September 19, 2001
Meredith Herald
Second Opinion
Attacks teach everyone to be strong
3H Jackson into my mind. How would I have felt? It is the weeks to come. I am certain other hish officia
Ava Leigh Jackson
Sialf Reporter
n The news clips
will still replay, but
the aftermath of the
attacks are making
us a stronger nation.
The hairs on my arms still
stand up as I watch the slow
motion videos of the hijacked
planes hitting the World Trade
Center and the Pentagon last
week.
I’ve seen those same clips
time after time on the news -
people falling out of the build
ings, bursts of flames after the
planes hit and towers
collapsing.
It is all permanently imprinted
into my mind.
I keep asking myself who
could have such low regard for
human life? Who could be so
cold-hearted to kill so many
innocent people?
The suicide bombers were the
smartest ones in this
attack. They don’t^_^^^_
have to live with the
consequences of
killing so many peo
ple, while those who
stood behind the
scenes and support
ed this terrorist act
will forever have
this on their con
science — .that is. if they have
one.
I try to imagine that one of
the thousands killed was a fam
ily member or friend of mine.
How would I have felt? It is
such a hard concept to grasp
that I have permanently given
up on that.
All I try to do now is help in
any way I can—giving blood,
donations, prayers or just calls
‘The suicide bombers were the
smartest ones in the attack. They
don^t have to live with the conse
quences of killing so many people..
to say everything is going well
to my family and friends.
In the aftermath of this hor
rific tragedy, I had to go home
last week to see my family. In
The Campus Forum
Degrees cannot
be bought
Dear Editor;
I was excited to receive mail
from the President of our
esteemed college. Moreover. I
was so smitten by all of the
accolades listed on page one of
her September 2001 “State of
the College Address," I found
it difficult to proceed to page
two. However, the proverbial
pat on the back was soon
thwarted by the stinging slap of
yet another tuition increase
outlined on page three.
As a 35-year-old wife and
mother, I am only able to
attend Meredith on a part-time
basis. When (enrolled in 1997,
it was a bit of a strain on my
budget, costing only half as
much as it does now. but my
family generously sacrificed
fK my pursuit of a lifelong
dream.
I am reminded of the orien
tation speech, in which Ann
Gleason, 23+ Dean of Stu
dents. remarked. “Do not tell
me that so-and-so professor
gave you a C or a D in his/her
class. At Meredith, grades
aren’t given away-they're
earned.”
I was moved but not intimi
dated by this challenging
remark regarding the hard
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work that lay ahead. After four
teen years of scraping and
clawing to climb the corporate
ladder, without the advantage
of a college degree, I knew the
importance of education.
In the same vein, I am not
convinced that the "bold new
initiatives’’ outlined in Presi
dent Hanford’s letter will
"greatly enhance the value of
(my impending] degree."
I chose Meredith because of
its commitment to liberal arts
and traditional values. Ef [ had
wanted to excel in mathemat
ics. science, or technology. I
would have surely chosen a
less expensive institution that
is renowned in these fields and
only a short distance down the
road.
It seems to me that Mered
ith's "competitive edge” and
“national prominence” are
directly linked to the inflation
the weeks to come. I am certain
that everyone wilt feel more
compelled to talk with their
families and tell them how
much they mean to them. As
I’ve been forced to realize this
week, you never know when
someone close to
you will be taken
away.
I'm still thanking
God for saving me
from the same grief
as those who were
in the buildings dur
ing the attacks and
those who have lost
loved ones because
this.
Knowing that my country and
freedom have been violated is
enough for me.
But as President Bush and
of
other high officials talk of war.
I'm coping with the idea that
there is a strong possibility that
I could very well have some
one close to me taken away.
Though we all wish this were
over and those responsible
were found, we must stay
strong and realize that it isn’t
over yet.
America has come together in
a way many believed would
never happen.
Those who attacked Amedca
thought they would break our
country, break our way of life.
But I’m sure they have now
realized that their actions
resulted in the complete oppo
site. We stand united now,
stronger than ever.
of tuition.
If I pay twice as much
tuition and receive my degree
in 2003, will it really be 100%
more valuable than the degree
my sister received from Mered
ith in 1993?
Will it be 50% more valu
able than when I enrolled at
Meredith?
I am ail for improvement,
but the implementation of these
new initiatives are a bit too
“bold” for my checkbook. As
far as national rankings are
concerned, I tend to agree with
Emerson’s thoughts in Self-
Reliance, which says, “1 am
ashamed to think how easily
we capitulate to badges and
names.”
I suggest we go back to the
initial objective, which recog
nizes that the value of one’s
degree is earned through dili
gence and commitment—
virtues that build character and
which cannot be bought.
Sincerely,
Terri Howell, sophomore
TT
Meredith Herald
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