Page 10
FORUM
Feb. 9, 2007
www.guilfordian.com
Greensboro. N.C.
Palestinian student(s) express gratitude for the
Guilford community’s response to the Bryan incident
Ebony and ivory live to
gether in perfect harmony...
There is good and bad in
everyone.
We learn to live, we learn
to give
Each other what we need to
survive together alive.
-Paul McCartney
My side of the "story"
has not been told. As a Pal
estinian, I am expected to
feel disappointed, angry
and unsafe at Guilford, yet
events that have occurred
these past few weeks have
made it clear to me that I be
long here.
"Guilford and the sur
rounding communities have
been very caring and help
ful," said Palestinian stu
dent Paris Khader. "Their
support helped us handle
this situation much better
than we would have alone. I
am so thankful for this com
munity."
Since I was not a witness
of the Bryan incident, I will
not make any statements re
garding it, nor will I share
any preconceived notions or
draw any conclusions about
the incident itself.
Many of us like to believe
that as a Quaker school that
preaches diversity, peace,
equality, and non-violence,
Guilford is, or should be, an
embodiment of the dream
of "Ebony and Ivory."
Over the past few weeks,
this idealistic perception of
Guilford has proven to be a
myth and has forced many
to face the realities of racism
and violence all over the
world.
It is naive to believe that,
since this is a Quaker school,
all students, professors and
staff members are accept
ing and peaceful, because
racism and prejudices are a
part of every community.
The reality of racism is
inevitable, and I have not
yet known of a place that is
free from prejudices or hate.
Expecting such perfection
is, at the least, unfair to the
Guilford community.
I, too, believe that I
should have the right to live
in an anti-racist, non-violent
environment, but when we
expect perfection from this
community, we will be dis
mayed and disappointed.
Furthermore, occurrenc
es that confirm Guilford's
vulnerability will weaken
us as a community if we do
not expect them and active
ly seek to cure the root of
the problem
by making it
our respon
sibility to be
prejudice-
free in all cir
cumstances.
I'm sure
that some of
us are closer
to making
this dream a
reality than
others. But
the truth
is that as
"racists" or
"non-racists," we share the
same reality, and it is time
to stop labeling others and
ourselves.
"This incident should not
hurt the relationships be
tween students, especially
athletes and non-athletes,"
Ignorance and
fear are the roots
of racism. If we
alienate ourselves
from those who
have racist senti
ments ... we con
tribute greatly to
the creation of a
communication
harrier between
and “them.”
Khader said.
"We should not judge
people based on their social
group," said fellow Pales
tinian student Osama Sab-
bah. "A person's character is
what matters."
When any incident of rac
ism occurs, it is very easy to
point fingers
“us”
and blame a
certain side
because they
are "racists,"
after all. Not
only does this
not help solve
the problem,
but also this
makes ev
eryone of us
who judges
them a hypo
crite.
Ignorance
and fear are
the roots of racism. If we
alienate ourselves from
those who have racist senti
ments (keep m mind, I am
not referring to anyone in
particular), we allow them
to hate, and we contribute
greatly to the creation of a
communication barrier be
tween "us" and "them."
I, like everyone else, am
not free from prejudices,
and I will openly admit
that the Bryan incident and
some responses angered me
and made me feel unwel
come here. Then I realized
that bitterness and anger are
counterproductive.
Once I made it a point
to overlook some negative
aspects of this community,
I noticed a great amount of
positive characteristics that
make the Guilford commu
nity special. Therefore, sav
ing the face of Guilford is
unnecessary, because Guil
ford and what the students
stand for are clearer now
than ever before.
Where else does a diverse
group of students unite in a
peace vigil? Where else do
individuals make it their
responsibility to better the
environment around them?
Where else are students
so eager to hear "the other
side"? Where else do people
from opposite sides feel
closer after expressions of
hate?
I'm sure these responses
exist elsewhere, but we
must never take them for
granted. I cannot speak
for the administrative pro
cesses (I have not dealt with
them directly to completely
trust their commitment to
fairness, etc.), but as for
the Guilford community, I
generally see individuals
who are loving, caring, and
warm.
"I hope that this incident
will raise awareness in Guil
ford," Khader said. "And
that we can all work togeth
er and learn from past expe
riences, so we can promote
peace and love in our com
munity."
Bad things happen, but
we shouldn't be too quick to
judge the offenders because,
after all, there is good and
bad in everyone, or in the
words of Quakers every
where, I truly and ardently
believe that "There is that of
God in everyone."
Deena Zaru
The dangers of 24
Jack Bauer's back on the job for truth, justice and Fox's ratings
Reid Cranfill | Staff Writer
Cracks of gunfire, the
beat of rolling drums and
nuclear explosions in my
living room can only mean
that Jack is back.
If Jerry Bruckheimer
produced "Die Hard,"
he'd end up with the show
24. Each hour is a violent,
stylishly directed guilty
pleasure that never backs
down. Every week. Jack
Bauer and counter terror
ists somehow avert immi
nent terrorist attacks - at
any cost. Jack will shoot
an innocent woman, tor
ture his own brother, or
bite out a guard's throat at
the drop of a hat to get the
job done.
The show grabs you
like a cheap date and is
so addictive it should
come with a prescription.
This could be a problem,
because no matter what
you do, you should never,
ever, take 24 too seriously.
24 touches on some
very sensitive issues with
the sort of false sensitivity
Fox thrives on.
From Jack's black-pris
on-style tortures to intern
ment camps for Islamic
Americans, the show deals
with very poignant prob
lems in American society
with as much subtlety as
Bruce Campbell perform
ing an appendectomy with
a chainsaw.
Each prefabricated
character runs the wheel
of their stereotype for
most of the show, no mat
ter how black the plot of
24 or how close it hits to
home. Either a change in
plot, or an impromptu
speech by the president
to his advisors, leaves us
feeling assuaged of all
remorse - and certainly
never responsible for the
things in the world of 24
that reflect our own.
In Jack Bauer's Amer
ica, our enemies have in
filtrated every level of
our society. A mushroom
cloud over Valencia jus
tifies all actions by the
state to keep us safe, the
Constitution be damned.
Without the will of Jack
Bauer to keep us safe, the
terrorists surely would
have already won.
That is a dangerous,
scary line of thinking for
anyone to take seriously.
But wait. What WMDs?
What terror attacks? Jack
Bauer's America has had
two black presidents who
actually listen to their in
telligence advisors. The
government instantly re
sponds to massive national
catastrophes with enough
manpower. The show may
seem realistic and gritty,
but it's not an honest eval
uation of America for bet
ter or ill.
Like a funhouse mirror,
the show's warped reflec
tion of America is funny
more than it is tragic.
24 is best taken with
a big grain of salt - and
maybe a shot of tequila.
Despite its Monday night
time slot, the 24 drinking
game remains popular,
and the Internet is full of
Chuck Norris-style jokes
like, "If Jack Bauer's gun
jams, it's because he wants
to beat you with it." Be
neath the cheap veneer of
Illustration by Charlie Clay
it’s a bird, IT’s a plane, IT’s anti-terrorist Jack Bauer from the incongruous hit show 24.
hot-button issues, 24 still
stays true to being a guy's
action TV show - and
should be given the same
gravity as an episode of
Walker, Texas Ranger.
Somewhere next Mon
day, someone will be tak
ing 24 too seriously. Once
Jack's done defusing a
suitcase bomb, we'll have
him stop by to change
their minds -they're ruin
ing the fun for the rest of
us.