With the constant bombardment of world news from the Internet and 24-hour news channels like CNN, it’s easy to say enough is enough and just dismiss all of it. Because there’s so much conflicting information, it can be tough to take a stand on any particular world issue.
On one hand, millions of people around the world peacefully protested against the possibility of a war with Iraq last weekend. Whether it was in Paris, Berlin, or New York City, these people came out because they felt that they needed to do something. They had strong opinions against a possible war, and exercised their democratic right to speak out against war.
At the same time, our service men and women are ready to fight this war and to give their lives for our country. We have more than 120,000 soldiers already shipped out for possible military action, with tens of thousands set to arrive by the end of February. Young school children sent millions of greeting cards on Valentine’s Day to these soldiers because they appreciated the sacrifice our armed forces make for our country.
We do have a small segment of campus that is active and involved. Unfortunately, there are larger masses of people who would be content to stay idle and pretend all of this isn’t happening.
These are complex issues our country is facing today, and it isn’t our place to tell you which side of the debate over war to take. But it is important for you to have an opinion about the war.
RPI has traditionally been among the most apathetic campuses in the nation. We sit around like 1920s isolationists and pretend many world issues either don’t exist or just don’t affect us. Well, they do, and it’s time for students here to act like civilized, responsible adults and consciously think about the world around them for once. Remember it’s not too long before we join the real world where these occurences will directly affect our lives.
