To commemorate 9/11 the university is again staging a display of American flags on the vast lawn of Alumni Park. The display Waves of Flags includes nearly 3000 flags representing the number of lives lost in the attacks of Sept. 11. This labor-intensive project originally conceived and spearheaded by the College Republicans is being carried out this year with the help of Student Activities and groups of volunteers from the university and Malibu community.
Pepperdine and the College Republicans united this year in spite of the differences and disagreements that have surrounded this project over the past years. In 2008 the university expressed opposition to co-sponsoring an event with the College Republicans saying such sponsorship could have been seen as advocacy for a partisan group and exclusive to other groups wishing to participate in the commemoration.
While the College Republicans gathered more than $30000 in donations for last year’s event and provided much of the manual labor Waves of Flags did not bear the College Republicans’ name. “This event garnered so much media attention that it really shed a lot of positive light on Pepperdine said Chris Garcia, College Republicans’ president emeritus. We thought Pepperdine was trying to remove the College Republicans’ name and take the credit for itself.”
Garcia said the College Republicans are happy to partner with the university in order to make the event happen this year and in future years but express irritation toward the university’s handling of the project. “The College Republicans could have saved the university thousands of dollars if we were allowed to maintain ownership of the event said Garcia. We had donors lined up this year to make donations to our club so that we could make this event happen again this year. As soon as they found out that Pepperdine was sponsoring it they figured [the university] had enough money to fund it itself.”
Garcia claims the university would not allow the College Republicans to sponsor the event this year because the magnitude of the event was beyond what the group could handle. “We handled it last year Garcia said. That’s for sure.”
Doug Hurley Director of Student Activities acknowledged the role of the College Republicans in the Waves of Flags project but stressed the importance of university oversight. This year’s partnership between Student Activities and the College Republicans allows Hurley’s office to navigate university protocol for the project. “This is a new event with a risk issue involved Hurley said. When taking on a project like this the question becomes ‘How are we going to do this and do it the right way?'”
Garcia who began the Waves of Flags project with 2009 alumnus Ryan Sawtelle said the two groups have put aside differences and are able to focus on the success of the event. “The important part is that the event happens added Hurley. The important part is remembering the lives lost.”
All involved say there is immense value of this display of remembrance. “It’s been a long time but it’s still so fresh in everyone’s minds because it is such a significant event in our generation said Hurley recalling 9/11. “It’s important to grieve remember and pull together as a community.”
Volunteers have been essential to the success of the project. “Last year 85 percent of the work was done by five guys said Garcia. This year, through the coordination of Student Activities, shifts of volunteers have signed up to drive rebar stakes into the ground using electric hammers and surround the work area with a caution fence. Various campus groups, from fraternities to residence halls, have showed up to lend a hand.
I remember it was pretty cool seeing all the flags out here last year said sophomore Nick Gutierrez. When my RA told me about it this year I decided to help out. This is a good way for Pepperdine to show its patriotic pride.”
This year’s display will also include international flags honoring the 270 lives lost from 90 different countries. In conjunction with the memorial the University has plans to stage a prayer service at the Heroes Garden and will host Buzz Patterson — former senior military aide to President Clinton — who will deliver a speech at the law school on Sept. 11. The display itself will remain until Sept. 18.