"Be the Change You Want to See in the World"

In a world where we only afford the poorest of the poor $21 a week for food - amidst a war tolling our young and old alike - while the the dichotomy between the rich and the poor grows, Tim Ryan has hope. "Be the change you want to see in the world" - Saturday, 160 newly minted law school graduates, their parents, and even the Concord Monitor all recognized this to be Congressman Ryan's message, advice, and hope for Franklin Pierce Law Center's class of 2007.

(For the full speech - it's worth it)

A former Franklin Pierce graduate himself (2000), Tim Ryan returned to his alma madder Saturday to catch up with old friends and deliver the school's commencement address. Ryan somberly declared to the graduates that "The world you are entering now, unfortunately, is eerily similar to the world Franklin Pierce Law Center entered in 1973...with many opportunities for unjustice to be seen all over the world."

Quoting both Oscar Wild, and Dave Mathews Band's "Seek Up", Ryan urged the class not to solely seek wealth, but to also seek fairness - something seemingly lacking in today's world where 2 percent of the world owns more than the other 98 percent. Ryan also hit on the fact that today's health care situation may result in the first generation whose life expectancy does not exceed that of the generation before them. However, despite all of the problems our world faces now, Congressman Ryan reminded the graduates about the impact they have on one another. Relating a recent USAID visit to Gypor, India, Ryan described his encounter with 5,000 people drinking from one contaminated drinking well, the poverty of the region, and the permeating sadness that he felt during the trip. However, just as the sadness was overtaking him he caught the smiles of some kids, smiled himself, and they started smiling even more - and in one moment the quote "be the change you want to see in the world" hit Tim.

For the past week the Congressman has been engaged in what he, and other Representatives, call the "Food Stamp Challenge." It's simple enough, live for $21 dollars a week - the same amount food stamp recipients recieve. Six days later, after TSA stole his peanut butter from him at the Manchester Airport, all Tim Ryan has left in his pantry is cornmeal - hardly enough for anyone to get by on. Ryan is involved with the challenge in an effort to increase funding in the reauthorization of the food stamp program through the farm bill by $4 billion a year (less than the cost of 1 week in Iraq). More impressive than the Congressman's willingness to go hungry for his constituents is his sheer philosophy on life - that same philosophy he imparted on Concord's new graduates - be the change you want to see. Compassion. Justness. Happiness.

After the ceremony the Congressman took a moment out of his busy schedule to talk with us about the New Hampshire Primary, the GOP slate, the food stamp challenge, his trade bill, possible future aspirations, and the war in Iraq. From his observation that "McCain chose Bush over [our] Country" to his interest in a new deal, the interview was exciting. Here's a quick clip about the primary.

To hear the entire interview, click here.