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Staff Editiorial: Is war the answer?

By: Mallory Bucell
Contrbuting Writer

By: Jamie Pryber
Staff Writer

Years from now, people will still be able to remember where they were on September 11 when they learned that the World Trade Center and thousands of people within were the victims of terrorism. Like most of the school, the Lancer Ledger staff spent the day watching the news, seeing image after horrifying image display the attack and its effects. Months later, these acts of terrorism are still an issue being brought to the staff's attention time after time.

The terrorist actions of September 11 and the effects have had a great impact on the U.S. Possibly the most difficult thing to understand about these attacks is what could provoke the murder of so many people, especially at the World Trade Center. Said staff writer Jake Cholak, senior, "There has to be a reason all these countries hate us." He continued by saying that people claim other countries are jealous of our wealth in America, but he doesn't feel that can be it. "I seriously think it's miscommunication," Cholak said. "How can... people hate each other so much they want to kill?"

The important issue now is how to react to these attacks. In such a serious matter, it's hard to find any two people that share the same opinion. The staff found one thing that we could all concede: The government had responded appropriately. Andrea Joseph, News Editor, said, "I don't know of anything else we could do." Cholak stated, "We haven't even killed that many innocent people, and that's good."

The majority of the staff agreed that pacifism in this situation simply wouldn't work. Staff writer Mallory Bucell, junior, explained emphatically, "I don't think you can let people kill you because it's the peaceful thing to do. What if no one had stood up to Hitler?" Senior Shelley Capozzoli, Editor in Chief, said, "I think that logically, we have to fight back. We can't just sit back after an attack like that." Junior Ryan Emmett, staff writer, was the exception, contrasting the views expressed by the rest of the staff. Emmett felt we should try more diplomatic and peaceful ways of handling the attacks. He expressed his opinion by saying, "He [Jesus] wouldn't go grabbing AK-47s and shooting people." Features Editor Rachael Stachowiak, sophomore, combined both sides of the debate. "I think the government will do what they feel is necessary," she said. "I really don't think war and killing people in Afghanistan is right, but there isn't much else we can do."

However, this support of the U.S. was limited. When given the extreme possibility of a military draft (a draft of both men and women was the example used), two of the ten staff members said they would refuse. Cholak described a draft as, "a complete suspension of any freedoms." Even when the other staff members contended his opinion, he continued vehemently, "I'm not willing to die for this country. I didn't agree to anything. I was born here. I didn't even say I would defend it, like it, anything.... [The draft] is not willingness [to die for your country]. Willingness is enrolling in the army.... 'Would you honor the requirement to die for your country?' When you say it that way, it sounds terrible." Staff writer Adam Bucsek was also against a draft, saying, "I think we would be better off bombing the country [Afghanistan] than sending in troops that don't want to go." Cholak immediately disagreed. "What you're saying about nuclear war is bad," he interjected. "As soon as somebody launches a nuke, everybody launches a nuke."

Among other people, the question of a draft sparked some patriotism. Joseph was provoked by Cholak's argument, and responded, "I think it's selfish to take advantage of our freedoms, but not fight to protect them."

Sports Editor Andy Koestel summed it up with an opinion probably shared by most people, "If I got drafted, I'd probably go. I'm not saying it's right, but I'd go. I don't want to go to jail."

This is an important matter that concerns all Americans. In a discussion of only ten people, the arguments became heated, and it was difficult to agree. This shows how all Americans may have a different opinion on the actions taken by our government. Even so, respecting those differences, even the ones we can't personally give our assent to, will help to keep our country unified in these difficult circumstances.