Email from David Boren to OU Students (bombing)

Email from David Boren ^ | 10/6 | David Boren

[CharlieOK1]

Here's an email from Boren sent campus-wide Thursday evening concerning the whole matter, FWIW:

Dear OU Students, Faculty, and Staff,

I want to thank you again for your responsible and constructive reaction to the tragic event which occurred last Saturday evening. I appreciate the concern which many of you have expressed for the family and friends of the deceased.

Most of the news media, including our own OU Daily, and most citizens have responded very responsibly. Unfortunately, there are always a few who do not. Among the core beliefs which define us as Americans and which define us as members of the OU family from all backgrounds is a respect for others. We believe that we should not judge others or jump to conclusions about others on the basis of color, race, gender, economic status, or freely exercised religious beliefs. To rush to judge others or make assumptions about them on that basis is nothing short of prejudice. It has no place in America and it certainly has no place at the University of Oklahoma.

Unfortunately, we have seen examples of a rush to react in a manner not in keeping with our values in recent history. A reading of some media reports and comments from individuals made at the time of the bombing of the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City is enlightening. Some quickly rushed to the conclusion that the bomber must have been a Middle Eastern terrorist. There were video shots of international students on Oklahoma campuses shown on news broadcasts as this speculation was reported. As we all now know, the person responsible was not someone from the Middle East but was Timothy McVeigh and at least one other American who assisted him. We can only hope that all of us, including some media outlets, would have learned from that recent rush to incorrect conclusions.

I have been assured that law enforcement officials including federal officers have found no evidence of a conspiracy involving others which creates an ongoing threat to our OU community. They have kept me informed of the steps being taken in their investigation. You can be assured that if I receive any information to the contrary, I will immediately inform you and take steps to protect our community.

In fact, national law enforcement statistics compiled confirm that we have a low per capita crime rate. OU has long been dedicated to the safety of our students.

Thank you again for your help and understanding. Thank you for reaching out to the members of our OU family who have come from nations all over the world to let them know that they are valued and respected on this campus.

Rushing to judgments on the basis of race, religion, gender, or ethnicity, is not the OU or American way.

Sincerely,

David L. Boren
OU President

[CharlieOK1]

Passed along to me from a current OU student.

[CharlieOK1]

FYI ping

[mlc9852]

Not buying it. This guy is just protecting his job. This was not a "normal" suicide.

[TomGuy]

It sounds like it was penned by his PR agency.

[brytlea]

And of course trying to pen the bigot label on anyone who disagrees with his assessment of the situation....

susie

[airborne]

Some quickly rushed to the conclusion that the bomber must have been a Middle Eastern terrorist.

That's a lie! Nobody is saying he was Middle Eastern.

We are saying (correctly) that he was a Muslim!

[AnAmericanMother]

What an idiot.

Can't he see that this just absolutely, positively confirms that this guy was a Muslim terrorist?

And reminding everyone of all the loose ends in the Murrah bombing was not exactly a bright idea . . .

. . . unless he's trying to achieve the opposite of what he says he intends . . .

[Wristpin]

Translation: Please don't transfer to other universities due to the fact that we have a large muslim student population. Islam is a religion of peace

[Jack of all Trades]

Tragic event my a$$.

[muawiyah]

OK, I'm willing to believe that the students at Oklahoma have a low crime rate. However, when it comes to crazed suicide bombers willing to take a bunch of them with him, it looks like it's Christians 0, Buddhists 0, Jews 0, Shinto 0, Moslems 1.

In conclusion, Moslems have more crazed suicide bombers going off at University of Oklahoma at/near football games than members of all other religions combined in the history of the University!

The university president's statement is dangerously misleading. I'd ban him from the place until he stops doing that sort of thing.

[AFPhys]

I wonder why he was talking about the Murrah bombing.

I thought this was supposed to be addressing the suicide bombing?

Changing the subject?

[ARealMothersSonForever]

This smells like damage control. Gotta keep those alumni $$$ rolling in. Looks like somebody got a phone call from the admissions office.

[IN Farm Girl]

BINGO! Exactly right!

[TrebleRebel]

It was just a tragic suicide by a troubled young man. The fact that he had a Pakistani room mate, had tried to buy large quantities of ammonium nitrate, was wearing a backpack packed with TATP and shrapnel (ala London bombers) after being refused entry to a stadium with 85,000 people inside is pure coincidence. Anyone who read anything else into this other than a simple, everyday suicide is un-American and ought to be ashamed of themselves.

[2Jedismom]

Oklahoma Ping!

If you want on
or off this list
Freepmail me.

[GEC]

I guess Boren never got the memo from Jayna Davis.

[CedarDave]

Previous thread here (but as different title so wouldn't have found it):

President Boren Cautions Against Rush to Judgment (re: OU bomber)

Boren was skewered on that thread also, and rightly so. The obvious would seem to escape him, but in reality he doesn't want to upset the alumni who support the university with BIG football $$ or the Middle-East sheiks and other rich Muslims who contribute $$ for college buildings and programs for petroleum geology and petroleum engineering research.

[george wythe]

Nobody is saying he was Middle Eastern.

We are saying (correctly) that he was a Muslim!

Boren created a false dichotomy: the suicide bomber was either an American or a Middle Easterner.

There are many other choices; as you point out, a likely scenario is an American who converted to the death cult.

[indcons]

Updated FR list-o-links with brief descriptions (Update 5 on 10/07/2005). This list will be updated as new threads are posted.

Cliff notes version, Oct. 06

Main thread with tons of useful info and breaking news from day one, Oct. 01
Joel jihad identification thread, Oct. 02
Bomb material found thread, Oct. 02
Explosive stash found thread, Oct. 03
Joel Jihad tries to buy Ammonium Nitrate thread, Oct. 04
OK City Channel 9 story thread, Oct. 04
Malkin blog posts thread, Oct. 04
Sources ID TATP thread, Oct. 04
Roomie identified thread, Oct. 05
More on the roomie thread 1, Oct. 05
More on the roomie thread 2, Oct. 05
Boren bio, Oct. 05
DougFromUpland interview with Jayna Davis thread, Oct. 05
Suicide Bomber Attempted Stadium Entry/5 Others Involved, Ticket to Algeria Found, Oct. 05. Must-read thread
Officer had clue before OU blast; Oct. 06
Jayna Davis’ radio schedule…check it out; Oct. 06
Some consolidated info from other FR threads; Oct. 06
Link roundup; Oct. 06
Boren’s PC email; read for laughs; Oct. 06
OU shouldn't take too long answering questions; Oct. 06
Despite explosion, no security changes for OU-Texas; Oct. 06
Terror in the heartland? Wash. Times editorial; Oct. 07
Student recounts talk with worker; Must Read article; Oct. 07

[theDentist]

Some quickly rushed to the conclusion that the (Murrah Building) bomber must have been a Middle Eastern terrorist.

Obviously unaware that a tenacious reporter has dug up several links between McVeigh, Nichols, and muslim terrorists, that may have been in the vicinity at the time.