342nd Commencement

Gen. Colin L. Powell, A Protest and Harvard's...

Calling on Americans to "turn from thoughts of...the twilight struggle [of the Cold War] to a new dawn of promise," Gen. Colin L. Powell, chair of the joint chiefs of staff, addressed some 30,000 Harvard faculty members, graduates and their families on Thursday, June 10 at the University's 342nd Commencement ceremony.

A planned protest of Powell's support for the military's ban on homosexuals, arranged by the Commencement Pride Coalition, backed by a network of gay, lesbian and bisexual student and alumni groups, was almost drowned out by the crowd's ebullient reception of the general.

There were occasional hecklers, and several audience members stood--some with backs turned to the stage--while Powell received his honorary degree and spoke later. Most, however, cheered the general, offering him a standing ovation at the conclusion of his address.

Still, tight security provided by Secret Service agents and throngs of state, local and Harvard police belied the University's concerns about a larger demonstration.

Powell, in turn, confronted the protesters' concerns head-on. Near the end of a half-hour address that focused on the importance of maintaining America's pre-eminence as the world's only military superpower, the general spoke of his readiness to compromise on the issue of the ban.

"We took on racism, we took on drugs...we will do the same, my friends, with the very difficult issue of homosexuals in the military," Powell said, adding that the debate centers around the opposing interests of gays and lesbians who wish to serve openly and "concerns with respect to the cohesion of the military and the right to privacy."

"I believe we are near a solution," he said. "Whatever is decided, I can ensure you that the decision will be very faithfully executed to the very best of our ability."

The statement, while not a considerable softening of Powell's previous position, drew loud applause and appeared designed to satisfy some of those who had opposed his appearance.

Harvard President Neil L. Rudenstine, meanwhile, appeared noticeably relieved at how the speech turned out.

Rudenstine, who stood to shake Powell's hand as the general stepped away from the podium, said the remarks were perfect for the occasion. "I think he took it on well," Rudenstine said. "I expected him to, because he's a forthright person of real integrity and real feeling who works for change."

Rudenstine had said during the weeks leading up to Commencement that he expected Powell to focus on America's role in the post-Cold War world, not on the issue of the ban.

The president and other administrators had appeared visibly nervous before Powell's speech. University Marshall Richard M. Hunt, while introducing Powell in the morning ceremony to award honorary degrees, drew scattered chuckles when he misspoke of "tectonic shifts in global Powell--power--alignments."

The concerns of Harvard officials were likely exacerbated when two of the morning speakers--the chaplain of the day, and School of Public Health graduate Bhaswati Bhattacharya, who delivered the graduate English address--spoke out against discrimination based on sexual orientation, though neither mentioned Powell directly.

"Remember that it is the blind following of tradition that has been used as an excuse for injustice and many of today's problems in society," Bhattacharya said to wild applause. "Find the strength to question the tradition that gay men and lesbian women have not been freely allowed to serve in the armed forces of the United States merely because they are different."

Powell stood up immediately following Bhattacharya's speech to shake her hand as she stepped away from the podium.

As expected, Powell used the majority of his speaking time to address the changing nature of world power in the shadow of the Cold War. The general stressed the importance of maintaining America's military might even as he acknowledged the need for budget cuts and downsizing.

"The world map no longer has nice neat lines separating friend from foe," he said. "The world is still depending on the power of our democracy. We have the responsibility to respond."

"We will be judged in the future classrooms of Harvard by whether we rise to that responsibility," he added.

Powell praised President Bill Clinton for committing America to support its allies in the spirit of former President Harry S. Truman and Gen. George Marshall. But the general cautioned that the United States must continue a military strategy based on the ability to wage two wars at one time. And he said American forces are still needed overseas, even in peacetime.

"Yes, reductions are possible...but we must not reduce forces overseas to the point where our commitment is in doubt by our friends," he said. "We must not reduce our forces to such a level that we can only deal with one crisis."

Powell also said he hoped for an eventual elimination of nuclear weapons, and he said that before the decision is made to commit American forces to any engagement, it is necessary to outline very specific goals for them to accomplish.

Powell's address followed and was dwarfed in length by a speech by Rudenstine, who spoke of his vision for Harvard of greater collaboration among the schools and a commitment to public service.

While acknowledging that the University-wide academic process he initiated last year had "occasionally been squabbish," Rudenstine said it had fostered greater understanding among Harvard's deans and their schools.

"Whatever the plan, it's always going to be partly wrong," Rudenstine said, "but at least we can get one out there."

The plan will be implemented in conjunction with an upcoming, $2 billion University-wide capital campaign.

In a speech that occasionally strayed from his prepared script, Rudenstine said his three priorities for Harvard were reforming undergraduate education; upgrading dormitories and improving residential life; and redesigning degree programs to keep pace with changes in the workplace.