Anti-Arab, Anti-Muslim Attacks

By John K. Wilson

The response of Americans to the terrorist attack was both heartening and disheartening. The people who rushed to help, sometimes at the price of their own lives, are heroes. But at the same time, those who filled their hearts with hate against Arab-Americans dishonored the dead by using this violence as an excuse for bigotry. The aim of terrorism is to cause fear. And by attacking and terrifying Arab-Americans and Muslims (and those mistaken for them, such as Sikhs), all too many Americans contributed to terrorism. [Full Story]

Making War American Style

Not as Easy As You Think

By Gretchen E. Knapp

War is coming. We don't yet know when or how or against whom. President Bush tells us the US is at war and promises victory. Congress authorized $40 billion in emergency supplemental appropriations to help the victims, strengthen counter-terrorism effort, and "support national security" (HR 2888/S 1426). Reservists are on alert. And, as of September 14, Congress passed a joint resolution authorizing the President under the War Powers Resolution of 1973 "to use all necessary and appropriate force against those nations, organizations, or persons he determines planned, authorized, committed, or aided the terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001, or harbored such organizations or persons, in order to prevent any future acts of international terrorism against the United States by such nations, organizations or persons" (SJ Res 23/HJ Res 61). So, are we really at war? The answer is...yes. [Full Story]

Give Peace a Chance

By John K. Wilson

All of the blood drives, donations, rallies, prayer services, flag-waving, and candlelight vigils may be good things, but they are done primarily to ease the minds of the living. For the dead, there can be only one true memorial: making sure a tragedy like this never happens again.

It would be a horrible, horrific irony if the United States responded to this mass murder of innocent people by bombing some foreign target and killing more innocent people. It would tragic if the United States followed the demands of pundits to ãdo somethingä and piled on more dead bodies. [Full Story]