Novelist Toni Morrison wins for what she said to the 2011 graduating class at the State university of New Jersey, Rutgers (as reported by the New York Times):
"I have often wished that Jefferson had not used that phrase 'the pursuit of happiness' as the third right ... I would rather he had written, 'life, liberty and the pursuit of meaningfulness' or 'integrity' or 'truth.' I know that happiness has been the real, if covert, goal of your labors here. I know that it informs your choice of companions, the profession you will enter. But I urge you, please do not settle for happiness. It's not good enough. Personal success devoid of meaningfulness, free of a steady commitment to social justice -- that's more than a barren life; it's a trivial one. It's looking good instead of doing good.''
I love reading those commencement speeches. One of the proudest moments I've had in recent years was being my alma mater's graduation speaker in 2008, at Ohio University.


http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/peter_king/06/12/mmqb/index.html#ixzz1PSBRVtUi 

Toni Morrison wasn't influential in 1776:





Once again, one of America's "thought leaders" completely misses the point about what the D of I was about.

Sorry, that should be TWO of America's thought leaders....since it also reveals the oh-so-esteemed Peter King to also be out to lunch.

Originally Posted by: Wade