Tom Brokaw on Divided We Fail

AARP recently honored former NBC anchor Tom Brokaw with the 2007 Andrus Award, the Association's highest honor.

In his remarks to the audience, Brokaw addressed the Divided We Fail initiative. The Divided We Fail effort "says it best," said Brokaw. "It is dealing with another kind of terrorism." He shared a story about his grandmother, whose care became "an enormous struggle, financially and emotionally." And "it need not be" in this wealthy society, he said.

Brokaw acknowledged, however, that more people are achieving retirement age with expectations about what we're entitled to, and that it will be expensive. "We'll have to find new formulations," he said. "We have to be more imaginative, reach across ideological lines and go beyond self-interest." People, especially of his generation, he said, have to take more individual responsibility and give back to society. "This is all possible," he concluded.

"We can't have this uneven topography" between "those of us who have won the lottery," have good care, while "others live in a state of terror." Dealing with these issues requires our best thinking and also our sacrifice. We must "step beyond our own interests, find a common ground and a common destiny."

The Andrus Award is named in honor of AARP founder, Dr. Ethel Percy Andrus. It is presented to distinguished individuals for significant contributions to society. Past recipients have included: the Honorable Colin Powell, Arthur Levitt and Dr. Margaret Mead. The award was presented at AARP's Life@50+ Event and Expo in Boston on September 6th.