September 21, 2001

It's been hard to be humorous without being tacky lately. That's why the activity here has been light - my roommate did a fine job of summing up the general mood of the household after the attacks and I haven't really felt the need to try to be a joker online.

I just want to state a couple things regarding the whole matter and then be done with it in this forum. I'm sure some of you have heard me say these things before and are tired of my pontificating, and I apologize. Redundancy notwithstanding, I believe these are some of the most important things we can bear in mind during these precarious times.

There is no possible justification for the actions of the terrorists last week. None.
America has a long and infamous history of persecuting those of different ethnicities, espeically in times of war or national crisis. Sadly, it has been a natural extension of these crises - perhaps we can all do something to try and reverse this trend this time.
Viewing the terrorists as simply haters of freedom and democracy is far too simplistic. These groups have a specific set of grievances against the United States and we would be wise to familiarize ourselves with them. Recognizing their agenda is a far cry from endorsing it, and certainly no one who is trying to comprehend their grievances would ever think that their actions last week were somehow just.
From time to time, take a look at a media outlet that doesn't have a slogan for every tragedy. Independent and foreign news sources are remarkable in illuminating the breadth of viewpoints that are present during a crisis like this.
Be supportive of those in office and the job they're doing but remember that policy criticism is essential during times of crisis, especially when these policies pertain to your basic civil liberties.
Be thankful for everything and everyone you've got. I probably don't have to remind anyone of this.

Thanks for reading.

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