[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 4]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 4778-4779]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   IN RECOGNITION OF WILLIAM GRIFFEN

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. MICHAEL A. ARCURI

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 27, 2007

  Mr. ARCURI. Madam Speaker, I would like to recognize the truly 
honorable life of Mr. William Griffen of Tully, NY. Mr. Griffen was a 
student, an educator, an activist, a writer, a father, a husband, a 
friend, a neighbor, and an

[[Page 4779]]

inspiration. Mr. Griffen will be remembered for the enthusiasm and 
sincerity he brought to his work throughout his 78 years.
  Mr. Griffen attended SUNY Cortland where he received his B.S. in 
Education and went on to attend Cornell University, earning his M.A. 
and Ed.D. Mr. Griffen taught in Brentwood and Marathon, NY, for several 
years before returning to Cortland to become SUNY Cortland's longest-
tenured Professor of Education. A beloved institution, Mr. Griffen was 
also honored as a distinguished alumnus of the university, ``teaching 
for over 40 years and diligently working for peace and social justice 
at the local, State, national and international levels.''
  Mr. Griffen aspired to influence our country on many levels, running 
for Congress twice, in 1968 and 1990. His extensive contribution 
through his writings has been seen in over 50 articles addressing war, 
technology, civil rights, and revolution. Additionally, he coauthored 
the book of Lessons of the Vietnam War--A Critical Examination of 
School Texts and an Interpretive Comparative History Utilizing the 
Pentagon Papers and Other Documents. During the Vietnam War, he was 
responsible for starting the Cortland Citizens for Peace organization 
and went on to become very active in the anti-war movement. Mr. 
Griffen's dedication to activism also led him to Mississippi and 
Tennessee with the historic, pioneering freedom riders, where he worked 
to register minority voters so they could have a voice in government.
  Even in his later days, Mr. Griffen continued his spirit of activism, 
helping the American Cancer Society by participating in a new program 
for people diagnosed with prostate cancer. He trained volunteers in 
upstate New York to counsel cancer patients and served on the speakers' 
bureau at the Syracuse Man-to-Man Cancer Support Group.
  Many say that Mr. Griffen was truly a renaissance man, with interests 
in baseball, jazz, nature, photography, and the environment. He and his 
wife, Judy, had three children: Mark, Kimberly, and Amy.
  William Griffen gave his heart and soul to improve the lives of the 
people he touched. His contributions and his sacrifices will live on 
for generations in upstate New York and around our great country. Thank 
you, Mr. Griffen.

                          ____________________