A Pep Rally with Bill

Today I had the great honor of going to the grand opening of the auditorium at American University of Dubai. I'll try to paint the scene as best I can. On what is basketball court the eyes are drawn to the raised stage near the center which is adorned the UAE, US and AUD flags. On either side of the stage are massive monitors displaying scenes from around campus. In the center are rows upon rows of folding chairs and above those, encircling the entire auditorium, are another section of seats all full of students. Think graduation. Yet, the difference between this and graduation was the atmosphere.

Goooo Knights

The only way I can describe the way the students were acting and the way the event was orchestrated is by comparing it to that of a high school pep rally. All the student athletes were in one section dancing to the likes of AC/DCs "You Shook Me all Night Long," "We Are the Champions" and old school hip hop, the kind you would hear at the skate rink in middle school. Then we were forced to chant for the mascot of the school the Knight. This was followed a dance troupe/cheerleaders showing off near the stage in front of the US Consulate General.

I then got rushed from my front row seats back stage and there he was, Bill Clinton. He looked a little older then I remembered him and even though he doesn't inhale he looked pretty dazed and confused. I shook his hand and asked him "How are you?" and thanked for the opportunity he gave me, coming to Dubai. We presented him a a framed picture of all of us Clinton Scholars and he said he would put it up in his Harlem office. We took a couple pictures with the him and then we were rushed back to our seats.

The pep rally culminated with Bill Clinton's speech. He spoke of common problems facing all peoples, inequality, climate change and what young people should do about them. He gave examples like the Grameen Bank, Kiva.org and his foundation's work in distributing solar-powered lights to Haiti. One thing I though was interesting is that he obviously qualified many of his statements because of the country he was speaking


in. IF you live in a democratic country, your school in ONE example of how men an women can have equal opportunities in education, IF you live in such a society you SHOULD speak out for you political views. I could see how some of these statements could be deemed as attacking the UAE and fermenting a revolt.

Gooooooo Clinton!

Like at the Democratic National Convention, Clinton's speech ended with a standing ovation, lots of hand shaking and white and blue balloons falling from the ceiling. Unlike the DNC though the the song that was played as he finished his speech was "Tonights Going to Be a Good Night." Those unfamiliar with the song should know that it is about partying, drinking and spending all your money in one night, as distant from Clinton's message as a song could be without playing death metal.

As Clinton's helicopter flew away, I felt a confused mix of fake school spirit and horror at the way the whole event was run but I was truly inspired, wanting to do some good for the world.

"Do Some Good."