Eleven seniors from Culver Military Academy and Culver Girls Academy - independent, college preparatory schools in northern Indiana - traveled to the University of Notre Dame to hear Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu speak on September 11. Several Kroc Institute faculty and students have participated in activities of the academies’ Global Studies Institute, which especially seeks opportunities for Culver students to interact with scholars and leaders in the global community. The students’ visit to Notre Dame included the chance to meet the Nobel Peace Prize winner after his speech. It was an inspiring evening, as reflected in the students’ comments excerpted below.

The stature of Tutu was remarkably small in comparison with his grand reputation. … He was neither the longwinded politician, nor the radical with a call to action, nor was he preachy as one might stereotype a priest. … He was a normal man, and he made us laugh very hard. Howard Mauck, Chicago

There is something about the Tutu lecture that I will never forget. It was not a particular quote, it was not the people I was sitting by -- it was a feeling that one gets only when one knows something within has forever changed. Sotiria Anagnostou, Mishawaka, Indiana

Under President Bush and the Republican administration, the United States stands on a realist platform in its policies on terrorism. Yet Tutu also claims to adhere to realpolitik, but with a different approach: “A true realist believes that there is no future without forgiveness.” This twist on what I believed as truth, prompted by Mr. Tutu, made me realize that as long as people are dying or living in fear, peace does not exist. Greg Ladd, Lexington, Kentucky

I come from an extremely pro-military family (my father was in the Air Force, my uncle in the Marines, one grandfather was a pilot in Vietnam, and my other grandfather was a three-star general), so I always thought that it was necessary to use military force to uphold justice. It never occurred to me that promoting peace instead of an M-16 would get you anywhere, but Desmond Tutu proved this through the struggles of his people and their fight against prejudice. Kelsey McKee, Plano, Texas

Sometimes he would yell, other times he would sing. At one point during the speech, when he whispered the ideals of freedom in South Africa, emotions flooded me. … Tutu made me realize that God is real and if you believe in something, God will give you the strength to achieve it. This was an amazing and enriching experience -- one that I will never forget. Alex Gonzalez, Wilton, Connecticut

As I approached Tutu after the speech, I grasped his hand, looked into his eyes, and said, “a pleasure to meet you.” The old man had a light handshake; however, it was by no means loose. Tutu answered me with a simple, “hello.” When our hands unclasped, my goose bumps slowly went away, and I began to wonder whether I would ever have another opportunity like that again. Ridge Daves, Palm Beach, Florida

While it has occurred to me there would be an abiding animosity between two combatants after a peace treaty, I have never given enough thought to what possible solutions there are to ensure an end to violence after accords. In Archbishop Tutu’s words, a conflict can never truly end until both sides relinquish their desire for retribution. Rocky Carbone, Pine Hill, New Jersey

At the beginning of the lecture when Tutu claimed he wanted peace, love, and brotherhood for everybody, I was a little shocked and thought this was an unrealistic goal. I said to myself, “That could never happen in the world we live in today.” But by the end of the lecture I was completely proven wrong, and I felt like a new person walking out of the building and on the bus ride home. My thoughts turned to questions, “What can I do to help, or make a difference, what can I do to share peace, love, and brotherhood with everyone?” Whitney Breidenbaugh, Tampa, Florida

Time after time, the international community has stopped one conflict only to ignite a fire in another area of the globe. By using violence the problem may stop, but it is far from over, or as Mr. Tutu suggests, “when you point a gun at someone, you have many more pointing back at you.” Preston Stewart, Champaign, Illinois

One of Tutu’s core beliefs is that we, the people of the world, were created for togetherness and not for hatred. God has a dream for us: peace, love, and brotherhood, to have all of us together as one. No matter what one’s ethnic background, race, or class happens to be, everyone belongs to the same family. Alice Sloan, Bettendorf, Iowa

Top of Page

Home > Publications > Peace Colloquy > Issue 5 (Spring 2004) > Culver students