Posted on 06/12/2004 12:34:33 AM PDT by My Dog Likes Me
Ten Harvard College seniors swore to support and defend the U.S. Constitution Wednesday (June 9) as they were commissioned as officers in the U.S. armed forces during a ceremony in Harvard's Tercentenary Theatre.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.harvard.edu ...
"Harvard President Larry Summers supports ROTC 100 percent."
He is really great. He's done a lot of good there already.
From the article:
"Summers said that America's strength comes from its freedom, including the freedom to debate that is exercised often at Harvard. But, he said, it is less well understood that America is free because it is strong and said anyone who cherishes the freedoms that we enjoy should support the strength that protects those freedoms."
God Bless our service members, every one, every where.
ROTC back at Harvard? This is a good turn of events.
Time to rejoice!
Yes, Larry Summers is a real booster of ROTC. In fact, after he took office in 2001, he was the first Harvard president to actually speak at the ROTC commissioning ceremony in Harvard Yard in over 30 years.
If his name seems familiar, that's because he signed our dollar bills when he was Secretary of the Treasury. A good, decent man.
It's Bush's fault!
I remember in one of our AFROTC classes, an African-American Harvard girl started criticizing the perks of a General versus an Airman. The Major got right in her face and said "The military is not a welfare program, RHIP - rank has its privileges. You earn those perks." We MIT types silently cheered him on.
Summers also ran off that pompous poser Cornell West.
Great story. Thanks.
Not quite right. Harvard -- like most major universities -- had its own ROTC program but booted it out in the '60s miasma. Since the a few Harvard students (my cousin included) could patch in via MIT. That Summers has restored Harvard's own ROTC is a good thing AND a swat at the radic-libs that rule higher education in America. This is a very good thing indeed!
That Summers has restored Harvard's own ROTC is a good thing AND a swat at the radic-libs that rule higher education in America.
The first part is right - but not the second. Harvard has not yet restored an on-campus ROTC program -even if they were commissioned at Harvard. Harvard cadets still participate in ROTC via MIT's program.
Yes, the Harvard students are in a cross-town ROTC enrollment program with MIT. This is pretty common throughout the country. Harvard booted ROTC off the campus in the 60's, and with only 10 commissioned officers or so each year, I doubt that an on-campus Harvard ROTC program will return anytime soon. The marriage with MIT seems to work out OK for now (a quick subway trip away).
As an aside, for years, Harvard ROTC students could not list their ROTC affiliation under their photos in the yearbook (you know, like "Wrestling, Debate Club, Rowing, etc..) until Larry Summers took over as President in 2001.
A different world.
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