On Tuesday, Vice President Hilary Parker—who oversees Princeton’s Office of State Affairs—and I were honored to attend the second inauguration of New Jersey’s fifty-sixth governor, Phil Murphy.
An inspiring passage from Governor Murphy’s inaugural address began with a quotation from Princeton’s own Adlai Stevenson, a member of the Class of 1922. Governor Murphy said,
“Some 70 years ago, in a speech to the American Legion during the height of McCarthyism, the then-Governor of Illinois, and future United States Ambassador to the United Nations, Adlai Stevenson, zeroed-in on what a nation being driven apart at the time needed ...
“America needed, and I will quote him, ‘A patriotism that puts country ahead of self; a patriotism which is not short, frenzied outbursts of emotion, but the tranquil and steady dedication of a lifetime.’
“We need this patriotism again.
“Shouting about how much you love your country is no substitute for showing how you love our country.
“Voting is a patriotic act.
“Opening doors of opportunity for those who have been kept out is a patriotic act.
“Standing for fairness is a patriotic act.
“Ensuring good government is a patriotic act.”
Amen to that, Governor!
Princeton is fortunate to have Governor Murphy as an ex officio member of its Board of Trustees. I am grateful to the governor for the leadership that he has provided throughout this difficult pandemic, and I look forward to partnering with him over the next four years on our shared goals of increasing access to college education and strengthening New Jersey’s innovation economy.