Monday October 8, 2001

This column was affected yesterday morning by the attacks on Afghanistan. It was to be written about the war that's going on within the university neighborhood, but the theme was broadened when the United States, Great Britain and other allies waged war yesterday morning on Afghanistan targets. You and I, as accomplices to our elected government, sent B1, B2 and B52 bombers to attack military targets, but as I write this, no one has reported any deaths. But there was a horrifying report in Tucson on Wednesday that has been verified.

The questions keep playing and replaying in my mind. Were civilians killed? Or worse, did any Northern Alliance members die during our air strikes? These members, working nearly since the time in which we - the United States - instituted the Taliban government, have been fighting the oppression experienced by the Afghanistan people.

The irony! Death by irony!

But we can't control what was started on Sept. 11. Osama bin Laden began this phase of the violence, and a response by the U.S. government was inevitable. President George W. Bush also gave warning. He demanded that the Taliban release foreign nationals, close training camps and hand over al al Qaeda leaders. Judging by the flood of Afghanistan refugees into Pakistan, at least the country knew what was coming. Now, students will sit and wait and pray that this will pass quickly and with as little death as possible. There's little more we can do.

But there is a war that we can help control. There is a war being waged within our very own university neighborhood that must come to an immediate end. Two violent attacks against UA female students occurred in the bright and shiny daylight on Wednesday. Around 9 a.m., a young man broke into a home on Adams Street. The resident was able to remove him from the home before she was seriously injured. Four hours later, a young man broke into a home in the same area. But he succeeded in a sexual assault. Police have reported that the victim sustained significant physical injury but have released little else.

These attacks are nothing new. The large neighborhood in the area of Mountain Avenue and Grant Road has been experiencing dozens of break-ins, which in the recent weeks have advanced to intentional break-ins where the perpetrators allegedly know that females are inside. The Neighborhood Association had been begging for months for increased security - tired of petty robberies. But in-home assaults are another matter all together.

On Thursday, the Wildcat interviewed witnesses who said one of the victims escaped after a sexual assault and an attack with a knife. The suspect was described as male between the ages of 20-30, thin- to medium build with blondish-red hair. Violence has hit home.

It's time for the university community to respond. UA female students have the right to feel safe and comfortable around campus and in surrounding neighborhoods. The community can aid in that goal. While females living alone should be wary of their surroundings when entering their homes, students living in a group should also be concerned. Brett Klein of the Tucson Police Department made the excellent comment that often a student living in a group will make the assumption that another roommate has made sure to lock doors or shut windows. Roommates have an added responsibility of looking after one another's safety that is often overlooked.

And to finally make the last preachy comment - here comes the broken record. Don't walk alone.

Call Safe Ride at 621-SAFE, if on campus, or use and abuse friendships when needed. Your friends would rather be slightly irritated to escort you rather than see you become the next victim.

Step it up UA, and look out for one another. We've just begun a war a million miles away that we will watch on CNN. We are removed from the horror. But there is much to be done on our own campus. The victim on Wednesday had a caring neighbor across the street to run to after she escaped. Take the opportunity to cross the street and introduce yourself after classes today. Next time you could be the Samaritan in a time of need. Or you could be the one looking for help.