Brian Binash, who gave this year's commencement address at St. Thomas More High School in Milwaukee, delivered a powerful speech on the value of free speech and capitalism and why graduates should embrace both. Binash, a Houston-area homebuilder who graduated from St. Thomas More as part of its very first graduating class in 1973, weaved lessons from his own life with famous quotes to craft life lessons that everyone, regardless of age, should hear:
Dear faculty, staff, parents, and most importantly, my fellow graduates,
I am honored to stand before you today as a graduate of Saint Thomas More High School, a school that has instilled in me the values of faith, morality, hard work and a commitment to excellence.
You stand on the threshold of a new chapter in your lives, ready to face the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. It’s such an exciting time! As you prepare to leave this institution and enter the "real world," I believe that there are a couple societal values that you should not be afraid to embrace: free speech and capitalism.
First, let me address the importance of free speech and the threats against it today. Free speech is the cornerstone of our democracy and a fundamental human right. It allows us to express our opinions, share our ideas, and engage in the meaningful dialogue with those who hold different beliefs.
As the philosopher John Stuart Mill once said, “If all mankind minus one were of one opinion, mankind would be no more justified in silencing that one person than he, if he had the power, would be justified in silencing mankind.” In other words, even if we disagree with someone, we must still respect their right to speak their mind and express their ideas.
Unfortunately, in recent years, we have seen a rise in “cancel culture,” which seeks to silence and punish individuals who express unpopular or controversial opinions. Cancel culture is a threat to free speech and to the open exchange of ideas. It creates a climate of fear and intimidation, where people are afraid to speak their minds for fear of being canceled.
We must recognize the traps that cancel culture presents. We live in a society that has become increasingly divided and polarized, where people are quick to demonize those who disagree with them. Individual morals are often attacked by those who merely believe differently.
The writer Salman Rushdie noted, “What is freedom of expression? Without the freedom to offend, it ceases to exist.” We must defend the right of all people to express their opinions, even if we disagree with them, and we must reject the idea that canceling or silencing someone is an acceptable form of discourse.
Take capitalism for instance. Capitalism is the economic system that has lifted more people out of poverty than any other in human history. It is the system that has allowed for the unprecedented growth of technology and innovation, and the system that has given us the prosperity that we enjoy today. It has created a force for good in the world.
But despite its undeniable successes, capitalism is under attack today. There are those who would have us abandon this system in favor of something called "woke socialism." They believe that the government should control every aspect of our lives, from healthcare to education to our very thoughts and beliefs.
As someone who strongly believes in the power of individual freedom and personal responsibility, I reject this notion. I believe that it is up to each and every one of us to make our own way in the world, to take risks, and to reap the rewards of our own hard work.
Elon Musk, a true visionary of our day, has said: “The first step is to establish that something is possible; then the probability will occur.” In other words, if we have a vision, we CAN make it happen. This is really the underpinning of capitalism. We must believe that it is possible to succeed and that hard work and determination will make it happen.
Capitalism is not just about personal success; it is also about creating a better world for everyone. Capitalism drives innovation and creates new products and services that make our lives better. It is the engine of progress and the key to creating a brighter future.
As we all look to the future and hope to improve lives, we cannot do so without considering the impact of ever-evolving technology on our society. To quote astrophysicist Neil Degrasse, “The rise of powerful AI will be either the best or the worst thing ever to happen to humanity. We do not yet know which."
One thing we do know is that Open AI is a tool that can be used for good or for ill, depending on how we choose to wield it. It is imperative that we use our knowledge and skills to shape the future in a positive way.
Capitalism requires that we accept personal responsibility. We must be accountable for our own actions and take ownership of our lives. And we must not be afraid to fail.
Basketball great Michael Jordan once said, “I have missed more than 9,000 shots in my career! I’ve lost almost 300 games! 26 times I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed! I’ve failed over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”
Failure is not something to be feared; it is an opportunity to learn and grow. We must be willing to take risks and accept that sometimes we will fail. Believe it or not, it is through our failures that we can learn, grow, and ultimately succeed.
But how to embrace something that seems so negative? How do we make the most of our mistakes and setbacks, and use them to propel ourselves forward?
One way is to develop a growth mindset. This means viewing failure not as a sign of inadequacy or incompetence, but rather as an opportunity for growth and learning. With a growth mindset, we understand that our abilities and intelligence can be developed through hard work and dedication, and that failure is simply a part of the learning process.
Another way to embrace failure is to take calculated risks. This means pursuing opportunities that may be challenging or uncertain, but that have the potential for great rewards. When we take calculated risks, we are more likely to experience failure, but we are also more likely to achieve success and make a real difference in the world.
As Winston Churchill once said, "Success is not final; and failure is not fatal. It is the courage to continue that counts." We must have that courage - courage to continue to embrace the values that have made our country great, even in the face of opposition. And we must have the courage to maintain our personal integrity, even when it may be under assault.
With all of the challenges that life throws our way, it’s more important than ever to embrace the values impressed upon us here at Saint Thomas More: faith, morality, hard work and a commitment to excellence. These form the foundation for a strong society, and they are the values that will help you to build a brighter future for yourselves and for generations to come.
As you leave this institution and embark on the next phase of your lives, may you never forget the ideals that you have learned here. May you embrace free speech, expressing your opinions when called upon and listening to dissenting voices with respect. May you participate with enthusiasm in capitalism -- the economic system that has made our country great.
And may you have the courage to continue in the face of opposition, working to ensure that the flame of freedom burns bright. As I hear from President Hoch and many of your instructors, I KNOW that all of you, the Saint Thomas More class of 2023, have what it takes to do just that, while achieving your dreams and inspiring others with the way you live.
Now, I’d like to impart a little bit of wisdom from my life’s story. I hope it encourages you to pursue your dreams.
After working for the Sherman Park Community Association here in Milwaukee during my time at Marquette University and a few years after graduation, I left the snow and ice in January of 1979 with no more than $1300 in my pocket. I had nothing else, not even a car; just a vision of what I could become.
Opportunities were in the South then, so I ended up in Houston, Texas. I bought a cheap car (without air conditioning, which I soon regretted) and managed to get a job as a night manager at a convenience store. I worked there for several months until I could finally get on with a homebuilding company.
That job enabled me to learn about a business that I grew to love. Through hard work and many long days, I was able to move up the ranks within the company. However, during the downturn in the industry in the mid 80’s, I was terminated. They actually fired me! I could have stopped there and moped around and questioned “why me?”
But with my wife’s encouragement, I opted to continue my passion in construction, and eventually networked with a couple people I knew in the industry. We started Emerald Homes in 1987, which became one of the largest privately held builder/developer companies in the southwest.
We sold Emerald Homes in 2001 to a publicly held company. That enabled my wife and me to pursue other investments, but more importantly, provided opportunities to give back in more impactful ways. We were indeed blessed, and our faith has carried us through many other joys, trials, and tribulations in our lives.
Because of the many blessings bestowed on us, we have been able to assist numerous charities in the Houston area and the schools that we attended. Through all this, we have met many interesting people. One is Jim McIngvale, a furniture magnate and philanthropist in Houston.
You might know him as “Mattress Mack,” the man who places huge sports wagers but also opens up his furniture stores to storm victims. He has a similar beginning to his amazing success, starting out with just $1500 and a dream.
Jim gave a very insightful speech about his ten tips for success, and I want to share some of the highlights with you:
• FIND A JOB YOU LOVE TO DO, and you will never have to work a day in your life.
• REALIZE WORK IS LIFE’S GREATEST THERAPY. Use it to make someone’s day better.
• GET RID OF YOUR SENSE OF ENTITLEMENT. Nobody owes you anything. You earn it every day.
• GET AND STAY EDUCATED EVERY DAY. It will allow you to do more and be better at what you do.
• PREPARE FOR SETBACKS. Life isn’t fair, so be resilient and learn to overcome adversity. Learn to charge into a fire and not run from it!
• INNOVATE OR EVAPORATE. Change brings opportunity and opportunity breeds success.
• BE A PEOPLE PERSON. Learn how to relate to people in person, not through a cell phone or via an email or text.
• SHINE A LIGHT ON IT. Lead a life of transparency. Be true to yourself and others.
• BE A LIFE FORCE FOR GOOD WITH YOUR LIFE. Don’t just make a lot of money; make a lot of good!
• Lastly, KNOW WHY WE ARE HERE. If you were born here in the U.S. and able to go to this high school, you already won the lottery. So be a life worth living and be of service to others.
As I’m sure you can tell by now, I am quite inspired by the words of the great contributors to our society. I’d like to leave you with a few of my most beloved, unattributed quotes:
• The first rule of holes: “When you find yourself in one, stop digging.”
• “It is better to keep your mouth shut and be thought a fool, than to open it and remove all doubt.” (something I have not always remembered in my life but wish I had.)
• Third, “The only thing worse than losing is quitting.” (a great life lesson)
• And lastly, “The hardest math to master is that which enables us to count our blessings.”
I suggest this last one just may be the most important one to remember throughout your lives.
Thank you for the privilege of speaking to you today. God’s blessings and best of luck to each of you, whatever paths you find yourself on in the years to come.