University gathers in rememberance of Sept. 11 by Tyler Jennings Contributing Writer In the midst of blustering winds, the University community commemorated the one-year anniversary of the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon with a memorial garden, forum, and vigil on Wednesday. The day’s most popular event was a candlelight service, sponsored by the Chaplains and the Office of Student Services, which occurred in the evening in front of North College. University President Doug Bennet was in attendance for the service and spoke to the assembled crowd. In his speech, Bennet noted that the events of Sept. 11 would be a driving force behind international relations throughout students’ lives. As Bennet spoke, strong gusts of wind frequently blew out many students’ candles, which then were relit by other students. During the service, three chaplains offered comforting words and a union of campus acappella groups led the crowd in singing John Lennon’s “Imagine.” “I wanted to hug the people around me,” said Aaron Slavutin, ’05. Directly following the candlelight service, students took advantage of an open mic. Many students described their most recent thoughts about the events of Sept. 11 and the conclusion of a year of national and personal change. “I know that I am American; I just don’t know what that means,” said one student speaker. Other students spoke about the candlelight service and open mic specifically. “I’m happy we’re leaving politics aside for a couple of hours,” said another student speaker. Several of the open mic students simply expressed gratitude to those in attendance. The day of remembrance began when the college bells tolled at 8:46, 9:03, 9:43, and 10:10 a.m., the exact times when the four planes crashed one year ago. German Studies Professor Peter Frenzel and several trained students rang the bells nine times for each plane, an English tradition to signify death, Frenzel said. Four students sat on Foss Hill during the first two tolls of the bells. “I thought one of the positive points of today would be that I wouldn’t have to be alone,” said Sarah Kaufmann ’06, one of the four students. At the same time, seven professors and staff-members gathered in front of North College to listen. “It’s a day when no one wants to be alone, and as contradictory as it sounds, as someone who didn’t want to be alone, this was a personal time,” said Economics Professor Gary Yohe. On either side of the steps leading into North College, beginning at 9 a.m. and continuing all day, members of the community were given the opportunity to plant daffodil bulbs in two small memorial gardens, a project organized by the Office of Student Services. “One faculty member, after planting, expressed that he was angry and indignant about the attacks,” said Dean of Student Services Mike Whaley. “Next, a student planted a bulb, then asked which way East was, faced that direction, covered his face in his hands, and said a prayer.” Also in front of North College, Joanne Alcantara, ’03 and over 15 friends installed a string of origami cranes between two large oak trees. When members of the community gathered for the noontime program, they could also make their own origami to collectively strive towards the goal of creating a thousand cranes for peace. “[Paper cranes are] part of Japanese folklore. Making a thousand paper cranes could make a wish come true. A lot of groups now take it to mean a thousand cranes for peace,” Alcantara said. “I wanted to draw the connection between the Japanese internment camps and the domestic situation now.” Rabbi David Leipziger described the array of emotions that Americans most likely felt after the attacks and may still feel now in his speech during the midday forum “Remembering the Past, Looking Towards the Future.” Leipziger also listed the names of faculty, staff-members, students, and alumni, and their friends and family, who died in the attacks. There was a wide range of reactions to the speech by both students and faculty. “I think it’s important to understand why they’re mad at us,” said Alden Blair, ’05, referring to the terrorists. Government Professor Martha Crenshaw talked about changes in national security. She also expressed concern that dialogue after Sept. 11 had fallen silent. History Professor Bruce Masters urged the audience to perpetuate further discussion on the war in Afghanistan. “I have seen the almost universal respect that was held by Arabs toward the US plummet. You would be hard-pressed to find anyone in the Arab world who would say anything positive about the US government,” Masters said. Government Professor John Finn concentrated on civil liberties in America since the attacks. “The following two major changes occurred. One, the United States government asked for and received new surveillance powers, and two, powers of detention and trial,” Finn said. He also emphasized that though this was not a day for political discussion, such discussion must be taken up tomorrow without fail. Some students from New York City disagreed with the political nature of the forum. “It was grossly inappropriate to talk about the political ramifications of the last Sept. 11 on this Sept. 11,” said Dan Janvey, ’06, who lives in New York City.

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