A call for arms

Then: Technician Staff Editorial September 12, 2001

In the wake of Tuesday’s heinous attacks, we must await our nation’s search for justice and we must not attack those who are not guilty.

“Victories will be realized by the assassin only if he can succeed in creating hatred and lawlessness, for vengeance sake, in good men who loved justice and loved  men.”

Written yesterday, those words would have served as an astonishment to a nation of angry witnesses to the terrorism that racked New York City and Washington,  D.C . Tuesday.

They were, however written in these very pages on Nov. 25, 1963, in a letter to the editor written by Garland  McAdoo . Their age, 38 years, does not lessen their relevance or impact.

Many in the media are referring to what happened yesterday in New York City, Pittsburg and Washington as the new terrorism or the new warfare.

But to those of a certain generation—our generation—the tactics are the only thing new about yesterday’s attack. Those of us in college today have grown up in the era of the pregnable American—we have seen our federal building burn, our trade centers fall, our students shot down in their schools. It has left us weary of terrorism—both from within and without—but no less sensitive to its toll.

It’s for that reason that we must bear that sensitive and share it, feeling unselfconsciously the range of emotions that such a tragedy creates: anger, extreme grief, empathy for those lost and those who lost them.

What we must not do, however, is vent that anger on those among us who may share links—cultural or otherwise—with those we believe responsible. There is no certainty about who perpetrated Tuesday’s heinous acts; what is certain is that no one among our  N.C . State community had anything to do with them.

The assassin has struck. Whether we will value justice or allow that assassin to create lawlessness and hate is in our hands. 

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Look how far we’ve come

Now: September 12, 2011

This editorial was published the day after the attack on September 11, 2001 urging the N.C . State community to fight for justice, and to not blame those not guilty.

If the college students of ten years ago were weary of terrorism, then the ones of today should have accepted acts of terrorism as a heinous fact of life. However, nothing could be father from the truth.

As we have grown up, terrorism has been the most talked about, hot button issue in society. We have heard of the crimes and witnessed the devastation from their wake. We have seen the war on terror and the ones we love go to combat it. We were relieved as Saddam Hussein was removed from power and cheered as Osama bin Laden was assassinated.

However, the very piece of discrimination this column attempted to prevent was carried out and has build up an even greater divide between Middle Eastern descended citizens and the rest of American citizens.

The 9/11 attack and war on terror it incited, has brought many American citizens to believe those of Middle Eastern descent are the enemy; however, like any radical sect of a religion or ideology its members will go the extreme to have their message heard, regardless of the morality of the message.

These discriminations have weakened our nation and should be put to an end. This column hits the nail on the head when it says, “we must not attack those who are not guilty.”

The tenth anniversary of September 11 th is not to be remembered as the day our nation was weakened, but rather how far we have come since that horrific day.

This editorial challenges us, as students, American citizens and human beings to think about our reaction to this heinous crime. Saying the power of the attack is in our hands demonstrates our nation’s ability to allow such “assassins” to proceed with spreading terror, or delegate justice for the lives lost and lives impacted by the event.

I believe the past ten years has demonstrated we value justice and will not allow such acts of war to be tolerated or go with consequence. We have demonstrated we stand up for our freedom and defend the greater good. I ask that as we remember this day, which will forever live in our nation’s history, as a day we honor those fallen by defending our way of life.