i'm going to give you a tchotchke that i hope will not drop on the way. this is something that as people are really about to embark on a great journey, as lawyers, and you will have incredible opportunities, and i think the opportunity to sit down and to hear from someone who has had the kind of career you have had, and done so many different things, and also to go back to your last point, giving back, in so many profound ways. and it really made the world a better place. it's a real privilege for all of us. i would like to present you with this plaque, our first inaugural lecture to the graduating class. i would like to thank you for being here and i would like to lead everyone in it a round of applause for justice elena kagan. [applause] thank you so much.

>> and i hope you will join us. we're going to have a reception in the health and fitness space >> another chance to see a conversation with supreme court justice elena kagan. tomorrow, max boot, author of invisible army. peace.hor of a shattered they discuss the situation in the ukraine and how the u.s. should respond.

he discusses theo interpol database. washington journal, live at 7:00 eastern on c-span. >> the problem is that many of or infectious diseases, they are becoming resistant to the most potent antibiotics available. tuberculosis is one of the examples in which they are restrained. tbhave a new strains of which are completely, absolutely

persistent. the other problem is that there is not enough interest on the part of the pharmaceutical industry to develop antibiotics. need is to make a global effort to work on the issue and establish a deal of collaboration. >> the future of health care, sunday night at 8:00. next, discussion about how to communicate conservatism. joseph phillips, wrote the book " he talk like a white boy." is 50 minutes. phillips is known for his

role as martin kendall on the cosby show. he has had roles on without a trace, and others. career, midnight blue and strictly business. he has performed on broadway and regional breed -- regional stages. he is a columnist and best-selling author. his book, " he talk like a white focuses on [inaudible] mr. phillips is committed to serving his community which is led to his involvement with the special olympics and the red cross, amongst others. he is a speaker for family

values, and cultural issues. his passionate thoughts leave audiences moved and enthralled. on a personal note, before i was involved in the conservative movement, i discovered him through my love of baking. i was reading a cookbook and was searching for the best care cake in the world. it was your recipe that was featured in their. my number one requested cake family has ever year. you should check out that website as well. above his career accomplishments, his proudest is his family, his wife, and three sons. , witha renaissance man something to say in a unique way of saying it. [applause] >> thank you.

i have never met anyone who has actually read that book. much less cook the recipe. wow. i'm always amazed when i sit down and hear that bio. it is tough to follow. i am glad that she deliver it just as i wrote it down for her. and instructed. thank you very much. i want to share some things with you. i thought it was funny on the way up here. my friend steve and i were driving. he is talking to me. we haven't seen each other in a while. we went to college together. i get a tax. -- text. i picked up the phone to check it. my wife is texting me. she says, alice broke the fast.

let me give you the background. two son.my number he is an eighth grader. today was the first day of his new diet. began the daniel fast. some of you may know it. you can check it out. it is a vegan diet. no dairy, no meat products, no animal products. you can drink water. no sweeteners. no natural sugar. no honey. you can eat fruits, vegetables, only drink water. grains.hole i did that all of january. it is called the daniel fast. there is i spiritual element to it. my oldest son decided that he was going to start it beginning

in february. he has been doing it. ellis said i want to do it. i said listen, you don't have to. what i would like you to do, i want you to pray on it. really pray on it. this is a commitment you have to make. it is not going to be fun. no, no, i thought about it. i am in. i'm all the way in. i said, good. ok. yesterday, he said, just let me get in and out burger tonight one last hurrah. and i am in tomorrow. so he got it last night. this morning, what can i eat? john the jews. one of those drinks as a meal replacement. basaid, but you can't have jam

thee every single meal for next three weeks. i made him a smoothie. he drank it. that was breakfast. at 11:00, on the highway, i get fast. that he broke the he didn't last half -- he didn't make it to lunch. [laughter] i had to laugh. this is the point. i asked him to pray on it. i said you have to know why you are doing this. what is this about, for you? why are you doing this? you can't just jump in. you won't have what it takes to make it through till the end. no, i got it, i got it. he didn't make it until lunch.

the cheese nips were calling him from the pantry. ellis, we are here. nice, salty, crunchy. all delicious. beginnersgroup of lunch. beginning. nook conservatives. conservatives. why are you here? are you just jumping in? are you going to make it to lunch? me that youms to have to be able to answer those questions. what is this about? there is a pet peeve that i have. i have several. i have a pet peeve when it comes to liberals. i have many of them.

rules apply to us but they don't apply to them. that is a pet peeve. if the irs under the bush administration had been accused of targeting groups because of their political beliefs? all hell would have broken loose . i belong to a group in hollywood that is not so secret anymore. aids.ds of that was targeted by the irs. they wanted to see the membership roll. they want to know who is involved in this group. all those hollywood actors down , big, all those big names

time liberals who have always got a lot to say. this is what you heard from them. crickets. but your fellow actors are being targeted by the irs. that is a pet peeve of mine. i don't like that at all. have, thet peeve i tendency liberals have been addressing conservatives. they say things like, what is it that you are trying to conserve? the implication is that there is some longing for the good old days of segregation and jim crow. yeah. the good old days. course, that is not the truth. mean whens what they they ask a question. another pet peeve of mine is

when they are speaking to conservatives who can't answer the question. or, when they say, i am curious, what does it mean to be a conservative? what is that? conservatives start hemming and haunting. you know, that bothers me. i think if you say you're a conservative you should know what that means. what does that mean? one of my biggest pet peeves is when people use conservatism as andver for their idiotic most often racist ideas. ideas that when you get down to it, have nothing to do with conservativism. they espouse these ideas about conservatives because they don't really know what conservatism is about. who said their, silent -- who

sit there silent. that is a pet peeve of mine. that is what i want to talk about. what does it mean to be a conservative? what is conservatism? we can start with the various general kind of definitions. the one i use. i say, i believe that all conservatives don't necessarily believe exactly the same thing. ofs is a general description what conservatives believe. first of all, believe in the founding principles of the country. a believe in the free market. a respect for tradition.

traditions are often important. culturally important. is a nexushat there between faith and freedom. that the family, traditional families, are the foundation of any prosperous society. americana believe in exceptionalism. i think you could talk to a lot of conservatives, and that might be submitted -- there might be some nipping and tucking. that is the definition i use for conservatives. but, there is something more important than just a general description of what it is we kind of believe. me, that most important thing

is where does that believe come from? russell kirk talks about conservatism. not as, conservatism is political principle. it is a worldview. inside.mething it is not the code that you can put on. thing you see every morning when you wake up. , it is notpublicans the same thing as being a republican. every republican is not a conservative, as we see here in california. you look at the congress. as my friend knows after bloomberg just left, a very good republican. he was a democrat before that. then he changed sides.

he is not conservative. conservatives is not your political party. it is the way you see the world. every vision begins with an idea. that was the most important thing. oft is the seed idea conservatism question mark if you can get down to that, when you are confronted with idiotic questions, or snarky questions, you can answer. when you're sitting in the presence of full store using your lease as cover, you have an answer. that is not us. that is something else entirely. that is not us. what is that idea? i was telling steve this story .n the way up

how many of you have seen amazing grace? a lot of you. it is a perfect film. the film deals with william enderforce's effort to great britain's involvement in the slave trade. it is a wonderful film. there is a scene in the film, william wilberforce is having dinner with a group of abolitionists. one of whom is a former slave by -- who was a former slave. he had written a book on his life and became a bestseller and was active in the movement during the time. dinner,he scene, at the

he is talking to wilberforce. he is talking about the moment that he disembarked from the slave ship in the west indies. ,nd he turns to wilberforce opens his shirt, to show the brand that he had received. slaves were branded like towels steers.cows and he says this was the moment that i knew i no longer belong to god, but to men. now atting choked up that line. in the film, it is very powerful. i got a lump in my throat this softball, andof a he said that. if something went off in my head. . said that is the seed

right there. that is the seed of conservatism. god, not tong to other men. that is it, right there. jefferson said something similar when he said no man was born with a saddle on his back, and another man with boots and spurs to ride him by the race of god. all men belong to god. not to other men. idea is codified in our founding document. the 55 most important words in world history. we hold these truths to be self-evident, all men are rated endowed by they are their creator with certain inalienable rights, and among these are life, liberty, and the

pursuit of happiness. that to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. no more important words have been written in modern history. those 55 words, all men belong to god. lincoln, standing on the graves of thousands american , four scoreysburg and seven years ago, he talks about that very idea. a nation conceived in liberty, dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. what's he say at the end? these here who have given the last full measure so that a nation of the people, for the people, i'm by the people shall not perish from this earth, that this nation dedicated to that

idea, all men be gone to god, shall not perish. later, martin luther king, standing on the steps of the lincoln memorial, reaches , andfive score years begins one of the greatest speeches in american history. he calls a nation to live up to the meaning of its creed, all men belong to god. dream where one day people will be measured by the content of their character and not the character -- not the color of their skin. all men belong to god. the man whose name is on this building. standing in front of the brandenburg gate, in front of this monitor to

totalitarianism, says the same thing. esther gorbachev, tear down this wall. , tear down this wall. all men belong to god. never known for being the most articulate president, but the idea is there. not america's gift to the world. it is god's gift to humanity. the greatest orator president we've ever had, or so we are told, never said anything as beautiful as, as true as those words there. all men belong to god. that is the key idea of conservatism. which this idea upon

nation was founded. divine ownership. natural rights, that men are born free and independent. bodies. they own their the on their minds. they own their labor, and the fruits thereof. no man, no government has the that which to take god has granted through his grace and mercy. which this idea upon nation was founded. appeal, to which the when we talk of liberty, and that is the seed of conservatism. idea of divine ownership.

time you are in well,y, and someone asks what is this conservatism? what is it that you believe? answer, conservatives youeve that all of us, even , are a child of god. that is it. i'm happy to take questions now. [applause] >> thank you. that was inspirational. my question, you touched on slavery.

the black struggle in the nation. nation,n wrong as a that we moved from frederick douglass, booker t. washington, to al sharpton? what happened? >> oh, my god. [laughter] just so you know, that is a big question. i want to say this. i am cap dancing. my mind is going. i cut my speech sure. i have been here before. i talked and talked, and told my wife that this is a launch speech. people want to eat lunch. they want to hear a little bit, then they want to go. they are going to the ranch. they don't want to sit there and listen to me all day. i like to leave time for questions. so, your question is what happened.

lot of things happen. one of the things that happened was aggressive is him -- progressivism. what they were teaching in germany was good for us here, and that we could start applying those ideas here. this idea of the administrative state took hold. the idea that we would have a elitesf college educated that would head up all these departments, and they know more than us, and they would tell us how to live our lives and solve all the problems. poverty. no more war. we have a group of all the smart people of all the nations together. we do all of that. that was one thing that happens.

thing, quite honestly, that is interesting to me, i don't want anything to think -- there is a lot of stuff that came. you point to going from traditional liberal ideas to , and al sharpton, and black america, embracing collectivism. it is interesting to me, and i think in some ways you can blame conservatives, but if you go back and look at photographs of 1970's, 1960's, early black panthers, similar groups, doing outreach, and teaching people. there were schools. people were learning. you also people thumbing through

this book. it is not the constitution. it is not the declaration of independence. it is a little red book. mao's book. it was distributed on college campuses. that book was what was being taught in black communities. is the congressional black caucus? learning some of the worst teaching, part of the system, now in congress. that is what they believe. that is what they taught in churches. i think that, i hope that answers your question. >> i am from liberty university.

thank you for coming here. my question for you comes from a statement that you made -- >> he has notes. [laughter] he came up with papers. >> it stems from the statement you said that liberty is god's gift to all humanity. the question that i have from you -- for you is how do you respond to somebody that says church and state no longer collide. church and state no longer should be together. church and state should be separated. >> the first thing i would say is i do not say there is a nexus between religion and liberty. i said between faith and liberty. words -- the similar meanings in words from the beginning of american history until now don't speak of a

religion. they speak of a higher power. be -- i thinkuld that you learned this as you get into your activism that the other side often likes to --tort and they want to use we have to be very specific in our language. they want to talk about this which could mean anything. we don't want to talk about everything under the sun. we want to talk about this. i am not talking about religion. i am not talking about church and state. i am talking about a belief in a higher power. however you want to interpret that -- we know and you know in your heart that there is a was the lawatheism and the soviet union -- in the soviet union.

it is not just because -- who knows? there was a reason so there is a connection between faith. i believe that there is a higher power than us and people's liberty. i would let them argue how that is untrue or they can stand there and talk about church and state all they want. you are free to talk about that but that is not what i am talking about. >> thank you. >> i am from the university of southern california. being an actor in hollywood, you know how progressive and liberal it is. often the conservative viewpoint is the bad guy. do you think it is possible that conservatives can take back hollywood and essentially have more of a conservative message or they can go back to a non-biased message? >> no.

[laughter] there are a couple of reasons, one of which unfortunately is think that people -- this will come out judgmental but i don't mean it to be judgmental. when a fact of life that it comes to people's livelihood and being able to support their families are nervous and there is fear. my experience with the hollywood conservatives that i have met is that they are a bunch of chickens. i have said so to their faces so this is nothing if they see this on c-span. it is what i told you at a book thing. you are a bunch of wimps. the founders of this country signed a document pledging their lives, their fortunes, and

something else i don't remember right now. -- their honor. imagine that they were risking knowingng, everything full well when they sign their name on the document that they could be hung. many of them -- we don't teach civics anymore. we don't understand that many of those men actually lost everything they had. it did not go well for them. at all. the legacy is terrific but if not -- did not go well. now you have actors that say i might be unemployed. you are an actor. what are you worried about? you have to be kidding me that you are whining that you can't stand up and say, look, whatever. i disagree. we are going to write this.

i am not going to say this. people who still look good. i did a reading with her. this woman does not age. listen, i walked away from the gig but i am going to have my say. i am here to tell you that there are enough people who you go to meetings which is why the hollywood reporter hanging out at spots where members go, taking pictures -- really? they want to out everybody. that is very real. the fear is very real. because of that, i don't think you will find a lot of people taking a stand and what not. i will end it there.

>> thank you. >> hello. i am a student here in southern california. they often label is racist and say we don't care about black people or hispanic people. the statement comes to mind where walter williams is talking about how the welfare state has done to the black community and the latino committee, what the racism could've done and what st jim crow laws couldn't do because it is destroying the family. and i look at that considering welfare is an institution of the left, the that is really a far greater -- i don't believe the conservative viewpoint is racist at all. it is so -- you are so

hypocritical because the program your program is racist. how can we reverse that perception and remove the welfare state gradually and into something that is more healthy for all citizens? >> let me say couple of things. the first thing is -- i have been here speaking on this topic before. has a real problem when it comes to race. the right likes to pretend they don't talk about race but the right talks about race all the time. i can give you an example but i don't want to digress. righther thing is the seems, in my opinion, reluctant to embrace the idea that black voters speak the language of race and there is a sensitivity to race which is part of racism in the black immunity in the

same way when you go to jewish talk about, you'll israel and the holocaust, you'll find people very sensitive to any change in temperature. i got a little bit of anti-semitism there. that is very real. we accept that but we often think, why do black people -- one of to just get over it? -- why don't you just get over it? it didn't have anything to do with the fact that is how people feel. if you're going to speak to them, enough to speak in their language and speak with a sensitivity to things that they are sensitive to. there is thing is that a tone that i think the right also has to bring. welfare or inut talking about affirmative action

or any other programs -- let me back up one second. this is important. remember that the civil rights legislation, voting rights, civil rights act -- how old does anyone think i am? you don't have to answer that out loud. just in your head. those pieces of legislation were signed in my lifetime. when you talk about sensitivity, that sensitivity has to do with survival which is foremost. it is job number one. everything else is negotiable. while welfare and all that stuff may be doing damage, what we

talk about first is survival. yeah, affirmative action. what we are first talking about is survival. in approaching those issues in understanding the people are concerned with survival, you can't just say we are going to do away with blah. tone and the right to deliver the right message and having people listen and have to come with this is not working and we want to replace it with this because then you say to people we are concerned about your survival. you say that is bad, we are going to chop it down. people will be like wait a minute? to thei am chained tree but it is holding me up in some way. what am i going to do now? timesms to me that often we never come with what we are going to do next.

or if we do, we are whispering it. obamacare, blah, blah. you know. who listens to that? >> do have an alternative in mind that could -- from a theervative perspective free market helps people escape from poverty but if you go in and save the free-market is going to help you, we will get rid of this and you're on your own to fend for yourself. >> i'm glad you said the free-market because too often conservatives are talking about capitalism which as we have experienced what that often means is crony capitalism. that is not what we want to present the people. there is stuff that you can't just do -- giving a speech. sb things done -- it has to be things done -- grassroots.

is doing that the rnc differently now than before when they talk about outreach to the black community, they have put money into a program. iny actually open offices states where the people there year-round connect with people in the community, establishing relationships, and that is how you begin to find out what people really are concerned about. you can address them on a micro level. i think that is the way to do it. the other thing that i would say is in terms of knowing things about conservatism because when we get up and say conservatives are against welfare. that is not true. not -- we are opposed to everybody having welfare. believeders absolutely in a safety net.

that is a place to start. we believe in a safety net. what you're really saying is that you are not taking everything away. we believe in a safety net. we know people need help and absolutely we believe -- that was one thing i left out. limited government but active government. we believe the government can have a role in helping people and we are not the same as libertarians -- i don't know what they say this but that is what churches are for. we are not saying that. there can be a safety net but we also recognize that when you see people on unemployment for three years, they stopped looking for work. we want to strike the right balance so that you get help but that you don't get addicted to it and that you still get up and get going. i think that is another way.

i was going to say some thing else but you get where i'm going? >> yes. thank you very much. very helpful. >> i am from liberty university and i want to thank you for coming out here and presenting to us. i have a question. i have often heard it said that the government reflects the morality of the people that it is governing. isome from minnesota and it considered a very liberal state. everybody i know is conservative. a lot of people in my own church are very conservative and they love america, but they are afraid of politics and they don't want to get involved. some of them don't even vote. there are moral people out there and there is still a moral base to america. you is how do we get the churches involved once again? -- thewe get people

moral people out to actually remote conservatism -- for most conservatives and -- promote conservatism? men of faith say nothing. is that thefind church is complicit in a lot of this because you have pastors asaching it from the pulpit we last saw with reverend wright and others. i guess that means even if you sit there for 20 years listening, you are not really absorbing it. know if the issue is getting the churches involved. is -- it ischurch very interesting. as a christian, i am evolving

and learning. christ talks about the church not as that building down the street with a guy is preaching and has all the beautiful glass. that is not what crisis talk about. christ says the churches here. church is here. how do you get the church involved? what church are you talking about? become of that church for this church? i think that is what you guys are kind of thinking that you are tasked to do and excited to do is motivate people in your community. motivate people on campus to get involved. up this ithis is what the information is. up let'let's talk.

you hear what you believe and not what the other people are telling you a believe -- we believe. just come here. we have the speaker. downtown andto go get involved with the local whatever and we can give elderly people who can't get to the polls -- let's get involved in that way. story that a friend -- he wentls about to a catholic school and he comes back from college and he's friends with one of the priests and they go to the boxing match. he brings his jewish friend along. nobody panic. he brings his jewish friend along to the boxing match. before one of the matches, the boxer gets into the ring.

father, what does that mean? the priest says not a damn thing you can't fight. [laughter] -- you have tog do more than pay lip service. a moralalk about america, you can't just talk about it. you have to live in your life -- live it in your life. that starts with you. that starts with a church right here. how are you living your life? are you involved in the community? are you involved with gerbil organizations? -- charitable organizations? are you making food for the homeless? are you delivering blankets? this kind of thing. then other people say, look at him.

where are you going? can i come? and then you got two. i'm bringing my girlfriend. now you have three. she's bringing her sorority. now you have 15. and that is good for you if you are single. [laughter] >> thank you very much. >> my name is lisa and i am from the university of southern california. thank you for being here with us today. i have a question about our problem in 2012 with romney and a people classified him as a russian -- as a rich man. there were so many people from the other side like katy perry who are bleeding heart liberals but they may just as much if not more than romney. how do you combat that argument and how do you think we can combat it? >> that is my pet peeve.

the rules to not apply to them. they are rich but they are the good people, we are the bad people. it is a particular stray shin of why another friend of mine said this is why god does not tell that the -- tell the good people would've that people are because the good people would line them up and murder them like sheep. there you go. i don't know if i've an answer to your question. it is kind of a whole but the right has dug for itself. we have come to be seen as for the rich guy or the big corporations which is why we don't want to talk about capitalism. we want to talk about free enterprise. we want to be specific that conservatives are not for big business. hear how we have allowed ourselves