

I take that to mean you’ve got to have something else to carry you … something else to inspire you … something else to feel passionate about … something else to strive for.

So that’s everything I’ve learned … in 50 years as a broadcaster, Father Kevin.

And in 71 years as Bill O’Shaughnessy.

# # #

The young pitcher for the Yankees Joba Chamberlain told my friend John Sterling on the radio just last week about his struggles to become a starter with a place in the rotation:

“I don’t think you ever really ‘get it’ … or achieve perfection … or get to be perfect on the mound,” said Joba.

So I guess the test is not really what you achieve, although we all strive to achieve: the test is really how hard you try.

Like I said, in front – I am not a scholar. (As you and your parents have readily perceived and instantly recognized.)

But I do have the wisdom to also repair occasionally to Father Mackin’s brother friars at St. Francis of Assisi Church on 31st Street in Manhattan to confess some of the times I didn’t try. (That’s where all the suburban Catholics go … loaded with guilt.)

Those wonderful Franciscans who forgive us gently and generously (I’m talking here of priests who dispense three Hail Mary’s for a homicide!) … they know all my failings.

Father President – I hope they won’t drum you out of the Order of Friars Minor for your great kindness to me on this spring day.

And finally … to each of the 755 graduates here assembled … 250 of you with master’s degrees: I hope when you go off to build up the community, as the ancient teachings say we must, to make it stronger, better … sweeter … than it is … I hope you will remember and hold a good thought, when you come into your kingdom, for this magnificent college by the Hudson … and do what you can to help it continue to grow in wisdom and age and stature.

Because grow it will in the enlightened care and keeping of its talented and enlightened new president.

I’m immensely grateful to all of you for this honor and for indulging my enthusiasms …

Contact: 

Cindy Hall Gallagher

914-235-3279

cindy@wvox.com

WVOX
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e-mail: don@wvox.com