The office of the Chaplain is sponsoring a campus-wide day of reflection March 11 to mark the six-month anniversary of the terrorist attacks and to give the campus community an opportunity to focus on the meaning Sept 11’s events and assess the way everything, from our community to the world, has changed.
While most of us have mostly returned to our routines, we must not forget the lives lost in the Sept. 11 tragedy, and the lives that are subsequently still being lost in Afghanistan.
If war is the lasting legacy of Sept.11, we have not learned anything. If we cope with destruction by killing people, we are contributing to a climate of violence.
However, if the US actions against terrorism bring palpable changes and foster an environment where peace can thrive, we will show the people who sought our destruction that we are strong and are able to strengthen the world.
The tide of campus activism and protest has ebbed since the fall, yet the war in Afghanistan continues. Whether this change is a result of disenchantment or of boredom, the fact remains that our participation in the anti-war cause had died down as the shock of Sept. 11 has subsided.
It is important to remember the terrorist attacks because of our potential ability to affect their continued outcome through protest and vigilance.
There must be a swift end to military actions in Afghanistan and a renewed effort at bringing humanitarian aid to a desolate people. With the Taliban deposed, we must be strong proponents of Afghanistan’s new interim government, helping them acquire the resources they need to govern effectively, fairly, and peacefully.
We must also remember that as long as we are at war, more Americans are effectively becoming victims of Sept. 11.
