The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, September 14, 2001, Page 5, Image 5
America will unite, hit back
BRANDON LARRABEE
LAUGHIN98@H0TMAIL.COM
Fear and loathing in the
United States.
“today, i thought i was going to a
newspaper...i went into a war
zone; i thought i had issues...i had
small problems; i thought i lived
in a safe nation...i just live in a
free one; i thought i was
immune...i was just ignorant”
—Brandon Larrabee’s IM away
message, Sept. 11,2001
Where do I begin? How do I
begin to understand, to truly
comprehend the tragedy that has
unfolded? Hyperbole and
overdramatization don’t apply
here; there is no way to overstate
what has happened in New York
and Washington. Thousands
dead, the worst attack on
American soil in history, the
nation will never be the same.
The words echo in my head.
It begins with the movie. The
slow-motion disaster movie, the
plane slalnming into the second
tower, the spurt of fire, the fear
of hell on earth.
Then, there is the aftermath.
The smoke engulfing streets,
blocks, an entire city. The dust,
the white coating that makes the
past 48 hours seem like a
nightmare. But there is no
waking up when the nightmare
is worse than any dream.
Then there is the realization. I
cannot get in to Columbia
Metropolitan Airport. Looking
for something for the Carolina
Reporter, trying to get into the
airport — and I can’t. My
country is shut off from the rest
of the world. The scene is
straight out of Tom Clancy,
Jerry Bruckenheimer; but
unlike any movie, I’m there, and
it’s real, and I can’t escape the
horror of what has happened.
But there is another
realization. I am an American.
Not because America is where I
live, not because of my
citizenship, but because
America is more than a country;
it is a concept, a belief, a
religion.
There are some that aren’t
forunate enough to be
Americans. I could’ve been bom
in Afghanistan, relegated to life
under a theocracy that punishes
freedom and despises liberty as
its people starve. I could’ve been
born in Iraq, in Somalia, in
North Korea, in China. Why was
I chosen?
We are all Americans now.
We must be. The squabbling
must end, we must line up
behind our leaders, we must give
them the support they need.
And others ask a horrifying
question: Is this the end of
America? No. Pearl Harbor was
not the end, Oklahoma City was
not the end, the World Trade
Center and the Pentagon will not
be the end. We are better than
that, we must be better than that;
we are being called on to defend
democracy, and we must live up
to the challenge.
And we must show the resolve
that the terrorists did not expect;
we must not back down.
Nearly 60 years ago, in one of
the brutal acts of war against
America, more than 4,000 lives
were destroyed when Japan
launched the attack that became
known as Pearl Harbor — “a
date which will live in infamy.” I
have long wondered what my
generation, the TV generation,
the Internet generation, the
generation that had never
known war or true pain, would
live up under the same kinds of
pressure. This is our test.
And the scum that did this
should be aware; You have
screwed with the wrong nation.
We will hunt you down like the
cowardly slime that you are, and
we will destroy you.
America has a history of
uniting in times of crisis and
avenging her dead. And these
united states will not hesitate to
do so again this time.
And when we do, the furious
hell that rained down upon us
will seem like the pleasant
dreams of those who did this.
IN OTHERS’ OPINION
COMPROMISING FREEDOM The
events of September 11 are a
truly horrible tragedy. The
violation of our national sense
of security is unparalleled in
American history. This has led
to commentators in the media to
call for some restrictions on our
liberties or to ask government
officials what restrictions would
be necessary.
This is not the way to react to
' an attack on our nation and the
ideology on which it is based.
To allow this attack to cower
our nation into hiding is to give
the terrorists true victory. We
cannot sacrifice our liberty and
our freedoms that we enjoy as
citizens and residents of the
United States in order to create
the impression of security.
The relative freedom that
makes our nation vulnerable to
terrorism is also part of the
reason that we are a target of it.
Our freedom is what makes us
great, it is what makes us
prosperous and is what makes
us unique in the world....
[W]e cannot let this attack on
our nation lead to restrictions
jn liberty and the freedoms we
enjoy. To give into such
impulses gives terrorists the
result that they desired. It
causes a fundamental change in
the way we function as a
society. It allows the terrorists
to take away some of the
freedom that makes America
what it is.
Thomas Jefferson once said
that “those who desire to give
up freedom in order to gain
security, will not have, nor do
they deserve, either one.” The
American people should not
stand for their freedoms being
trampled on any more than they
will stand for terrorist attacks.
—THOMAS PARIS, CAMPUS
TIMES, UNIVERSITY OF
ROCHESTER
LNANut IN Nil/ uwiiuov/Mrc
WILL FOREVER AFFECT ALL OF
US On Tuesday, the landscape of
New York City was forever
altered by the destruction of the
World Trade Center’s twin
towers.
The north and south towers
of the World Trade Center stood
since the early 1970s as one of
New York and America’s most
recognizable structures. Its
proximity to the Statue of
Liberty has made it one of the
,first sights for immigrants
1 oming to America....
As the dust begins to settle
and we start to learn more about
what happened, hopefully we as
human beings, students and
Americans can start to make
sense of the terrible tragedy that
has occurred.
The landscape of our lives
and the way we think about our
country and security has been
permanently scarred as well.
Every person that steps onto an
airplane tomorrow and for days
and weeks to come is going to
have the unforgettable image of
the jet slamming into the World
Trade Center’s south tower.
Our general sense of security
has been shook to its
foundation. The image
ingrained in many minds of the
mainland United States being
impervious to major attack has
been shattered.
The crash at the Pentagon is
perhaps the sharpest blow in
terms of crushing our sense of
security. The terrorists proved
America wrong when it struck
the heart of the American
military, which was thought by
most to be untouchable.
In this time when we as a
nation will be focusing on
healing our wounds and seeking
out the perpetuators of this
heinous crime, we should stand
unified behind our leaders and
as a nation and put aside our
usual partisan bickering. We as
journalists are as opinionated
as they come, but we recognize
that there is only one side to
pick in a case such as this.
Where were you on
September 11,2001? We will all
be able to name where we were
on this day, when a hole was
blasted through the New York
skyline and through the heart of
our country.
—STAFF, THE SIDELINES, MIDDLE
TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY
HOLD OUR HEADS HIGH
America had been the victim of
the terrorism on many
occasions, but never on so
brutal a scale as on September
11,2001. ...And as the
magnitude of the attacks settled
upon us, the fear remained, but
anger seemed to build. How
could this happen? Why would
anyone ever do this? What had
those thousands of people in the
World Trade Center, Pentagon,
and surrounding areas, ever
done to deserve this? The
answer was: nothing. This
anger swelled to a call for
revenge, that the people who
would commit such acts must
not only be brought to justice,
but should die. This fear, anger,
and desire for vengence, all
understandable in light of the
devastating events, do not
represent the best of human
nature that was exhibited in the
last few days.... I have opinions
on what course of action the
United States should pursue in
response to these terrifying
events, and I admit that I soon
began to think and argue with
people about what should be
done to ensure that this will
never occur again. I saw many
others around campus do so as
well. I will attempt to avoid
doing so, at least in the
immediate future. We have
more immediate concerns in
coming to grips with this crisis
emotionally; we cannot yet
contemplate the foreign policy
this country will pursue in 21st
century to combat international
terrorism.
While I am generally critical
of President Bush, I do not now
envy President Bush’s position.
It is a difficult one, to say the
least. It is a burden that he and
other public officials must carry
for this country. They have all
of our best wishes, as do all
those affected directly or
indirectly by the tragic events of
September 11,2001.
—DAVID MONTES, HARVARD
INDEPENDENT
DETAILS VAGUE, MESSAGE
CLEAR ... What can we make of
the horrific events of September
11,2001?
A Hollywood spectacle? No.
This was not the result of
blockbuster studio wizardry.
A skillful terrorist attack?
Without a doubt.
The start of World War III?
The fear is present, but there's
one problem for seekers of
military justice... we do not
know who is responsible for the
attacks. Amidst the confusion,
one thing is certain. The
terrorists sent a crippling
message: Wake up America.
Wake up to the injustices not
only outside our country, but
those that inhabit our own land,
from embedded racism to social
cLuenauun.
Wake up to our aggressive
national bullying which
intimidates but also stirs anger
and hostility.
Wake up to the harsh reality
that we are not invincible. This
country may be the world's
strongest superpower, but it is
all the more vulnerable for it.
Americans are brought up
with the vigorous notions of
“good guys” and “bad guys.”
But the distinction isn’t always
night and day. America, for all
its democratic efforts, has
repeatedly acted in a fashion
anything but “good.”
From the overlooked,
systematic slaughter of Native
Americans to the harrowing
Japanese internment camps of
World War II, history shows
that America's fear and
misunderstanding (or was that
racism?) can lead to actions of
disgrace.
Other events outside this
country, such as the CIA's
involvement in the 1973 military
coup of Chile's government... or
the mass genocide of Rwandans
that took place under the United
States' nose in 1994, paint
equally compelling pictures of
America's shame.
We didn't deserve this
tragedy. We just shouldn't be
surprised that anyone would
want to mess with us....
Countless questions remain.
If and when the answers are
revealed, they must not be
ignored. They must act, like this
entire trauma, as tools to
protecting the people of both
this nation and the entire world
so no such heinous acts reoccur.
—EDITORIAL BOARD, TEMPLE
NEWS, TEMPLE UNIVERSITY
—COURTESY COLLEGEPUBLISHER.COM
Don’t ruin America’s beauty
CLAYTON KALE
CEKALE@HOTMAIL.COM
America’s patchwork
must not be destroyed
by cowardly attacks.
President George W. Bush
described America’s emotional
reaction to Tuesday’s attacks as
“a quiet, unyielding anger.”
President Bush’s assertion is
quite accurate. Anger is a
justifiable reaction to Tuesday’s
events. If someone were socked
in the eye without warning,
he’d be angry and would act
accordingly.
Most classes cannot get away
from discussing Tuesday’s
attacks, and rightly so. A close
friend of mine commented that
it was “definitely the biggest
thing to happen to us in our
lifetime.” Discussing the
attacks is necessary for us to
make sense of it and realize its
powerful implications. The
cable-babble networks and
print outlets are reporting that
known America-hater Osama
bin Laden is the likely master
mind behind the attacks.
America should respond
lard and fast to the attacks, and
:hey have the backing of the
najor world players to do so.
rhe United Nations has already
ragged out and pulled their
■epresentatives out of
Afghanistan, a country that has
supported and harbored bin
Laden in the past. All signs
point to a counterattack.
As with any fight, it is
expected that emotions will run
nigh, both here and abroad. As
i consequence, when emotions
ran high, people say and do
:hings without fully under
standing the implications or
jven what they are saying.
According to news reports,
rar likely enemy is going to be a
'ollower of Islam. According to
lews reports, our enemy is
?oing to be Arabic. That’s the
way the cards fall. In the minds
if bin Laden and his followers,
the United States is an evil
imperialistic nation full of
heathens and their attack was a
noble and brave act.
Reports also suggest a
number of calls with hateful
messages have been made to
Islamic organizations in the
U.S., whicMs wrong and
bullheaded. It is important for
ill Americans to remember that
those who carried out the
attacks against the U.S. are not
the run-of-the-mill Arabs or
Muslims. They are followers of
a zealot and are fanatics in their
beliefs. It would be foolish to
associate the behavior of the
attackers and their supporters
with a skin color or creed.
America is a patchwork of all
colors, eye-shapes, religious
beliefs and practices. Everyone
who has come to America came
here because they believe it’s
the best place in the world to be.
In no way should anyone be
discriminated against because
they have dark skin or because
they follow the teachings of
Mohammed.
If bin Laden’s followers are
on American so'il and attempt
acts of sabotage, leave it to the
authorities and the justice
system for trial and punish
ment. America made the
mistake during World War II to *
round up and incarcerate
Japanese Americans for the
simple reason that they looked
like the enemy. This provides
only a false sense of security.
The real enemy is abroad, and
our anger should be focused
there.
The beauty of America is
that it’s a place where
neighbors can, with relative
quiet and understanding, hold
differing views and beliefs. A .
cowardly attack shouldn’t
destroy our relationships with
Americans who.share the same
God as the attackers. Doing so
would break the foundation of
American ideals, specifically
the freedom of thought and
religion, and that was the real
objective of the terrorist
aggressors.
Muslims do not
condone attacks
ALISYED
PRESIDENT. MUSLIM STUDENTS
ASSOCIATION
America’s patchwork
must not be destroyed
by cowardly attacks.
On behalf of the Muslim
Students Association, I would
like to convey a message of
friendship and unity. It was
truly a sad and mournful day
when we all witnessed the
tragedies in New York,
Washington and
Pennsylvania; a day which
devastated people all across
the world. Our best prayers
are with these individuals
who have been victimized,
and we would like to convey
our condolences to their
families and friends.
As the world knows, people
are tying this terrorist act of
betrayal and cowardice to the
faith of Islam and its
followers. Islam, meaning
complete submission to God,
is a religion of peace and
mercy. To those who are not
aware of Islamic history, our
religion was actually a
revolution that brought
human rights, the liberation
of women and peace among
nations. The Prophet
Muhammad (may peace be
upon him) used to prohibit
soldiers from killing women,
children, elderly men and
unarmed men. He would
advise them: “Do not betray,
do not be excessive, do not kill
a newborn child.”
Islam, a religion that
billions of people follow,
teaches:
God does not forbid you
from showing kindness and
dealing justly with those who
have not fought you about
religion and have not driven
you out of your homes. God
loves just dealers. (Quran,
60:8)
In essence, Islam is a faith
of peace with oneself and
others. In fact, the word Islam
is derived from the Arabic
word salam, meaning peace.
The act of inciting terror in
the hearts of defenseless
civilians; the wholesale
destruction of buildings and
properties; and the bombing
and maiming of innocent
men, women and children are
all forbidden and detestable
acts according to Islam and
the Muslims. Muslims follow a
religion of peace, mercy and
forgiveness, and the vast
majority has nothing to do
with the violent events that
some have associated with
Muslims. If an individual
Muslim were to commit an act
of terrorism, this person would
be guilty of violating the laws
of Islam.
In closing, I would like to
thank The Gamecock, Office of
International Programs and
the campus community for
their warmth and sensitivity
in this trying time for our
association.
*
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