Hundreds Attend Remembrance Ceremony on CCM Plaza

On the College-Conservatory of Music Plaza, the conversation was first around how the weather was eerily the same as it was one year ago, when the UC community flocked to the plaza to mourn the victims of Sept. 11 and to pray for their families. After enduring days of high heat and humidity, a cool breeze blew through the plaza Wednesday, as hundreds of people gathered for a remembrance ceremony.

Red-white-and-blue lapel ribbons were offered to participants to wear as a symbol of remembrance, and early gatherers greeted the crowd that had traveled up Clifton Avenue for the interfaith walk for peace.

The Army and Air Force ROTC color guard was called to attention and with UC police, saluted the American flag, as a group of CCM musicians played the "Star Spangled Banner." Mitchel D. Livingston, UC vice president for Student Affairs and Services, remarked on the UC observances of the day-the Night Watch, the Peace Village global telephone conference with villagers from around the world, and the interfaith peace walk. "Now, here we are at CCM once again, at this plaza to remember and to reflect."

UC President Joseph A. Steger said we must never forget those who were lost on Sept. 11, nor forget the heroes who risked their lives in the rescues. "We should never forget also the response from the rest of the nation that showed we are still a loving and caring people, and worried about those in our society that have become victims of a war they didn't know they were going to be in.

"Let's reflect. What are we going to do? Are we going to shut off immigration in the country? Are we going to not let people come to the universities? Are we going to change the Constitution, the Declaration of Independence? No. One proud thing we have is freedom. We also have a lady that stands in the harbor of New York, that says, 'Send us your poor and your destitute.' America has been built on immigration," Steger said.

"Think about it. One of our own led the team that developed the Pentium chip. He was an immigrant, but he came here to go to school and he stayed here, and he's contributing to our culture and to our nation.

"So, as we reflect, let's not necessarily be angry, but let's be thoughtful, and let's work with the rest of the world to somehow stop this madness by terrorists."

The crowd accompanied the CCM musicians as they played "America the Beautiful," and as the flag waved on this sunny, breezy day, all bowed their heads in a moment of silence, as "Taps" echoed over the plaza.
Webcast of CCM ceremony.

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