Archbishop Desmond Tutu Visits

A world leader who stands for peace and ending oppression makes his way to the Tennessee Valley Friday.

Archbishop Desmond Tutu visited the University of the South in Sewanee and delivered a sermon for this year's commencement ceremonies.

Archbishop Tutu is still as passionate with his message of peace and ending racial divisions as he was in the 1980's when he was instrumental in ending apartheid in South Africa.

Tutu told the crowd gathered in the university's All Saints' Chapel "you are graduating, we want to clap to you" and got a thunderous applause.

On this 150th anniversary of the University of the South, Archbishop Desmond Tutu delivered a sermon for the graduation of this year's class of 2008. It's part of a nearly three-hour long commencement deeply rooted in the Episcopalian faith.

Tutu is known worldwide for his relentless advocacy for peace, compassion and ending racial divides. It was Tutu who ignited the fire that ended Apartheid in South Africa.

Friday he sat down with us to talk about race relations and other issues in the United States.

"Where else in the world would you have a black guy being, not just a credible candidate, but someone who seems to be taking the country by storm," Tutu asked.

Tutu says blacks and whites are still divided in this country and race is a huge issue in the presidential campaign where many voters are choosing candidates based on the color of their skin. He cites the issues over Reverend Jeremiah Wright as an example.

"You might be shocked to discover that he's articulating the views of very many, who haven't had the chance of that kind of exposure. And instead of hearing what he is saying, again, people are trying to gain political capital," Tutu said.

Archbishop Tutu said he has great faith in younger Americans who he says can break down barriers of all kind and make history by spreading peace and compassion, not hate and war like older generations.

"The young people I come across are fantastic in their idealism. They really believe, well, you have heard about making poverty history. It's young people, the Bono's," Tutu said.

The archbishop said the younger generation in the United States is more compassionate and wants to promote peace at home and abroad.

"If you give yourself a chance, you'd be some of the most incredible human beings, and you'd be one of the greatest countries if you just allowed your hearts to be the ones that did the talking, not your guns," Tutu said. 

Archbishop Tutu won the 1984 Nobel Peace Price for his efforts to end racial separation and government oppression in South Africa.