With less than 90 minutes notice, Grand Valley State University had more than 4,000 members of the university community show up for a unity event led by President Mark Murray. The event was a chance for the university community to reflect and meditate on today's tragic events.
Below is a transcript of President Murray's remarks on the tragedy of September 11, 2001, delivered to a gathering of the university community in front of the Cook Carillon Tower:
Today a great tragedy has occurred in New York, Washington, Pennsylvania and possibly elsewhere. The details of these brutal acts will be known in the days ahead.
This is not the first time this nation has been attacked. We had a terrorist attack launched by one of our own a few years ago in Oklahoma. In years past, we have been attacked by foreign powers. We are the United States of America ¿ a beacon of freedom for the world. And we remain so at this hour despite the tragedy that has occurred.
All of us are anxious. We are afraid of what we have yet to learn about the victims. Many of us will come to learn in the days ahead that a friend or a relative was among the dead.
We are afraid of what may unfold as a consequence of today's attack.
Tears and mourning are rising with the smoke and ashes in New York and Washington and Pennsylvania. In the days ahead this mourning will be heard throughout this nation and throughout the world as the tens of thousands of victims are mourned by millions of survivors.
We in the Grand Valley family must decide how we will proceed as individuals and as a community.
As individuals, we must accept the stirring within us that mixes anger and fear and sorrow. We must work with these emotions ¿ emotions many of us have not previously experienced in this way. We must redeem these dark and sad emotions so that from them flow acts of solidarity and support, that in turn help redeem the ugliness of today's event.
As a community, we must stand together. We must help each other deal with our emotions ¿ our anger, our rage, our fear, our sorrow. For most of us our central support is our family. Grand Valley is a family as well and we must support each other.
I ask that you commit yourself today in three ways.
I ask that you always remember that the acts of terrorism are not the acts of a whole people. They are the acts of a fringe group. The bombers of Oklahoma no more represented me or the American people, than today's terrorists reflects the thoughts and views of a whole people. This is not a time to jump from the act of a group of terrorists to the condemnation of a people. We have individuals of every race, religion and ethnicity in our Grand Valley family and in our communities in West Michigan. They remain our brothers and sisters regardless of the actions of today's terrorists.
I ask that you commit yourselves to supporting one another. As we gather here, great acts of courage and compassion are occurring at the sites of these tragedies. So to, we must demonstrate our courage and compassion. Speak with each other. Share your views. Learn from each other. We are a community and must commit ourselves to supporting each other.
Finally, in whatever form or manner you show solidarity with others at great distance ¿ in prayer, in silent reflection, in sharing with others ¿ I ask that you offer support to our national leaders. President George W. Bush and his closest advisors have very difficult decisions ahead. Decisions concerning military and diplomatic responses. Decisions concerning emergency supports for the victims. And decisions about how to restore the normal rhythms of the nation's life. He and his team must make these decisions with very limited information, but with great wisdom, sound judgment, clear minds and just hearts.
This is the land of the free and the home of the brave. Let us be resolute and unbowed as we reaffirm our love of this great country and our dedication to freedom and to each other.
