Thursday October 11, 2001

The attacks on Sept. 11 were the most terrible and successful terrorist acts this nation has suffered. But now that the United States and Great Britain have initiated retaliatory airstrikes against Afghanistan, many Americans fear more terrorist attacks loom.

In hopes of coordinating U.S. efforts to defend against and respond to terrorism, President Bush created a new Cabinet-level position. Former Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge was sworn in Monday as director of Homeland Defense. Some argue that there is no need for a new Cabinet position, while others support Bush's decision as a necessary step toward protecting American soil.

Some believe terrorism is at work again in the U.S. South. A man in Florida died of a rare strain of Anthrax. The Anthrax germ was found in the nostril of another man, and a third case inflicting a woman was reported yesterday. Anthrax is considered a realistic tool of bio-terrorism. Many believe these incidents suggest terrorists have already struck back.

Whether terrorism brings crop-dusters blanketing our cities with Anthrax, influenza or small pox, another airplane hijacking, or something more terrible, the United States is doing its best to limit the ability of terrorists to strike again. However, there is no way to know when or how terrorists may attack. For this reason, America is nervous, paranoid and possibly terrorized.

Take a deep breath, America

On Monday, I was walking south through the underpass beneath East Speedway Boulevard. I noticed two officers ahead of me inspecting something on the ground. My heart thumped. My mind raced with possibilities.

I noticed one officer poke something with the toe of his shoe. He seemed confused and unusually cautious. I saw what he was inspecting - a white powdery substance in the grout of the walkway. Anthrax, I thought. I've heard the reports. It was possibly sent in the mail to that unfortunate man in Boca Raton, Fla. Is this Anthrax? Seems like a reasonable place to plant it - lots of people around, poor ventilation. Why not?

I held my breath as I passed the officers - much like what we as Americans have been doing for weeks now, holding our breaths in fear and anticipation.

Every time we drop a bomb we consider what the terrorists could do. Every time we hear a plane flying low we pause, realizing its capability. Terrorists could attack at any time with any number of terrible tools, and there is nothing we can do.

Some people are buying gas masks; others are stockpiling antidotes for plagues that could be released in our communities. And although I see the paranoia in myself, I make fun of these people. Folks have acted like this for years. People built bomb shelters during the Cold War, militias horded weapons in remote corners of Idaho and people scrambled to grocery stores to stockpile soup cans preceding the turn of the millennium. This is no different. And once again, there is no reason to let paranoia get the best of us.

More than anything, this country - more than it needs to racially profile people who look Arabian, tap phones or fear weapons of mass destruction - needs to take a deep breath.

Cory Spiller is a history and creative writing senior. He can be reached at letters@wildcat.arizona.edu.

Where the hell is the vice president?

Congratulations. Americans have become human again.

The September attacks on U.S. ground made many of us realize how mortal we are. Life isn't like a twisted video game after-all.

Boom. The fat lady has sung. Play again?

Sure we are scared. And we have every right to be. When you watch the World Trade Center fall a bazillion times, then witness a huge U.S. Air Force plane fly over the UA at about 1,000 feet, you kind of freak out.

But, I also believe the corporate media and federal administration are taking advantage of the collective fear-induced paranoia of America to make money and promote the "war on terrorism."

Yet recently, the word "paranoia" has been placed in our mouths again and again. President Bush has made us feel scared by creating the new Department of Homeland Defense. Osama bin Laden told us through video that "America is full of fear from its north to its south, from its west to its east." Anthrax is on the front page of every newspaper though nothing has been proven. And where the hell is the vice president?

I was at Coffee Plantation on University Boulevard this morning. I was supposed to be studying for an organic chemistry test. But instead, I was looking through the gift-card shelf. I found a quote written anonymously on a card and, if you will, take it with you - you know, when we are all hiding in our basements with gas masks and canned food.

"Worrying does not empty tomorrow of its troubles; it empties today of its strength."

Jessica Lee is an environmental science junior. She can be reached at letters@wildcat.arizona.edu.

Maybe we just need more time

While common-sense measures - many of which were never enforced - are now being taken at airports and sporting events, there are still a lot of people on edge after what happened last month. As long ago as it may seem, it has only been a month to the day that the World Trade Center towers, four commercial airliners and the Pentagon were attacked. And people are still attempting to get a grip on the situation.

It's only natural that paranoia would overcome America after these events. It's true that America has been immune to terrorist attacks of this magnitude in the past, but what happened on Sept. 11 was unprecedented anywhere in the world, ever. That never-before-questioned feeling of self-security is gone forever, and unfortunately, the resulting fear and security precautions play right into that bin Laden punk's hand.

He knew this would happen.

But I suppose we shouldn't care what he thinks. It's sad that it took what happened last month for airlines to get serious about security, but it is a positive reaction nonetheless. After all, nearly all of us agree - with the possible exception of our beloved peacenik population here at the University of Arizona - that America needs to respond to the attacks. Doing nothing is far riskier than taking action, be it military action overseas or practical security measures here at home.

Is it good to be paranoid? No. Is it good to do nothing? No. Maybe we just need a little more time to find that niche somewhere between the two extremes.

Shane Dale is a political science sophomore. He can be reached at letters@wildcat.arizona.edu.

Rational and irrational reactions

Trying to uncover the motives behind the Sept. 11 attacks only causes hurt and frustration. We've all been witnesses to this by reading letters to the editor and the "Wall of Expression" on campus. However, politics and emotions aside, there is always one motivating factor behind every act of terrorism: the desire to strike fear into the heart of the victim.

The attacks worked damned well on me.

My boyfriend loves to fly and does it often. In fact, Sunday, following the first U.S. attacks against Afghanistan, he left New York City after a visit with his brother. After hearing repeatedly from the media that al-Qaida would continue terrorism if we retaliated, I worried the entire day.

But then again, I have always been afraid of flying.

This kind of dichotomy, perhaps shared by many of us, should lead us to analyze our paranoia.

A guy starts spraying chemicals at you on a subway in Washington, D.C. (as happened yesterday), and you calmly and quickly move your fellow passengers and yourself the hell out of there. That is rational. But withdrawing your entire savings account and putting it under your mattress, that is irrational.

Witnessing federal agents remove an armed passenger from a plane and deciding to postpone your own trip - rational. Cutting off all contact with family outside Arizona because you won't ever fly again - irrational. I need to remind myself of this often.

Feeling a little nervous at the site of the armed agents at big events like UA football games - rational. Wearing a gas mask around campus - irrational.

Come on folks, Americans have plenty of issues as it is. Don't let terrorism handicap you with paranoia as well.

Laura Winsky is a senior majoring in Spanish and political science. She can be reached at letters@wildcat.arizona.edu.

Polka music means business as usual

Are we terrorized? Maybe a little, but it's not much more than ever before. We've been terrorized by broadcast news and those god-awful newsmagazines for years. Ever since I can remember.

I mean, how many times has "Dateline" or "20/20" run stories about germs in common household objects or products that maybe, possibly, hold a one-in-a-million chance of killing us if we use them wrong? A lot of times.

Reports like these only lead us to fear everything around us, and the terrorism scare is just another log for their fire. The terrorist scare, whether it involves more airplanes, bombs, Anthrax, smallpox or whatever, is the fuel that these television programs wait and prepare for to send the few of us who buy it over the obsessive-compulsive edge.

So yes, I think some people are genuinely scared, and some people are genuinely terrorized, but it's the same people that are scared to poop in public toilets or drink water from water fountains. And it's the news magazines' fault. For the most part, Americans have returned to business as usual. For the most part, we have not directly felt an effect to world issues, and we're going about our lives the same way we always have.

Why just yesterday, I sat in the grass on the Mall and watched two men in medieval costumes beat each other with large, ornate sticks while listening to polka music coming from the nearby stage. What a country. What a life. God bless America.

Zack Armstrong is a creative writing senior. He can be reached at letters@wildcat.arizona.edu.