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Cornell Celebrates 9/11
FrontPageMagazine.com ^ | 9/12/03 | Joe Sabia

Posted on 09/12/2003 1:34:13 AM PDT by kattracks

Cornell University’s official September 11 Commemoration event was advertised as offering “reflections on the tragedy and comments on its continuing implications.” Instead, the ceremony quickly morphed into an outrageous Leftist rant on the evils of American oppression.

Reverend Kenneth I. Clarke, director of Cornell United Religious Work, was the host and star of Cornell’s 9/11 show. With nary an American flag present (save a few carried by members of the College Republican club), Clarke began his remarks by comparing the September 11 attacks to other world tragedies:

“We share in the global community of tragedy...Thirty years ago on September 11, Chilean President Salvador Allende was assassinated. On September 11, 1977, the South African leader Stephen Biko was killed...We share in a collective tragedy.”

Kenneth Clarke,
	Director of CURW
September 11, 2003: Rev. Clarke commemorates the 9/11 attacks by denouncing American “racism, sexism, and homophobia.”

A lot of things have happened in the history of mankind on September 11. On September 11, 1789, Alexander Hamilton was appointed Secretary of the Treasury. On September 11, 1965, the Beatles' “Help” went to number one on the charts. But Cornell students did not attend a September 11 ceremony to hear about all of the interesting events that occurred on that particular day in world history. And they certainly didn’t come to hear about how the 9/11 attacks were morally equivalent to a Chilean military coup that ousted a Marxist.

In point of fact, students came to commemorate the day that 3000 of our fellow countrymen were slaughtered by Islamic fanatics. Frankly, most Cornell administrators would like students to forget this. Men like Kenneth Clarke want Americans to ponder the “global community’s struggles“ on 9/11.

Following Clarke’s remarks, Professor Cynthia Farina, associate dean of the faculty, read poetry about “wild geese” and then began to cry. It was a stirring scene for all those who get choked up about fowl metaphors.

Later, Richard Riley, director of the Cornell Sage Chapel Choir, introduced the song that his group would be performing — “America the Beautiful.” Just kidding. Instead, they performed a song about the Underground Railroad (what else?) called “Steel Away.” According to Riley, the slave song would get us all in touch with the “multi-layered” nature of the 9/11 attacks.

Finally, Clarke returned to the podium for his closing comments. He asked the audience to ponder the question, “How shall we live two years separated from the tragedy of September 11?” Clarke offered his answers:

“We must reject simplistic approaches and solutions to the [world’s] complex problems...[we must] challenge our ideologies ... we must consider the current war with Iraq and the degree of disquiet that is left with us as a society.”

Clarke then attempted to understand each terrorist’s inner child by quoting the National Council of Churches: “[We must consider the] sources of anger, hate, and dehumanization ... that lead to acts of violence.” Citing the work of Leftist academic Martha Nussbaum, Clarke urged us to “think beyond“ America and instead look to the global community for solidarity:

“We must have a deeper comprehension of the concern, anxiety, and fear [of others in the world] and understand the wrongs they suffer...[as well as] the societal problems we must address — racism, sexism, homophobia, anti-religious sentiment, anti-Semitism, and xenophobia.”

Only at an academic institution like Cornell could a so-called reverend get up in front of a crowd of people and solemnly declare that the great lesson of 9/11 was for Americans to recognize our inherent homophobia and sexism. If Clarke had made that statement in the heartland of America, he would have been laughed at and booed off the stage. But in the academy, this man is honored and revered.

Clarke concluded his inappropriate remarks by warning us of the “hazard of [American] supremacy” and urging us to “seize the moment to grow [out of our] us versus them” mentality.

Cornell University is descending into a moral tar pit. On one of the most solemn days of the year, the University could have honored the military, reinvigorated patriotism on campus, and stood in firm support of liberty. Instead, the Leftist administration used the occasion to bash America. And the sad truth is that Cornell will never understand the significance of the 9/11 attacks because it no longer understands America.





TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: 2ndanniversary; cityofevil; cornell; cornellu; ithaca; leftists

1 posted on 09/12/2003 1:34:13 AM PDT by kattracks
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To: kattracks
Academia is filled with trash.
2 posted on 09/12/2003 1:56:24 AM PDT by KC_Conspirator (This space for rent)
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To: kattracks
“We must have a deeper comprehension of the concern, anxiety, and fear [of others in the world] and understand the wrongs they suffer...[as well as] the societal problems we must address — racism, sexism, homophobia, anti-religious sentiment, anti-Semitism, and xenophobia.”

More bilge and twaddle, from the same morally cancerous crew who just recently awarded Cynthia McKinney a full professorship. (... and these smug, self-adoring yip-yops actually dare to lecture, straightfaced, about "the societal problem of anti-Semitism"...? Madness!)

3 posted on 09/12/2003 1:57:22 AM PDT by KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle ("The Clintons have damaged our country. They have done it together, in unison." -- Peggy Noonan)
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To: KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle
All the direct fault of inferior whites. That is the message. Blacks and other minorities are victims and completely sinless in the US.

4 posted on 09/12/2003 2:50:24 AM PDT by At _War_With_Liberals (Honk!! ...if you are being followed by leftists too.)
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To: kattracks; Behind Liberal Lines
Heres a link to the Cornell Daily Sun article, http://www.cornellsun.com/articles/9040/, which reads somewhat differently.

"...The main event of the day was the Sept. 11 commemoration held at the Memorial Room in the Straight. The ceremony, led by Kenneth Clarke, director of Cornell United Religious Work, included remarks from Prof. Cynthia Farina, law; Student Assembly president Nick Linder '05; and Gavin Hurley grad, president of the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly. The speakers were followed by a performance by the Sage Chapel Choir.

"We were affected individually by this tragedy. We have a need to come together as a community. We gather together attempting to make whatever sense we can of the absurd, the unthinkable, the tragedy," Clarke said.

Linder opened his speech by posing a question to the audience.

"We'll begin today by asking a question: What are we doing here? That's easy. We're here to commemorate those who lost their lives two years ago," he said. "I want you to think back right now to the days following Sept. 11. What did you do? More importantly, what did you do differently than you did a week before?....."

A little watering down by the Sun reporter?
5 posted on 09/12/2003 4:06:12 AM PDT by Jimmy Valentine's brother (MrConfettiMan was in the streets while I was still yelling at the TV)
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To: kattracks; governsleastgovernsbest; gaspar; NativeNewYorker; drjimmy; Atticus; John Valentine; ...
Ithaca is the City of Evil.


6 posted on 09/12/2003 4:46:42 AM PDT by Behind Liberal Lines
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To: kattracks
Thirty years ago on September 11, Chilean President Salvador Allende was assassinated.

Allowing Chile to eventually become the most stable and prosperous country in all of Latin America.

Besides, Allende was forcibly deposed but his death was a suicide.

7 posted on 09/12/2003 4:51:07 AM PDT by tcostell
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To: kattracks
Their attitudes are dangerously naive. Assuming that all people are basically good and noble is a BIG mistake.

People CAN be moral creatures, but we have to be TAUGHT to be that way. We are not moral and good by nature, quite the contrary. Unless instilled with values of respect for others, tolerance, and a good work ethic, humans are no more than selfish, lazy dogs fit to be whipped.

While those Utopian morons at Cornell are sitting around wondering why our enemies hate us and singing Cumbaya, I'm out here in flyover country cleaning my weapons to protect my family from the "poor, misunderstood victims of the capitalist system". (I prefer the phrase, "barbarians at the gate", myself)

8 posted on 09/12/2003 9:46:29 AM PDT by FierceDraka ("I am not a number - I am a FREE MAN!")
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To: Black Agnes; rmlew; cardinal4; LiteKeeper; Lizard_King; Sir_Ed; TLBSHOW; BigRedQuark; yendu bwam; ..
Leftism on Campus ping!

If you would like to be added to the Leftism on Campus ping list, please
notify me via FReep-mail.

Regards...
9 posted on 09/12/2003 2:08:36 PM PDT by Hobsonphile (Art should celebrate God's creation. Writers should love humanity in all its forms.)
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To: kattracks
These people are completely delusional.
10 posted on 09/12/2003 2:21:20 PM PDT by Gritty
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To: kattracks
And the sad truth is that Cornell will never understand the significance of the 9/11 attacks because it no longer understands America.

Oh I think they understand it real good ... so good that they know how to make it rot from within. The students are trained monkeys and their trainers are the marxist professors. They are a 5th column movement with no interest in democracy other than using it as a tool to destroy it.

It's time to acknowledge this and quit believing that they are just misguided pacifists who have lost their way.

11 posted on 09/12/2003 2:37:31 PM PDT by johnny7 (... 'scuse me, I gotta puke.)
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To: kattracks
Maybe Cornell should recruit Paul Krugman as a professor, so they could get the beginning of an insane asslyum!
12 posted on 09/12/2003 2:45:06 PM PDT by aShepard
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To: kattracks
The perfect place for Cynthyia Mckinney to perfect her anti-American, racist agenda! How can parents let their children be educated by these freaks?
13 posted on 09/12/2003 2:52:30 PM PDT by freeangel (freeangel)
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To: kattracks
"challenge our ideologies"

If only these people would take the advice they so sanctimoniously dispense to others.

14 posted on 09/12/2003 3:41:13 PM PDT by mrustow (no tag)
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To: kattracks
Damned HIPPIES!
15 posted on 09/12/2003 9:23:42 PM PDT by Tolerance Sucks Rocks (Get on your camel and ride! ~Kool and the Gang)
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To: aShepard
Maybe Cornell should recruit Paul Krugman as a professor, so they could get the beginning of an insane asslyum!

They could then admit Maureen Dowd and Eleanor Clift...

16 posted on 09/12/2003 9:26:52 PM PDT by Tolerance Sucks Rocks (Get on your camel and ride! ~Kool and the Gang)
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