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Show ViewS&Opi11i011 Monday, Sept. 12, 2011 Page 13 )FROM THE LEFT, From Page 12 *FROM THE RIGHT, From Page 12 Save lives and end the wars U.S. defined by market success Ernesto Rodriguez that day, is one such cry: "We read enough of the news to sense that our government is heading in the direction of violent revenge ... It is not the way to go. It will not avenge our son's death. Not in our son's name." Their words would prove prophetic. Within the month, came the war in Afghanistan — also approaching its 10th anniversary — the longest war in American history, with still no end in sight. A disturbing article last week in the Christian Science Monitor reports that after 10 years, not only have large numbers of Afghanis never heard of 9/11 but have no idea why the U.S. is in their country, and are, understandably, growing as war-weary as the American public. Next, began the assaults on the Constitution and civil liberties with the renewal of the Patriot Act by President Obama, the opening of Guantanamo Bay, the CIA's extraordinary rendition and torture programs — recently revealed to have operated with the help of Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi — as well the CIA's own domestic spying program targeting mostly Muslims and mosques. The unprecedented, pre-emptive war in Iraq — any proposed links to 9/11 now known to be patently false — is entering its ninth year. In addition to about 4,500 U.S. servicemen and women, more than 100,000 Iraqi civilians have died as a result of the violence due to the Iraq War — more than 30 times the number of lives lost on 9/11. I am not prepared, nor willing, to say that their lives should not factor into the cost of conflict. American foreign policy, both prior to and subsequent to 9/11, has not only contributed to violence, it has been the very sort of thing that breeds the type of resentment that led to the attacks in the first place. Is this the sort of world we want ourselves and our children to live? When will we finally put our foot down and say "Enough is enough"? With this as the legacy of 9/11, on its 10th anniversary, I will stand with those families like the Rodriguez's and declare: "Not in my name." by our collective response to the events of 9/11. I am proud of the way our country rallied in a time of great duress, yet I fear we have learned little. Not much has changed since then in the way we conduct our business and daily lives. It was that same greed and undisciplined pursuit of wealth, which al-Qaida targeted, that lead to the market crash of 2008. Still, to this day, millions around the world with no interest or connection to the U.S. are bearing the burden of our irresponsibility. Yet, Wall Street continues to see itself as the almighty hand which turns the globe, and Washington puts its official stamp of approval on that view with excessive bail outs. I do not wish to condemn the market or imply that we must strap it down with further regulations. I believe in the market and its ability to raise the living standards of all people. But, I do wish that we as Americans, particularly those in the business and financial sectors, will become more cognizant of the world we live in and our place in that world. We are the most powerful country on an increasingly small globe. The decisions we make no longer concern only our nation and ourselves; we must respect that. As I reflect on the 10-year anniversary of 9/11, my wish — Andrew lzatt is a sophomore majoring in religious studies. His interests include studying Middle Easter politics and conflict resolution. Comments can be sent to him at andrew.izatt@aggmail.usu.edu . Dr. Richard V. Francaviglia is we will learn from the past. I hope we will engage the market with greater responsibility and respect for the global impact it has. Are we proud that al-Qaida chose the World Trade Center, our nation's ultimate symbol of affluence, as the centerpiece of our country? I cannot help but think this is a poor reflection of our culture. My wish is that we will uproot monetary things from the center of our lives, not to supplant them with the ideologies preached by terrorists, but with the American values we would be proud to have there. — Mike Burnham is a junior majoring in international relations and economics. His interests include studying international peace and security. Comments can be sent to him at mike.burnham@ gmail.com . presents " Like the Hajis of Meccah and Jerusalem' -Orientalism and the Mormon Experience, 1820 - 1970" UtahState University Seiienteenth Annual Leonard J. Arrington MORMON HISTORY LECTURE .onsored b pe al o fechons & Archives Merrill-Cazier Library Leonard Arrington Foundation College of Humanities and. Social Sciences OMER SERVICES Thursday, September 15 7:00 p.m. Logan Institute Cultural Center 600 Darwin Avenue College students who attend can win up to $1,000 with a written essay related to the lecture. Details at the lecture. j FG1 XP G 1R1S NP° E r ES C;E UTAK STATE Visit Early and Often DISCOVER the LIFE you WANT From Page 12 Few students take advantage of foreign study program through the Study Abroad Office where you can earn USU credits for a major or minor in locations all over the world. Perhaps, students are concerned traveling abroad for school is too expensive. The prices of many Study Abroad programs are comparable to our current cost for tuition, and you can use financial aid or scholarships to help out. Also, there are national scholarships open for application, depending on a student's desired international location. A handful of majors at USU require a second language to complete the program, and studying abroad is one way to do so. Studying abroad is the optimal way to learn a new language, as you are immersed in a culture that speaks the language you are studying. Every day you will be able to listen and speak to locals in their native dialect and be forced to practice your second language outside of the classroom. Although a large fraction of the world has adopted English as its second or third language, the quality of the conversation is enhanced while speaking the native tongue of the another person. The local citizens genuinely appreciate foreigners who are trying to learn their language and often offer their help with not only the language, but also with any other questions you may have. This presents an opportunity to improve language skills and make new friends. If anyone has dreamt about traveling the world and seeing new and interesting things, Study Abroad gives you that opportunity. While you will be taking classes, there are always weekends or holidays in which you can hop on a train or plane and go to a different country in a matter of hours. Being exposed to a multitude of different people and cultures opens your eyes to another world, while giving you a new perspective on your own culture and home. There will likely be situations you are put in that challenge, reinforce, or alter the beliefs and ideas you had before your travels. There is really no other way to experience this without living in a foreign country. Only four percent of undergraduate students in the U.S. study abroad, creating more job opportunities for those who can include it on their resume or in an interview. From an employer's point of view, a student who has studied abroad is independent, motivated, embraces challenges well, and is able to deal with unusual and unforeseen problems or situations. If you really want to be set apart from other job applicants, studying abroad emphasizes the fact that you have successfully lived and studied in a foreign country while acquiring another language. If this is not a step up on other applicants, I am not sure what is. Do this for yourself — to get out of Utah or wherever you may live, and experience something that you may never have the chance to do again. USU Study Abroad has great programs that can give everyone this once-ina-lifetime opportunity. • Choose a Major/Career • Obtain an Internship • Prepare for Grad School & Tests •• • Get a Job after graduation UtahStateUniversity CAREER SERVICES University Inn Rm 102, Ground Level 435.797.7777 www.usu.edu/career career.services@usu.edu Single-itis `' — Zach Larsen is the Programming VP on ASUSU's executive council. A column from a member of this council will appear every Monday. Comments can be sent to statesmaneditor@aggiemail.usu.edu . find us on facebook . I ForumLetters Keep water bottle sales To the editor: I think the new bottle-filler attachments to existing water fountains are a great idea. The machines are a snap to use and the water is nice, and cold. That being said, I think banning the sale of bottled water on campus is taking things too far. I use the unit in the library nearly every day, but I'm filling a bottle I bought on campus from the Quadside Café. It's nice to be able to buy a new bottle if I forget to bring mine, or if I end up leaving it on the bus. If we ban bottled water, are we then going to ban soda in glass, aluminum and plastic containers, because we have fountain drinks available? What about spiral notebooks? Should the Bookstore stop selling them because many people have laptops and that is less of a paper waste? These are the types of questions that need to be answered before a pro- posal like this can go forward with any hope of success. Conservation is important, but the university should be encouraging participation not demanding it. The university already has a recycling program in place to reduce waste for plastic, aluminum, paper and glass products. The new filler units are also a great step in encouragement and should be used. Just don't take away my choice to buy a bottle of water. Laura Gittins Raking in scholarships To the editor: The other day, I sat down next to a girl that had received a pretty long list of scholarships — when I say pretty long list, I am being very modest. She had received over $15000 in scholarships for this year alone. My mouth dropped when I heard this. I was like, "Wow there are no Letters to the editor • A public forum worries for tuition for you, are there?" The student laughed and replied: "Nope, that's for sure. In fact, all the extra money I don't use just goes into my bank account, and I can do whatever I want with it." That made me think a little; it actually made me think a lot. Don't get me wrong, hats off to that student for getting those scholarships, that wasn't easy, but $15,000? That doesn't make much sense does it? With all the hard work the student has done, I think they deserve to go to school without any financial worries. It doesn't take $15,000 to do that, though. Just think how many other students could have been helped with all that extra cash that student will just go buy a new car with. After her housing, food, tuition, fees and books, I'm sure there was enough left for at least three more students' tuition. Where is the line drawn that they have too much scholarship money? Landon Hilleyard Win $500 Cash, 41 $1,000 Cash, or even a Diamond! Entries due by October 22, 2011 Screening on November 4, 2011 for more information, please visit seneedham.com/filmfestival S. E. Needham jewelers since 1896 Where Utah Gets Engaged! 141 North Main • www.seneedham.com • 435-752-7149 |