0 4B - The Michigan Daily - Special Graduation Section - Tuesday, April 15, 2003 OP/ED REFLECTIONS United States of vulnerability DAVID HORN HOROGRAPHY Sept. 13,2001 O nce, on a visit to New York, I hap- pened to stay at the Marriott Hotel located next to the World Trade Center. After an evening out, my friend and I thought it would be fun to go down to the Plaza at the foot of the WTC and walk around. The New York skyline is strange. The dis- tance you are from many of its most architec- turally and physically imposing buildings does not necessarily have any relation to your sight- line of the particular building. As you approach the city from northern New Jersey, the skyline begins to emerge from what is sometimes a beautiful blue sky. White clouds rest peacefully above 110 stories of soaring, almost mythical majesty. From certain vantage points much further uptown, you could peek through buildings and make out the WTC's top-most points. In the other boroughs, a ter- race on any of the taller apartment buildings would earn you a relatively unobstructed sight- line. But when you're Downtown or Midtown, there are too many other tall buildings, densely packed, and you would forget just how tall the WTC -just a few blocks away - really is. But on this particular evening, my friend and I lay, with our backs against its concrete wall, below one of the Twin Towers and gazed up at this surreal road to the heavens that stood above us. On Tuesday night, when I stood at the vigil in the Diag and tried to conjure up how I could possibly approach this unfortunately unapproachable subject in today's column, I again looked to the sky. And I remembered that night, and my proximity to the crown jewel in New York's million-dollar skyline. Anyway, that's an introduction to a story I can't really tell, a point I can't really make. It is probably callous to discuss architectural loss in the midst of the worst terrorist attack ever, but the loss of the WTC - the building itself - from downtown Manhattan is more than an architectural loss. It is the loss of a crucial ingredient of our civilization's stew of achieve- ment. And callous as it may be, it is as far as my comprehension of what happened Tuesday morning has taken me. The numbers - of bod- ies, of dollars - will start to become known, and hopefully then I can begin to appreciate the scope of what happened, its sickening horror and the ensuing grief. But for now, all I can deal with is what I see on the television. Even now I understand that the devastation of Tuesday marks the loss of a security and piece of mind that we - the United States, Americans - never deserved to have. Part of me is keeping myself from becoming too rat- tled - maybe too outraged - by acknowledg- ing that the action taken by the terrorists on Tuesday was not completely unwarranted. We don't deserve something as severe as what happened in New York and Washington. No nation, no people, do. But there was an impor- tant lesson that our nation's leadership - and our nation's general consciousness - needed to learn. It is that we are not immune from international scrutiny. I am not bothered by that statement's obviousness. But it is one that everyone in this country - from President Bush to you and me - need to realize. We try to forget about the way this country behaves internationally -that we too often behave as terrorists. We are encouraged to ignore that behavior by the national media, by government propaganda, by schoolbooks and by each other. This world is not safe, and this country is certainly no exception. It wasn't Tuesday, it isn't today, and it won't be in 50 years - unless things change. The laundry list of U.S. misdoings is for another time in another col- umn - probably one that is not Hornography. If the leadership of our country has its way, a dangerous cycle will be allowed to continue. It is one in which the United States makes ene- mies abroad, via broken treaties, unattended summits and tyrannical international policing. Terrorism follows, allowing leaders to call for appropriations to "fix" our national defense. The cycle needs to end, and it ends at the beginning. Funding the military at this point is a band-aid solution to a more complex prob- lem. The problem can be traced back to our cockiness and arrogance in international mat- ters, and it needs to end. When we celebrated my mother's birthday, we celebrated it in the city she had grown up in - a city thousands of miles and decades removed from Pearl Harbor. It was a city that was safe, but safe only in our minds. This wave of terrorism may not be over. Let's learn from Tuesday and not fall back asleep, not convince ourselves that what happened two days ago can't happen again today. We won't panic, but we won't become complacent either. This is a frighteningly imperfect world, which fosters an environment where some- thing like what happened in Manhattan and Arlington can happen. But we as a nation play a major part in that world, and our actions can shape it. My condolences are with the friends and families of the victims of the WTC and Penta- gon attacks, and my faith is in a U.S. people and a U.S. government that can learn, change and improve. Horn is an LSA senior and has been a Daily columnist since the winter of 2000. NOTABLE QUOTABLE I saw the ballots. It was ridiculous how shady they were." - Sam Eliad, LSA senior, on the "butterfly ballots " used in Palm Beach County, Fla. (Nov. 28, 2000). ARE YOU RUNNING THE NAKED MILE THIS YEAR? r" c\ r-t I'D HAVE TO TELL PEOPLE ABOUT IT, AND THEY WOULD THINK I WAS A PERVERT AARON BRINK.APRI16,2001 I WAS GOING TO UNTIL I FOUND OUT I COULD GET ARRESTED AND CHARGED WITH A SEX CRIME SO THIS YEAR I'M JUST GOING TO VIDEO TAPE -my 4 Over the past four years, the University has served as an epicenter of debate on a range of issues. Clinton should be next U president TO THE DAILY: As the University turns its attention toward finding new leadership to replace out- going President Lee Bollinger, it should take into careful consideration what made Lee Bollinger great for the University. In doing so, it becomes all the more apparent that the next president of the University should be former President of the United States, Bill Clinton. During Bollinger's tenure at the Univer- sity, he was a champion of fundraising. That will be difficult to replace. However, when it comes down to it, Clinton may be the greatest fundraiser our country has ever known. This would bode very well for cam- pus expansion and development. As far as having held previous leadership positions, we can leave that alone. I think Clinton's leadership credentials stand up by them- selves. It is hard to imagine this campus without President Bollinger. His 5K runs across cam- pus with students have become legendary. Once again, it is good thing Bill Clinton stayed in shape running many miles around Washington. As far as relating to students, Bollinger was unmatched. From inviting students in his classes into his home at the end of the term, to let- ting students parade through his living room after Michigan beat Penn State in 1998, Bollinger made his home the stu- dents' home. Well, at least Clinton let 20- somethings into his office. Bollinger will be sadly missed at the University. After all, he has guided our University through good times and bad. From national champi- onships, to affirmative action, Bollinger has left an indelible mark on the University. So, as Bollinger heads off to become New York's newest resident, I think it is only fair that the University get one of New York's in return. President Bollinger left big shoes to fill at the University. I think Bill Clinton's size 13s should do the job. JAMES MCINTYRE LSA senior Oct. 4, 2001 Word diversity is without clear definition TO THE DAILY: I am writing because I am confused regarding the recent furor over the Universi- ty's admissions procedures, and hoped that someone, be it the Daily's editorial staff or otherwise, could enlighten me as to how the process works. The first issue which confuses me is what the administration actually means by "diversi- ty?" Does the University mean diversity in the "ethnic" manner only, or do regional, national, cultural, socio-economic, sexual and religious differences constitute part of what it means to have a diverse student body as well? Are the above considerations factored into the admissions process, and if so, in what manner and to what degree? I ask this because while the gay and lesbian community on campus is certainly distinct - and adds a constructive voice to many topics - I am unaware of any complaints of favoritism regarding the admission of gays and lesbians. Nor am I aware of so-called "reverse discrimination," which benefits Hindus, Jews, Chinese, Koreans, Japanese, Muslims (many of whom are of African descent themselves) or any of the other unique and diverse peoples and individuals who make up the student body of the University. To be honest, I am ignorant as to whether the University even takes religion or sexual orientation into account when reviewing applications. Although it seems a University pledged to diversity would, I am curious to learn the manner in which it does so. .Again, I suppose I'm just ignorant regarding what "diversity" means to the University and am interested in what kinds of diversity warrants special attention to the admissions procedure. ALEXANDER CRAWFORD LSA student Jan. 20, 2000 0 6 6 I Win a free DVD player! EnteratSenior Days 2003. While you're there, sign up for a FREE one-year membership in the Alumni Association and get a free graduation gift! 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Pierpont Commons Outside the Piano Lounge 40 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Sophia B. Jones Room First floor, Michigan Union Across from commencement ticket pickup 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. First floor, Michigan Union Pond Room