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Page 2 The Blue Banner September 12,2002 Opinions Blue Banner Editormi : We Never Should Forget : We would like to commend those professors who : realized the importance of remembering the events that occurred on Sept. 11. Many UNCA professors : cancelled class or let their students out early, so we : could deal with the feelings the terrorists have forced upon us. t Obviously, we were not simply happy about hav- > ing a class cancelled because that seems a little trivial at this point. We were able to go to our homes and t watch the memorial events that occurred at Ground t Zero. The events were more educational than any > lecture in Humanities, or any other class, ever could I be. i Watching these events brought a true sense of I patriotism to all of us. There were ceremonies all day, I and while it was painful to watch the family mem- I bers of the 2,801 people who died in the World ; Trade Center, it was hopeful to see how people, j Americans, were standing together to support our country. \ There was a quote hung on one building near Ground Zero that read, “The human spirit is not measured by the size of the act, but by the size of the heart.” That is the way in which Americans should ' look at these events. We all grieve for those who died, but we also celebrate those who survived. At the risk of sounding like President Bush, we need to stand by our nation now more than ever. We all need to take into account that we really are a lucky people. We have freedoms and rights many other nations around the world do not have the privalege of having. Although our government has its faults, and we all know it has a lot of faults, we need to support our government in whatever decisions it makes now and in the upcoming months. Many Americans believe we should find Osama Bin Laden and kick his a**, and others think we should initiate a less violent approach to solve the problem. Either way you look at the problem, America is going to prevail over terrorists. We may all have to sacrifice a bit in order for justice to be served. Some of us have loved ones in Afghanestan, and we may have to pay a little more for the price of gasoUne. But, isn’t it worth it to be able to support our country? Perhaps we, the editorial board, are looking at this situation a little too optimisticly, but perhaps opti mism is what the people and government of our country need right now. So, during this time of reflection and remembrance, we should try to sup port our country as mush as possible. Please, never forget those who died on that dread ful day last year. Sept. 11 will be a part of our history we should remember and respect. And, thank you to those professors who allowed us to take the time to do this. Even the smallest of things can help heal a broken heart. OOPS! We send a big apology to Whitney Setser, who works as copy editor for The Blue Banner. She was accidentally omitted from the staff list in last week’s issue. Trains, planes and automobiles Considering alternatives to airfare for air-scared Americans Morgan Kelly Columnist It’s here. The day seemed so far away a year ago, yet now, seems so soon. That’s right—the one-year anniversary of 9/11. In the past year, many things have changed in America: the way we work, our security, foreign policy and, yes, the way we travel. Consider that air travel went from the most popular form of long-distance travel (ri valed only by driving) to being pre ferred only above balloon and travel freight. Even a year later, many Ameri cans are reluctant to fly, be it be cause of intense security at airports, outrageous airfares or the fact that 9/11 is much too recent. Whatever the reason, Americans have yet to re-equate safety and efficiency with So, what options exist for the air- scared American? More signifi cantly for us, what options exist for the air-scared college student? Many students live outside a reasonable driving distance from school, while many others don’t have a car. So, This is a question I pondered deeply this past summer when I was planning to take a trip from Asheville to Bostoii. As many Americans are finding to be the case, the tickets were slightly more expensive than radical reconstruc tive surgery. From personal experi ence, I know that the 14-hour drive to Boston is slightly more painful. Desperate for alternatives, I turned to a long-forgotten form of travel - railroad. For the student, the railroad is cheaper than flying ($ 193 to Bos ton from Greensboro) and easier than driving. The railroad traveler is provided with an excellent selec tion of food from the dining car, an unlimited span of scenery and the freedom to enjoy both. Or, you could just sleep through it all, like I did. But, all is not wonderful in a train world. For one thing, train travel is far from glamorous. The cars are cramped cans of flesh overseen by conductors, who an swer the question ofwhat happened to high school bullies after gradua tion. These people believe that fear is the most effective tool for crowd control. The majority of train stations I encountered were little more than tool sheds haphazardly plopped in the poorest section of town. The station in Selma, NC is a singlewide trailer sitting at a gravity-defying acute angle, while Greensboro’s pasty, cinderblock station has the equivalent charm of a Soviet-era House of Barium Enemas. I also do not recommend train travel if time is an issue. In fact, I advise against wearing a watch. I wore mine, and nearly lost my mind because of how slowly the time passed. Besides, rarely going above .08 mph, trains are subject to all the ground obstacles of a car, but a train cannot drive on the sidewalk or median to avoid them. Brush fire? Delay. Bridge out? Delay. British lady dumps hot wa ter on herself? Delay. I arrived in Boston six hours late, and returned to Greensboro four hours later. See the progress. Who knows, maybe if you travel by train, you’ll arrive early? There are perks. Trains run through the heart of every city, village and hamlet, intimately ac quainting the traveler with areas air and interstate travel are designed to avoid. Watching the landscape change from rural to urban, from north to south at 25 mph, provides a rare opportunity to witness and appreciate American diversity from the perspective of a depressed sloth trapped in a jar of Thorzaine. In one day, I saw the quaint wealth of Alexandria, VA, and Fredericksburg, MD, as well as the predominantly black poverty of Garysburg, NC. You can also get good advice on trains. In the dining car, a heavy-set musician, who managed to get half of his lunch on my lap, told me, “If you can do something you enjoy for a living, you’re fortunate.” I’m not sure whether he was referring to music or eating, but that doesn't make his words any less profound. Try getting that kind of wisdom from someone hollering at you from a passing car on the interstate. Okay, so perhaps, train travel is not the best alternative to air travel, but for me, like most Americans, it is still too soon to get back on a plane. The odds that anything simi lar to the 9/11 tragedy will happen soon are slim. That it will happen on my particular flight are even smaller. Regardless, now that I know the possibility exists, that it can and has happened, I will continue search ing for that safe alternative, even if I have to endure 24 hours of endless clacking to find it. The Blue Banner welcomes submissions of letters and articles for publication. Letters should not exceed 300 words. Letters for publication should also contain the author’s signature, classification, major or other relationship with UNCA. Sorry, we will not accept submissions of anonymous letters to the editor. The deadline for letters is noon on Tuesday. If you have a submission, you may send it to The Blue Banner, Karpen 244, One University Heights, Asheville N.C. 28804 or to banner@unca.edu. Please include your name, contact information, classification and major/position. THOMAS R. PICKERING FOREIGN AFFAIRS FELLOWSHIP (for college sophomores) This program provides undergraduate and graduate funding to students interested in intemation studies and careers in the United States Department of State Foreign Service. The fellowship award includes tuition, room, board, and mandatory fees during the junior and senior years of college and during the first year of graduate study with reimbursement for books and one round-trip travel. The Fellow must commit to pursuing a gradu ate degree in international studies. For more information see their Web site. Applications are available online beginning in November. For more information, contact Doug Jones at 251-6607. Or, e-mail djones@unca.edu. MITCHELL SCHOLARSHIP (for graduate study in Ireland) George J. Mitchell Scholarships were established to broaden the knowledge of Irish culture and social values in students who will become leaders in the United States. Scholars are eligible to attend an institution of higher learning in the Republic of Ireland or in Northern Ireland. Prospective scholars must have a demonstrated record of intellectual distinction, leadership, and extra-curricular activity. There are no restrictions as to academic field of study, though the proposed course of study must be available at the university selected by the applicant. Scholars receive tuition and housing; in addition each scholar receives a stipend of $11,000. Qualifications: must be a U.S. citizen and have received a Bachelor's degree by the time you take the scholarship. Application Deadline: October 10 Web Address: http://www.us-irelandalliance.org/ mitchell/index.html For more information, contact Doug Jones at 251- 6607 for more information. Or, e-mail djones@unca.edu. The Fall Blue Banner 2002 Staff Rachel Grumpier Editor-in-Chief Ed Fickle News Editor Hollie Childers Sports Editor Whitney Setser Copy Editor Emily Moe Business Manager Elizabeth Moe Managing Editor Advertising Manager Stuart Gaines Features Editor J.R Ammons Photo Editor Jason McGill Circulation Manager GJ. Eland Online Editor Ben Stewart Assistant Online Editor Mark West Faculty Advisor To contact any editor, call 251-6586. Or e-mail banner@unca.edu
University of North Carolina at Asheville Student Newspaper
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Sept. 12, 2002, edition 1
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