Finding words proves difficult in tragedy
Anna Barbour
Get a Life
It has been one week — one week since lives changed irrevocably for many people; one week since the unprecedented attack upon United States citizens in their homeland, in their places of business; one week since the reality of a peaceful United States existence became not so real anymore.
And in light of recent events, what else should one discuss? What else could one discuss? While life does go on, it is difficult at this time to rant about the ills of smoking, the difficulties of cell phone usage, or the lack of humanity in the meat-packing industry. The light and fire of these arguments is damped out so to speak. Lines are drawn, priorities are decided.
On Thursday the New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman, wrote the column "World War III" in which he states: "They [the terrorists] only had to destroy. We, by contrast, have to fight in a way that is effective without destroying the very open society we are trying to protect. We have to fight hard and land safely. We have to fight the terrorists as if there were no rules, and preserve our open society as if there were no terrorists. It won't be easy. It will require our best strategists, our most creative diplomats and our bravest soldiers."
This is not a time for my words. This is a time without words, a time that reminds me of a line from Dylan Thomas's poem, "Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night:"
"Rage, rage against the dying of the light."
My thoughts are with you, but my words are silenced.
Anna Barbour is a junior English major. Her column apprears every other Tuesday. She can be contacted at barbour.3@nd.edu.
The views expressed in this column are thse of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
All Viewpoint Stories for Wednesday, September 19, 2001
