Wednesday, September 12, 2001
Open Minds Invited!
All Others Hit The Road, Jack!
By Brian Kent, Contributor

    FRESNO STATE --For the students, whose minds have historically been open, and whose voices we’ve historically listened to.
     I am a tired American today. Tired of hearing ‘inescapable conclusions’ and that we must ‘exact retribution.’ Tired also, of hearing how we can ‘emerge triumphant’ by striking back in further acts of terrible violence.
     Tired of the anger in which we wallow, where clear thought might buoy us up. Tired of our unwillingness to understand the ‘why’ behind such tragedies as yesterday’s events.
     How far are we willing to go in the misguided path of revenge? How many times must we submit to hate and thereby perpetuate violence that does not coincidentally grow worse?
     The only inescapable conclusion after yesterday’s historic tragedy is that many people will have died in vain if we respond to this injustice with violence. We cannot and must not.
     To do so would be to continue playing a game that we can never and will never win. To demonstrate that we are no better than the perpetrators of this horrific event, except that we are capable of far greater swaths of destruction.
     We cannot guarantee our safety until we finally understand why others would lash out in this way, and help provide them an alternative to doing so in the future.
     I am a tired American today, yet I will be damned before I spend my remaining energy standing ‘united’ in the solidarity of further violence. I love this country, but I do not love it enough that I am willing to hate for it.