And that is how all those infusions of new  cultures and ideas, generation after generation,  

created the matchless alchemy of our melting  pot and helped us build the strongest,  

most vibrant, most prosperous  nation on the planet, right here.?  

But unfortunately, graduates, despite the lessons  of our history and the truth of your experience  

here at City College, some folks out there today  seem to have a very different perspective.?  

They seem to view our diversity as a threat to be  contained rather than as a resource to be tapped.?  

They tell us to be afraid  of those who are different,  

to be suspicious of those with whom we disagree.?  They act as if name-calling is an acceptable  

substitute for thoughtful debate, as if anger  and intolerance should be our default state  

rather than the optimism and openness that  have always been the engine of our progress.  

But, graduates, I can tell you, as First Lady,  I have had the privilege of traveling around the  

world and visiting dozens of different countries,  and I have seen what happens when ideas like these  

take hold.? I have seen how leaders who rule  by intimidation V- leaders who demonize and  

dehumanize entire groups of people V- often do  so because they have nothing else to offer.?  

And I have seen how places that stifle the  voices and dismiss the potential of their  

citizens are diminished; how they are  less vital, less hopeful, less free.  

Graduates, that is not who we are.? That  is not what this country stands for.?  

No, here in America, we don t let our  differences tear us apart.? Not here.?  

Because we know that our greatness comes  when we appreciate each other s strengths,  

when we learn from each other, when we lean  on each other.? Because in this country,  

it s never been each person for themselves.? No,  we re all in this together.? We always have been.