An American hero got the audience on its feet, cheering and waving flags.

John Glenn, a former Ohio senator and NASA astronaut who first orbited Earth and the oldest person in space, received a huge ovation when he walked out onstage at the Bakersfield Business Conference. He spoke of the space program, the terrorist attacks and what the future holds.

Glenn said the space program is a symbol of the nation’s attitude and ability to lead the world.

He said it has allowed advancements in computers, communications, transportation and health.

“We’ve had since our founding days, a can-do spirit,” he said. “A spirit not of why, but of why not?”

After recalling such a positive time, he spoke of America’s current situation.

“These past few weeks we’ve seen hatred in action,” he said. “Inconceivable hatred in action, all-consuming hatred. Aircraft turned into horizontal missiles, buildings crushed like giant toys, thousands killed in minutes, people jumping. I’ll never forget the film that showed two people hand in hand, jumping and coming down together to their death.”

He talked about the terrorists who believe they are doing God’s will, as well as those Americans who believe terrorism is God’s retribution.

“People jumping and holding hands coming down, done by terrorists in the name of God,” he said. “Well, there must be a tear in the eye of God, at being so misrepresented.

“Some of our own ministers wanting us to believe God helped fly those planes or wanting us to believe God caused those people to jump, or wanting us to believe that God put 300 firemen to death as they tried to save others, and wanting us to believe that God decided to make thousands of widows and widowers and orphans. Well, that’s not the compassionate and loving God I do believe in and that I pray to for guidance.”

He noted that a worldwide response is needed to control terrorism.

“If we just try to go alone it will not work,” he said. “We must have an international coalition or it just is not going to work.

“If we try to do it alone we’re going to be compared again as the great Satan.”

Glenn also said that the war on terrorism calls for a change in attitudes from the United States and the West.

“We must pay more attention to that part of the world, whether we like it or not,” he said. “Out of this kind of evil may come some good.”

According to Glenn, people are used to concentrating on themselves and not the nation. But he misspoke when discussing the difference between the “me” and “we” generations.

“The ‘me’ generation forcibly has turned into the ‘me’ generation,” he said.

He also spoke of having hope.

“We made dreams come true before in this country, and that’s something that I think we should remember,” he said. “We say to those whose inhumanity to man is a way of life, you shall not endure, no matter what the costs, in time or treasure.

“We, too, see a new world,” he said. “But ours is a nation and a world of peace, of realization, of age-old dreams of fairness and justice and cooperation to develop mankind’s finer natures.”