COLUMN: Looking back on our time at dear old Penn

From Mark Fiore's, "The Right Stuff," Fall '99 From Mark Fiore's, "The Right Stuff," Fall '99Moving on from here From Mark Fiore's, "The Right Stuff," Fall '99Moving on from hereThe Class of 1999 has big shoes to fill, no doubt. Among us are the future's savviest politicians, smoothest Wall Street tycoons and most creative writers -- the list is endless, bounded only by our ambitions. Time will tell. But what we now know for sure is that we are entering a society in decay. We must change that. We can change that. America today is a country lacking in morality. It is a country in which the President of the United States can have an affair, cover it up and get away with it. It is a country in which a congressman thinks he can become Speaker of the House despite having committed adultery. Even the unimaginable has occurred. While we have been looking forward to our graduation from Penn, seniors at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colo., have been attending funerals instead of planning graduation parties. At a memorial service attended by more than 70,000 people, Vice President Al Gore encouraged the mourners -- and the entire nation -- to lead a life of spirituality and righteousness. "All of us must change our lives to honor these children," he exclaimed passionately. Indeed, we must change, and we can. It is up to us, the nation's future leaders, to return America to a course of respect, a course of dignity, a course of integrity. That is no small task. Right now we face a country in which prayer and religion and faith are only embraced in our schools after a tragedy like Columbine. Had the vice president given the same speech in less extraordinary circumstances, it would have caused an uproar among advocates of the separation of church and state. Granted, religion and schools constitutionally do not go hand in hand, but this has been taken to an extreme. No longer do many schools even hang Santa Claus posters in their classrooms; instead of commemorating Christmas and Hannukah, schools are celebrating "Winterfest." One elementary school student even made headlines when his teacher barred him from reading a spiritual story to his class. As we grow older and establish our own families, we must push our schools to accept a more reasonable position -- a position that will encourage young people to lead their lives with respect. We must speak out now against institutions attempting to do away with morality; a society that tolerates a Trenchcoat Mafia but condemns faith has serious flaws. Let's also come down on institutions that support or glorify violence, from rock singers like Marilyn Manson to gun toters like the National Rifle Association. The NRA claims that gun restrictions are not the answer to violence but ignores the fact that the United States -- with the least restrictive gun-control laws in the world -- has far more gun-related deaths annually than any other industrialized country. Had guns been less accessible, the massacre at Columbine might have been prevented. On a more personal level, each of us should keep the following words with us wherever we go as we begin the next stage of our lives: Respect. Integrity. Dignity. Morals. Faith. For some of us, those may be scary words. But we need to overcome that fright and apprehension and lead by example. With degrees from Penn, it is to us that others will look for guidance. So let's walk proud with our Penn diplomas. Let's pursue our professional and personal goals with the overwhelming ambition that brought us to Penn in the first place. But let's also stay focused on seemingly smaller goals; together, they can have a huge impact. Say "Thank you" more. Tell a child about a time in your life when you overcame an obstacle. Let your co-workers know you admire them and their talents. Disagree with someone who views something differently than you but don't put him down for his beliefs. Indeed, cherish such differences. Say a prayer every now and then, or even just make a wish on a star. Work hard, play fair, enjoy yourself.