Campus.News
Special Edition
Remarks
by Grand Marshal Gil Valadez
Gathering for Remembrance 9/14/01
I
want to begin by saying that I wish this was an event, I so
wish that this was an event we would never ever have to have.
But we are facing a very stark reality. I talked to relatives
in Mexico and they said, "so many people dead…"
And I said to my father that a part of us all is dead. Not
just Americans, but if your right arm bleeds, the whole body
hurts, and that means the world— .
Family
Gatherings like this across the nation and across the world
will be the only way that we can truly begin the healing process.
If something like this is ever truly healed from.
Over
the last several days I have represented students in meetings
with your President, her cabinet, and other administrators,
and I must remark that we as students, faculty, and staff
should take great pride in the heartfelt compassion and deep
consideration that the leaders of this Institute take in every
decision that affects us. In a few moments the President will
guide us through a remembrance, and before she does I want
to talk about some good.
On
Tuesday I saw students wait in a huge line, similar to the
bursar during registration, —to give blood, and students
waited there 9 hours, didn't worry about eating, we got them
some food. I have never been a prouder RPI student than that
moment.
That
evening despite many people not knowing whether family members
were accounted for or friends or family, your student Senate
came together, in a most difficult moment, and those individuals
put their heart and soul into a statement or resolution, if
you will, on what we felt, as representatives of the student
body, that we wanted you all to hear.
This
was a Senate Resolution, the first of my administration passed
on September 11, 2001 at 10:47 pm, unanimously:
"As
the Student Senate of RPI, we call for the campus at large
to come together in unity and support each other with tolerance
and compassion. Regardless of future findings, we stress that
no single group on campus-ethnic, religious, political or
other-will be allowed to be victimized or targeted. We deplore
the acts of destruction that occurred on September 11th, and
we will not permit ourselves to be defeated by stooping to
the level of blind hate and violence that caused these incidents.
We stand committed to represent and uphold the best in human
behavior-empathy, dignity, and mutual respect. In whatever
way we are able we will assist students, faculty and staff
at RPI, as one— one —one, diverse and healthy
community."
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