Newspapers / Meredith College Student Newspaper / Oct. 31, 2001, edition 1 / Page 6
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6 Opinion THE HERALD'S VIEW vie L«vg -ioo eict SK... OH ves we oe... W6 LOV^’ •* ii&L ftuT \ CAM'T WAjri * Hftvc I To fyfewoict: ■»6«C*H* Hew M**-i TIMCS t>6 I HAve ■» gU-'(OU? C6RWHUSKIN1. '5N'T (JNnu jTTlSi OW, VM ReAvPy THE OTHER VIEW □ Bush’s newest task force will ensure Americans’ safety and basic freedoms. We all remember the moment on Sept. II when we heard the news: two planes had crashed into the World Trade Towers, another into the Penta gon and another in Pennsylva nia. Just remembering that moment brings back the feeling of shock and overwhelming fear. Within an hour we all knew the terrorists had attacked. They struck symbols of our economic power, thereby reducing Americans into a state of fear. This fear, often hiding behind the facade of everyday life, now lives in each Ameri can. Throughout these troubling times, President Bush has been a leader providing strength and comfort. He created a new Office of Homeland Security, helped make strictsr air regulations, communicated with world leaders to assure support,and called for an attack on Afghanistan. He has held America up in a time of vulner^ility consider ing at least twenty terrorists found their way into our coun try with out trouble or detec tion. They walked in, took flying lessons, bought houses and used every single libeny that we as Ainericans treasure so much. We need measures to protect innocent American citizens. To accomplish this. Presi dent Bush has set up the For eign Terrorist Tracking Task Force in order to ensure that American security will not be so easily compromised. It’s there to keep us safe. It’s there to protect. Although some are con cerned that this task force will take away some of our basic freedoms or act without restrain in interrogating inno cent people, it is designed to allow us to continue to live with the same freedom we had bef(»% Sept. II. Those freedoms are ones such as opening our mail and flying on an airplane and the freedom to not fear and the freedom to believe in our coun- try. What this task force will do is protect. It will be in the spot light as this confusion contin ues. American citizens and offi cials will be monitoring each action, each step the task force makes, to ensure the it does not take from Americans more than we are willing to give. Just like longer waits and more security in airports are a trivial inconvenience, the actions of the task force will most likely cause similar changes. Is this not worth our nation’s safety and our citizens’ sense of security? □ Xenophobia, racism and isolation- ism^ali possible results of the terrorist tracking office Bush just gave life. JC^nSMTTH Mana^ng Editor Maybe Yale does not have an American history class. Maybe if it does, George W. Bush opted not to take it. What a mistake, Mr. President. This week President Bush introduced a new committee that will make it more difficult for immigrants to obtain a visa to stay in the United States for prolonged periods of time. When asked about the possi bility of this action appearing to be an attempt to close our borders. Bush remarked that be still wanted people to come America, but he wanted to keep terrorists out. So what exactly does a ter rorist look like? Is a terrorist a man or a woman? Young or old? Black, white, Asian, or Mid dle Eastern? There are many political sci entists and international affairs experts who fear that this com mittee could be the cause of xenophobia, racism, and isola tionism. This new committee com piled by our president looks to me like a possible repeat of his tory from World War II when Japanese Americans were put in internment camps for the duration of the war to “protect” national security. It also contradicts the very principles our country was founded upon. No one in this country can truthfully say they are fully American. That term does not even exist. All of our ancestors came to the New World from another country in search of freedom, happiness, opportuni ty, and the American dream. That is what immigrants are still doing today when they come to America. They too, want to to be able to live and worship freely, while knocking on the door of finanical prosperity, not unlike our forefathers over 200 years ago. No one stopped our ances tors from pursuing their dreams in this country, so what right does Bush have to do so? While it is important to proc- tect Americans from those who may wish us hai^, the way to do this is not to forbid entry into our country for those who wish to obtain visas for honest reasons. The majority of a group of people should not be discrimi nated against because of the actions of the minority. I sincerely doubt that a British citizen or a French citi zen will not be granted a visa to visit our country. However, the issuance of visas to Middle Easterners is another matter. I hope that Bush will take into consideration the valuable lessons history has taught us. While we should not open up our national security to everyone who wants to come into the country, there has to be a way to compromise between ensuring our security and mak ing the founding principles of our country into a hypocrisy. Meredith HeraJd Ed^inChief. ChristJta Hiatte- Managing SliKH'.... - Joni Simth Editorial Board.:......: £Uzabcth Hutchins«i, i^ra lillinan, lisa Wilson „~,StephanieJordMi „iuiie Rasmussen, AmasdaWaircn FeaWtes --.^—.LaKlJaAu^n MBsic .....^...Lyoda Marie'fturasi Rep«cts...-._.„.i™,^-.-=;...Rd>eccaB»Tinga; Margaret Cooney, - MtdlyHuHsuahx.AvaLeighJacteon. Christy ^sten 'n»n^scm, UodseyWray EditOTial ;...MKr«y Sukkland Photographers . Sarah Jane Cox. Williams Business Mmager...-.'.».....,.-"-"«-—.— ...............Kelly Lewis Faculty Adviser, — ..Dt Rebecca Duncan •lie Uem»k |xrii)u«»4 t>y Ae- College rtie acwlCTiiE year. The n fenled ^ College *nd. tteough udqiOKteat IV opwoB inttu eifilartiil colianns da DM neoeuari^ lefleo shMe of ttK ct^ How do youjike the HERALD’S new look? Kmali your comments, suggestions, thoughts at holderc@meredith.edu ' .i ' • • * * * * * '
Meredith College Student Newspaper
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Oct. 31, 2001, edition 1
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