2008 Woodie Awards
Letters to the Editor
Issue date: 3/13/08 Section: Opinion
Culture of fear
Matthew John Phillips' March 11 condescending column, "The Chicken Little Effect," provides us nothing but a regurgitation of an already worn argument. I see more talking heads on television lampooning our "culture of fear" than fear mongers forecasting dirty bomb strikes. From Chomsky's groundbreaking "Manufacturing Consent" to more recent studies by Frank Furedi and Dan Gardner, the writer Phillips references, we have been told the very fabric of our lives has been contaminated by an all-consuming fear. The problem with the argument is that it is so contrary to the actual American experience. Look outside! Americans aren't afraid - we're still packing into tall buildings, flying on airplanes and visiting Washington. How many of us think about terrorism when we're not reading the paper or discussing politics? How many Americans actually know the current Homeland Security threat level?
The real problem is that the memory of Sept. 11 is being clouded by partisanship. The attacks of Sept. 11 must be remembered as more than the justification for an unjust war. We must never forget - we promised never to forget - that 3,000 Americans were killed that morning for no reason other than that they were Americans. Was Sen. Clinton's "Who do you want answering the phone?" ad that unreasonable? The next president, as the commander in chief, has a good chance of deciding whether or not to send our men and women to war. Finally, while "a rope is still a rope," let us not forget what that rope symbolizes. Is a swastika just a clever geometric pattern? We must not live in fear of the evil in this world, but we cannot pretend it is a non-issue either.
Jeff Camp
Freshman
Bioengineering
Spring break safety
After a long, cold winter, spring is finally here. With spring comes exams and, of course, spring break. Many of you are likely to take a vacation or travel back to your hometown. While we, Prince George's County Police, recognize this, so do burglars and other criminals. You have likely seen the increased police and media presence that resulted from recent burglaries occurring just off the campus. We have been working diligently to put an end to the burglaries that have impacted the area in recent months.
Many homes will be vacant during spring break thereby increasing the chance that someone might target your home. For this reason, we feel it is important to pass on important information that will reduce the likelihood of you falling victim to a burglar or thief. We would like you, in addition to the police, to take a proactive stance in fighting and reducing crime. Police will be out in force prior to spring break to distribute fliers containing important pointers and safety tips, many of which are common sense. It is incumbent upon you and your roommates that you look to your neighbor for assistance if you are leaving town. Don't hesitate to ask your neighbor to keep an eye on your residence and offer to do the same for them. And, of course, please always remember to lock all of your doors and windows.
Increased awareness in your community is the key to preventing and reducing crime. In the event you are remaining in the area for spring break, be aware of your surroundings and don't hesitate to report anything you believe to be suspicious. However insignificant you believe something to be, it may later develop into something of greater importance. In closing, a close partnership between the police and community is one of our main goals, and I hope that you all enjoy your well-deserved break.
Sgt. Matthew Stauffer
Prince George's County Police
Air Your Views
The Diamondback welcomes your comments. Address your letters or guest columns to the Opinion Desk at opinion@dbk.umd.edu. All letters and guest columns must be signed. Include your full name, year, major and day- and night-time phone numbers. Please limit letters to 300 words. Please limit guest columns to between 550 and 700 words.
Submission of a letter or guest column constitutes an exclusive, worldwide, transferable license to The Diamondback of the copyright in the material in any media. The Diamondback retains the right to edit submissions for content and length.
POLICY: The signed letters, columns and cartoon represent only the opinions of the authors. The staff editorial represents the opinion of The Diamondback's editorial board and is the responsibility of the editor in chief.
Matthew John Phillips' March 11 condescending column, "The Chicken Little Effect," provides us nothing but a regurgitation of an already worn argument. I see more talking heads on television lampooning our "culture of fear" than fear mongers forecasting dirty bomb strikes. From Chomsky's groundbreaking "Manufacturing Consent" to more recent studies by Frank Furedi and Dan Gardner, the writer Phillips references, we have been told the very fabric of our lives has been contaminated by an all-consuming fear. The problem with the argument is that it is so contrary to the actual American experience. Look outside! Americans aren't afraid - we're still packing into tall buildings, flying on airplanes and visiting Washington. How many of us think about terrorism when we're not reading the paper or discussing politics? How many Americans actually know the current Homeland Security threat level?
The real problem is that the memory of Sept. 11 is being clouded by partisanship. The attacks of Sept. 11 must be remembered as more than the justification for an unjust war. We must never forget - we promised never to forget - that 3,000 Americans were killed that morning for no reason other than that they were Americans. Was Sen. Clinton's "Who do you want answering the phone?" ad that unreasonable? The next president, as the commander in chief, has a good chance of deciding whether or not to send our men and women to war. Finally, while "a rope is still a rope," let us not forget what that rope symbolizes. Is a swastika just a clever geometric pattern? We must not live in fear of the evil in this world, but we cannot pretend it is a non-issue either.
Jeff Camp
Freshman
Bioengineering
Spring break safety
After a long, cold winter, spring is finally here. With spring comes exams and, of course, spring break. Many of you are likely to take a vacation or travel back to your hometown. While we, Prince George's County Police, recognize this, so do burglars and other criminals. You have likely seen the increased police and media presence that resulted from recent burglaries occurring just off the campus. We have been working diligently to put an end to the burglaries that have impacted the area in recent months.
Many homes will be vacant during spring break thereby increasing the chance that someone might target your home. For this reason, we feel it is important to pass on important information that will reduce the likelihood of you falling victim to a burglar or thief. We would like you, in addition to the police, to take a proactive stance in fighting and reducing crime. Police will be out in force prior to spring break to distribute fliers containing important pointers and safety tips, many of which are common sense. It is incumbent upon you and your roommates that you look to your neighbor for assistance if you are leaving town. Don't hesitate to ask your neighbor to keep an eye on your residence and offer to do the same for them. And, of course, please always remember to lock all of your doors and windows.
Increased awareness in your community is the key to preventing and reducing crime. In the event you are remaining in the area for spring break, be aware of your surroundings and don't hesitate to report anything you believe to be suspicious. However insignificant you believe something to be, it may later develop into something of greater importance. In closing, a close partnership between the police and community is one of our main goals, and I hope that you all enjoy your well-deserved break.
Sgt. Matthew Stauffer
Prince George's County Police
Air Your Views
The Diamondback welcomes your comments. Address your letters or guest columns to the Opinion Desk at opinion@dbk.umd.edu. All letters and guest columns must be signed. Include your full name, year, major and day- and night-time phone numbers. Please limit letters to 300 words. Please limit guest columns to between 550 and 700 words.
Submission of a letter or guest column constitutes an exclusive, worldwide, transferable license to The Diamondback of the copyright in the material in any media. The Diamondback retains the right to edit submissions for content and length.
POLICY: The signed letters, columns and cartoon represent only the opinions of the authors. The staff editorial represents the opinion of The Diamondback's editorial board and is the responsibility of the editor in chief.
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