An apology

I’m a baby boomer and, apparently, I’m supposed to apologize to this year’s graduating college seniors, according to the Wall Street Journal (Boomers to This Year’s Grads: We Are Really, Really Sorry), which is reviewing the commencement speeches of famous baby boomers.

Take Tom Friedman’s address to Grinnell College kids in Iowa last month:

The kids weren’t much buying it, the Journal article said.

But their apologies fell flat with some students, who wondered why the speakers weren’t urging their fellow boomers to do more to clean up the mess they created.

“They have been pretty selfish, but they’re still going to be around,” said Ben Slaton, a Butler graduate. “They need to do their part.”

That’s a quote that makes me sad I won’t be around in 40 years to hear Ben’s apology.