Salute to Harvard
It's not perfect. But give Harvard President Drew Faust credit: ROTC has returned to campus:
In a ceremony freighted with symbolism, Drew Faust, Harvard University president, lauded the Navy’s ROTC program and officially welcomed it onto campus yesterday, ending four decades of frosty relations between the university and the military and laying the groundwork for increased recruiting at the school.
The article goes on to quote Harvard alum and navy veteran Paul Mawn, whom I've come to know from writing about ROTC and the Ivies. About a year ago, I wrote an article based on Paul's research showing that Harvard has more Medal of Honor recipients than any other university outside our service academies -- 17 at last count. Here's a recent overview written by Paul about the situation on campus.
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Jun '10
Re: Salute to Harvard
If they didn't welcome them back, then they'd have to admit that their public reason for banishing ROTC (pushing back against homophobia) was really just a secondary reason--one that sounded better than just calling them "evil mercenary tools of the radical right."
Re: Salute to Harvard
It looks as though Brown may be the only one not to welcome them back.
Also, there are issues for the schools. Most have an anti-discrimination clause. But the military still will not allow, say, transgendered. And the truth is that violates the code as much as DADT, though obviously not for as many people.
Mar '11
Re: Salute to Harvard
I'm not surprised that Brown will be the only one not to welcome ROTC back.
Many Americans may not be aware of how unique the ROTC program is in relation to how other nations produce their military officers, but as a product of the program (bias admitted) I'd say we're the better for it.
Well done, Harvard.
Re: Salute to Harvard
The one who deserves praise is Larry Summers, who got this ball rolling.
Mar '11
Re: Salute to Harvard
Sorry, no kudos from me. If a thief finally decides to stop stealing after 40 years does he deserve credit for stopping something that should never have been started? At best Harvard should be told "it's about time" and left to get on with it.
Jul '10
Re: Salute to Harvard
Precisely. Their position always reeked of unearned self-righteousness and hypocrisy. After all, did the ban affect Congress, who passed DADT, or President Clinton, who signed it? Of course not.
I'm impressed by Harvard's Medal of Honor history, but it has to be noted, they were not exactly of recent vintage.