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American Morning

Patriotism Growing on College Campuses

Aired December 06, 2001 - 09:55   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Now we move on to the segment we call the Spirit of America. A generation ago, college and university campuses were the hotbeds of anti-government sentiment. But if the tone today at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts is any indication, things have certainly changed since September 11. Here is CNN's Bill Delaney.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BILL DELANEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Way over on the left bank of the main stream, Harvard, right? That bastion of hardcore East Coast pointy headed liberalism. Well, now hear this.

LAWRENCE SUMMERS, PRESIDENT HARVARD UNIVERSITY: It's particularly important to honor all forms of public service, including the service of those who wear uniforms.

DELANEY: A bit of old fashioned flag waving from former treasury secretary and now Harvard president, Lawrence Summers, who for weeks now since September 11th, has pitched patriotism in speeches and just around campus, to alumni, faculty, students at a place where the view from the Ivory Towers has not been colored in with all that much red, white and blue, for a generation.

SUMMERS: I think there were some cleavages created during the Vietnam War period, Watergate. After September 11th, I think there are some truths we can coalesce around.

DELANEY: And are coalescing. A Harvard study has found three of five college students nationwide now actually trust the federal government.

(on camera): Encouraging patriotic values at Harvard extents to ROTC, though it's been banned from the campus since the 1970's. If you're Harvard ROTC, you train here down the road a piece at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

(voice-over): President Summers praised the ROTC. Even though at Harvard it has never exactly been the 101st Airborne. This unit is a bit more brainy than brawny. But senior Charlie Cromwell says he and 40 or so other Harvard students in ROTC no longer get even the occasional dirty look.

CHARLIE CROMWELL, ROTC STUDENT: From the students, instead of being kind of skeptical of me walking around in my uniform, it's more appreciative and I really am thankful for that.

DELANEY: All of the uniformity does worry some.

JESSICA GOULD, INITIATIVE FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE: The voices that push us towards patriotism, while valid, also should be checked and should provide for a dialogue.

DELANEY: But right now, on campuses around the country, few are swimming against the tide. Bill Delaney, CNN, Cambridge, Massachusetts.

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