Fake it till you make it 

I was sitting in an auditorium last spring watching my son graduate from high school when a funny moment occurred. 

The class valedictorian was giving his speech and at a certain point mentioned the various personalities of his classmates and how they were a microcosm of society. “Some of my classmates are going to be college athletes and some will be Ivy League scientists,” he stated. “Some will become budding visionaries, while others will take to the stage.” 

And then, much to my surprise, he said, “We even have one classmate who’s daring enough to go backpacking through Japan.”

There was an audible gasp at that statement as parents and family members reacted to the notion of a lone student packing up and flying to Japan to walk around the Asian countryside. 

I looked at my wife and my wife looked at me. We both had the same blank stare on our faces.  Our son had told us in the weeks leading up to graduation that he was going to forgo college in the fall and instead, work all summer and then travel to Japan for an adventure. We didn’t balk at the idea, but we were confident it wouldn’t materialize. My son can barely plan his laundry, much less a trip to the other side of the planet. 

As far as we knew, this crazy idea was something he only told us, but now the entire graduating class had heard it. Thankfully, the valedictorian didn’t attach a name to his statement. 

A half hour later, it was time for the graduation ceremony. After each student’s name was called, they would walk up to the podium where the principal would hand them their diploma. Coinciding with this was a voice on the loudspeaker reciting the student’s accomplishments and plans for the year ahead.

When my son’s name was called, the announcer stated, “And he will be traveling to Japan in the fall for an extended stay.”

Parents clapped politely when the future college plans were announced, but when the statement about the Japan trip was broadcast, everyone cheered loudly. They now had a face and name to go along with the adventure.

At this point, my wife and I were practically sliding under our seats. We had no idea that the flippant little statement he blurted out over dinner had been shared with his entire school. 

When my son finally made his way over to us after the ceremony, my first words were, “You do realize if you don’t go to Japan now, you’ll look ridiculous?” 

My son smiled at me broadly and countered, “Don’t worry, Dad. I’m going to make this happen.”

Well, here we are in the fall and all of his classmates have taken off to college. My son spent the entire summer working two jobs — one as a grocery store clerk and one as a waiter. He’s earned a substantial amount of money and saved a good portion of it. He also hooked up with a group of likeminded young people who were looking to travel abroad. And over the course of a couple months, they made a plan to visit Australia, Thailand, and Japan. 

This morning, my son was dropped off at the airport and as I’m writing this column, he is now waiting at the gate to board a flight to Melbourne, Australia. I am excited and scared, but also immensely proud that he followed through on his promise. Quite honestly, I never dreamed it would happen. 

I had a long talk with my son the night before he left. We sat together on the couch in our living room as I spoke. He listened intently as I reviewed the countless pieces of advice that I hoped he internalized over the years. He shook his head knowingly after each statement and promised he would look out for himself. 

We had a profound father and son moment as I wrapped it up. He hugged me in the way your child hugs you when they don’t know how to express their gratitude. I could feel that deeply. And then, just before he walked into his bedroom, he turned to me and said, “Am I really doing this?” (Thankfully, there was a wink in his eye as he said it.) 

This week’s film, “Am I Racist?” features someone who likely uttered this same phrase as they went undercover to expose a controversial agenda that has been penetrating the fabric of America over the last decade. 

Matt Walsh, a popular conservative podcaster and star of last year’s “What is a Woman?” documentary, decided to go undercover to expose his perceived grift of DEI (diversity, equity, inclusion) programs throughout the country. In the same way that Walsh used humor and his targets’ own words to make his point with “What is a Woman?” he did the same with this film. 

Not everyone is going to like what this documentary uncovers, but I couldn’t help but find it funny, poignant, and particularly exposing. And if Walsh’s conclusions about race hold true, our country is in much better shape than big media and the DEI proponents would have us believe. 

A racy “B+” for “Am I Racist?” now playing in theaters everywhere.  

Got a question or comment for Dom? You can email him at moviediary@att.net.