COLLEGE TRUSTEES O.K. RITTER SPEECH. E-MAIL ACTIVISM NEEDED !

[1Old Pro]

 

 

Ritter speech questioned

Schenectady-- But college's trustees don't act to stop appearance

By MIKE GOODWIN, Staff writer
First published: Tuesday, January 28, 2003

The Schenectady Community College Board of Trustees questioned whether to allow former U.N. weapons inspector Scott Ritter -- embroiled in controversy over his June 2001 arrest in an Internet sex sting -- to speak to students, but took no action Monday to block the speech.

The college signed a contract with Ritter last fall, agreeing to pay him $4,000 from a special student-faculty fund to speak about a possible war with Iraq. Ritter has been an outspoken critic of the Bush administration's preparations for war against the Middle East country, but his views have been overshadowed in the past week by the revelation that he was once arrested for allegedly trying to lure a 16-year-old girl to a Menands fast-food restaurant.

At Monday's board meeting, several trustees raised concerns about having Ritter speak at the college. One warned that the college might need to increase security to handle protests when Ritter appears on Feb. 12. Others said talk of Ritter's arrest would overwhelm his anti-war message and convey the impression the college accepts the behavior of which Ritter was accused.

But they stopped short of asking President Gabriel Basil to try to get the college out of the contract.

"We're not going to be offering a forum on Iraq," Trustee and County Legislator Al deAprix told his board colleagues. "We'd be viewed as offering a forum on whether these alleged activities are acceptable or not."

But Andrea Lewis, the board's student representative, said the students she has talked to all support having Ritter speak.

"We asked Mr. Ritter to talk about Iraq," she said. "That's what he's going to be discussing. We want to hear his position on that."

Ritter's June 15, 2001, arrest came to light just over a week ago. He was charged with a class B misdemeanor for allegedly using the Internet to set up a sexual rendezvous with a person he thought was a 16-year-old girl. The person actually was a Colonie police detective conducting an undercover investigation.

The case was adjourned in contemplation of dismissal, meaning the charges would be dropped and the records sealed if Ritter stayed out of trouble for six months. Ritter has acknowledged the arrest, but he has declined to discuss details.

Last week, federal authorities obtained the sealed records for review in a possible federal prosecution on Internet crime charges. Ritter has declined to discuss the pending federal investigation, saying only that "the timing stinks."

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SCCC set to host Scott Ritter

By CARL STROCK

---

I hied myself over to Schenectady County Community College yesterday to listen to the trustees of that distinguished institution discuss whether Scott Ritter ought to be allowed to deliver a speech there.

Well, sort of. It's not for them to decide. They didn't invite the guy - a student-faculty group did - and they have no power to cancel his contract.

What's more, with television cameras rolling, they were not eager to talk about the nasty little matter behind their misgivings, so their discussion was actually pretty lame.

One of the trustees, Al de Aprix, who is also a county legislator, did say he was afraid that "We're not going to be offering a forum on Iraq; we're going to be offering a forum on whether these alleged activities are acceptable or not," but he stopped short of saying what the alleged activities of Scott Ritter are.

As we all know, however, they are the solicitation over the Internet of a sexual encounter with what he thought was an underage girl but was actually a police officer.

Not exactly what you want in a college speaker even if the chap did use to be a United Nations arms inspector and even if he is now a leading antiwar spokesman.

But the contract with him was signed back in November, before the unpleasantness became public, and Ritter remains scheduled to speak on Saturday, Feb. 12, at 8 p.m., in the college's Taylor Auditorium, if you want to mark the date on your calendar.

Should the trustees try to stop it?

No, they took the matter up yesterday just so as to provide "input" to the college administration, which theoretically could cancel the contract. They did not convene with any intent to overreach their authority.

What's more, the student member of the board of trustees, Andrea Lewis, assured the others that her fellow students were not at all opposed to Ritter's coming to campus. "We're for it," she said. "I've only heard two or three negative comments."

The president of the college, Gabriel Basil, said the feedback he has received is "at the 90 percent level in favor of continuation of the program."

Trustee Robert Ruggeri said the contract with Ritter is "certainly not an endorsement of him as an individual."

Trustee Nick Barber said, "This is an educational institution; this is an educational experience."

Al de Aprix, the only one to voice serious misgivings, noted that Ritter initially denied having been arrested, and said, "I'm concerned personally with the reliability of his views . . . he basically lied to cover it up."

And he said he has heard from people who complain that Ritter has been "involved in activities that the community does not feel are appropriate to young people," which I thought was a very delicate way of putting the matter.

But in the end, it is not the call of the board of trustees, so unless President Basil changes his mind or the student and faculty groups change their minds, Scott Ritter will still speak at the college.

Somehow I have the feeling that the focus when he comes will not be on Iraq nearly as much as it will be on his private life.

The View From Here presents Carl Strock's personal commentary and appears on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday. Strock can be reached at 395-3085. The opinions of the newspaper appear in editorials on the Opinion Page every day.
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reply to Gazette Newspapers: gazette@dailygazette.com

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The college President says 90 percent of his conversations are supportive of Ritter. A caller to local radio said that Basil is NOT taking phone calls on this thereby eliminating the Freedom of Speech of the local taxpayers who fund this school.

Send Basil an e-mail with your thoughts. MAKE SURE to cc the newspaper writers so we can prove that not only is Ritter a liar, but so is this left wing college President.

Gabriel J. Basil
President
President's Office
Elston-Room 114
381-1304
basilgj@gw.sunysccc.edu

cc newspaper writers ==>> mgoodwin@timesunion.com AND : marym@dailygazette.com & lamend@dailygazette.com

local talk radio host who is all over this story: pvandenburgh@albanyradio.net

TAKE A FEW MINUTES AND LET YOUR THOUGHTS BE KNOWN, SEND AN E-MAIL!

 

[1Old Pro]

Here's two ideas:

http://www.bcstandard.com/News/2002/0327/Front_Page/001.html

This was one of the orginal Free Republic posts but the "media library" must not exixt anymore.

FR MEDIA LIBRARY- Request Customized Predator Alert Flyers Online!

If we come up with something I'll send them all around Ritter's home town and especially around the speech in a couple of weeks.

 

[1Old Pro]

[1Old Pro]

More background info on nys megan's law

 

UNDERSTAND YOUR RIGHT TO SPECIFIC INFORMATION UNDER NEW YORK STATE'S VERSION OF MEGAN'S LAW

The Sex Offender Registration Act
New York's version of Megan's Law establishes registration and notification provisions and requires the classification of convicted sex offenders using a three-tier system. The law establishes three levels of notification which increase as the offenders' risk to the community increases. Prior to an offender's release, a level of notification recommendation is made to the sentencing court: level 1 (low risk), level 2 (moderate risk) or Level 3 (high risk).

The risk level assigned establishes the level of notification to the public and/or law enforcement agencies. In other words, the risk level determines the amount of information law enforcement is authorized to release to the public using various types of community and neighborhood notification. The type of notification implemented is based upon an evaluation of the risk of reoffense the particular offender poses to the community.

In addition, police departments and other law enforcement agencies in New York are required to house a publicly accessible book, known as a subdirectory of high risk sex offenders (level 3), which can be viewed at such agencies upon request. The subdirectory is maintained and distributed by the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS).

The subdirectory includes the addresses and photographs of convicted New York State registered level 3 sex offenders along with the following information if available: physical description, age and distinctive markings such as tattoos. Background information including the sex offender's crime of conviction, mode of operation, type of victim targeted and a description of special conditions imposed on the offender may also be provided.

Use one of the following links to View Article 6-C the Sex Offender Registration Act, more commonly known as Megan's Law.
http://assembly.state.ny.us/cgi-bin/claws?law=22&art=11
http://www.senate.state.ny.us/

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[doug from upland]

How many kids' meals can Ritter buy with $4K?

[leadpenny]

. . feedback he has received is "at the 90 percent level in favor of continuation of the program."

That is the true lagacy of Clinton. These people are saying, "It's only about sex."

BTW, excellent letters that folks are already sending.

[OneLoyalAmerican]

President Gabriel J. Basil
President's Office
Elston-Room 114
381-1304
basilgj@gw.sunysccc.edu

Dear Mr. Basil:

It has been brought to my attention Schenectady County Community College intends to compensate former UNSCOM member Scott Ritter for a presentation Saturday, Feb. 12, at 8 p.m. Perhaps, you've heard: While the US armed forces parents are deployed overseas; a pedophile wannabe, Mr. Scott Ritter, stalked their children at home. As community college professor, what I find most interesting; that you, as a steward of taxpayer trust, associate SCCC with a dangerous sexual predator. This is very, very bold.

Should you continue this speaking engagement, do so conditionally. Mr. Ritter repeatedly avoided this question since his $400,000.00 unjust enrichment. Mr. Ritter must explain this quote:

"Actually I'm not going to describe what I saw [in the Iraqi political prisoner children's prison] because what I saw was so horrible that it can be used by those who would want to promote war with Iraq." #1

Should Mr. Ritter again duck the Iraqi children's prison question, follow with: While US Armed forces parents are deployed overseas Mr. Ritter, you stalked America's children at home. Most experts agree sexual predators are incurable. Perhaps Mr. Ritter, a similar relationship with Iraq’s children explains your silence on the prison matter?

Sincerely,
OneLoyalAmerican

CC:
mgoodwin@timesunion.com
marym@dailygazette.com
lamend@dailygazette.com
pvandenburgh@albanyradio.net

#1 http://www.time.com/time/nation/printout/0,8816,351165,00.html

TIME: You've spoke about having seen the children's prisons in Iraq. Can you describe what you saw there?
RITTER: The prison in question is at the General Security Services headquarters, which was inspected by my team in Jan. 1998. It appeared to be a prison for children — toddlers up to pre-adolescents — whose only crime was to be the offspring of those who have spoken out politically against the regime of Saddam Hussein. It was a horrific scene. Actually I'm not going to describe what I saw there because what I saw was so horrible that it can be used by those who would want to promote war with Iraq, and right now I'm waging peace.

[Mind-numbed Robot]

In a couple of months Scott Ritter will be such old news that few will remember his name. By then Saddam will be a fait accompli, meaning no longer around, so the whole question of inspectors, should we, shouldn't we, will be moot.

[1Old Pro]

Super job

[TLBSHOW]

BUMP

[Lee Enfield]

I understand that Ritter is going to talk about ham radio opperation. Something about twisting small knobs.

[1Old Pro]

And the college president thinks it's cute to have him at his tazpayer funded college,sheesh.

[Carolinamom]

There's nothing about Ritter's actions that is ALLEDGED. There's proof that they did happen.