Spurred on by the continued reports of "mutant
sightings" by people from various walks of life and unsatisfied
with the limited information coming from Project Pegasus, in the year
2000 Columbia University announced an interdisciplinary effort to
explore the existence of mutants, their biological origins, and their
impact on society.
Hosted by Columbia University's Department of
Genetics and Development and chaired by Adjunct Professor Charles F.
Xavier, the First International Symposium on Mutant Origins and Issues
was slated to gather in August 2000. The initial conference was
expected to last a month, with sub-committees continuing their research
at the college throughout the fall term. With experts invited from
around the globe, the Symposium was attracted the brightest stars in
the fields of genetics, molecular biophysics, and social policy.
Security surrounding the Symposium was somewhat
tighter than usual for the college. Given the disastrous events of past
months and the continued volatile atmosphere that surrounds anything
involving "mutants", the college administration felt that
more stringent guidelines needed to be followed. The NYPD had officers
on hand to assist, and the FBI reportedly assigned agents as well.
Some groups were concerned that the Symposium would
be used to further downplay the existence of mutants, and several
activists had spoken out against further "government efforts to
cover up the truth." Fringe religious and political movements
began campaigns portraying theSymposium as the best, or worst, thing
since the World Trade Organization's Seattle conference late in 1999,
abortion, gun control, or the seizure of Elian Gonzalez.
Even self-proclaimed mutants made threats to
invitees. These mutant terrorists declared that the Symposium's only
true goal is to provide the governments of the world with the excuses
needed to begin a harsh, zero tolerance crackdown on anyone suspected
of "mutancy."
What happened was not what anyone expected, though.
Approximately a week into events, the Symposium was interrupted by a
man the world has come to know as Magneto. Demonstrating apparently
awesome powers, including apparently tearing the roof off Low Library's
Rotunda by sheer force of will, Magneto proclaimed that mutants were
real, and that he was one of them. He also promised that fires plaguing
much of the northwestern US that summer would end in three days, as a
gift, but hinted that if mutants were oppressed, they may choose to
strike back. The fires did end on schedule, though people denied it.
Due to the damage and shock of Magneto's
appearance, the University decided to cancel the remaining events in
the Symposium.
