True patriotism means

acceptance, not contempt
In the wake of Sept. 11, the patriotism in our country has rapidly increased. Bumper stickers displaying the quip “Proud to be an American” grace nearly every car on the road these days, along with wishes for world peace and the elimination of certain Middle Eastern radical groups.
Behind the wheels of these flag-waving cars are citizens of the United States who have experienced anger over the attacks upon our nation. Some of these people have grown to see that the violence implicated with these displays of patriotism is unnecessary, as well as the ostracizing of the many citizens of our country with certain ethnicities.
It is such a shame to see the uplifting messages of support for our country be misconstrued into a direct attack upon all cultures unfamiliar to Americans. This attack upon cultures other than our own is quite hypocritical. Our country is based upon those who have come from around the world seeking acceptance and freedom. These immigrants have made our country into a most unique combination of histories, which are all still very relevant today but should not keep us from growing as a national community.
As citizens of a “nation of immigrants,” we should all keep in mind our country’s humble beginnings and continually evade the ever present monster of ignorance.

Stephanie Morton

freshman

biology

U.S. government needs

to disclose information
I would first like to laud Victor Wold’s call for a revolution in popular thinking about the war on terrorism (“Citizens can not give up privacy rights,” ODE, May 30). My letter is directed to a far more pernicious problem: Conservative pro-war media bias on the part of nearly every major American news outlet.
Americans who desire an honest objective analysis of their government’s attitudes and activities should be on notice that they are not receiving the full story. Sen. Dick Armey was recently quoted in a respected British daily, The Guardian, as advocating the forcible complete removal of the Palestinian people from Israel. The Guardian expressed its shock that Armey’s comments went almost completely unreported in the United States while they, of course, elicited the shock of nations around the world at a time of great tension for the region.
We may well wonder why it is that we as Americans are reviled around the world when we are not privy to information like this. Our leaders are busily pursuing policies that serve to destabilize the present situation in the Middle East and plant the seeds of hate in hearts of those who might not otherwise call themselves our enemies.
If we do not wish to be held accountable by terrorists for our government’s foreign policy, we must first be able to make ourselves aware of what is going on. I encourage Americans to be intensely critical of domestic news outlets and to seek objective information about the war on terror outside of this country.

Colin Barey

law student

Violence is no cure

for terrorism
One truly has to wonder whether or not Tym Parsons’ comments (“Ruthlessly crush terrorist states,” ODE, May 29) were meant as a dark satire of current American politics; perhaps in an attempt to epitomize the most extreme and dangerous views floating around lately in American sentiment.
Though I believe this is the case, for any who might sympathize with Parsons’ uninformed words I would add that there was once a man with similar feelings and emotions — who attacked ruthlessly in the name of “security.” I am referring to the one we all love to use as a baseline for immorality, the late Adolf Hitler.
Further, let us ask ourselves, “What is a terrorist?” A terrorist is you or I, when we are reared in an environment so oppressive that there seems to be no way out other than through violence. A “war on terrorism” in a literal sense (i.e. not as an empty political tactic) is akin to choosing hand grenades over food to “go to war” on hunger.
“Terrorism” is as old as civil conflict — it is in a sense almost human nature. Attempting to convince the oppressed people of the world to be passive and complacent by shooting and bombing them unfortunately only makes the situation worse.

William Moglia

senior

German/international studies