Friday October 12, 2001

It seems odd that - after a month of trying so desperately to forget - we will one day look back and try to remember. We will attempt to recall the shock, fear, confusion, rage and sense of helplessness all Americans felt the morning of Sept. 11.

We will look at photos, read books and tell stories about the day that forever changed the lives of all Americans, in one way or another.

And when that day comes, the University of Arizona's own snapshot of time - the "Wall of Expression" that stood on the UA Mall and withstood rain and intense heat for 29 days - should be available to view.

Currently, the wall sits somewhat unceremoniously in storage, according to UA officials, until someone decides what to do with it.

It's obvious what UA officials should do with the wall - put it up where students, faculty and members of the campus community can see it when they want a quiet moment of reflection or a quick reminder of the way a country and campus can come together in times of crisis.

Put it where Republicans, Democrats and Independents can see it when they feel their side is the only way. Put it where the old can go when they begin to think college students are incapable of independent thought. Put it where the young can go to be reminded that freedom often costs quite a lot.

The UA library is the perfect place for the wall. In a way, the brick building situated in the heart of campus already has a certain shrine-like quality to it. It's a quiet place dedicated to the learning experience and contains books and materials - the very essence of perspective - that are often the lifeblood of an informed public.

Some people on campus, both students and faculty members, believe the wall should be put away for good because it contains radical, often nonsensical ramblings. That is inexcusable.

Refusing to display the wall because of a few curse words or the phrase "bin Laden likes the Backstreet Boys" would be tantamount to keeping it in storage forever. Our words on the wall - whether they were insightful, funny, mean-spirited, heart-breaking, liberal, conservative, bizarre or just flat-out offensive - reflect the myriad feelings of members of the campus community displayed in the middle of one of the nation's toughest times. The wall, in its entirety, should be available for public viewing immediately and in perpetuity, just in case one day - when the United States is again at peace - we want to remember.