Time for IU to unite

On Tuesday, September 11, 2001, the United States of America witnessed, firsthand, a tragedy, the likes of which this nation has never seen. \nTens of thousands of American civilians perished at the hands of nameless, faceless terrorists. The will of all Americans has been tested, and we must now unite with a stoic resolve.\nNo one is immune from what happened in New York and Washington. The ripples of this act of terrorism are being felt throughout this nation. Those who committed these acts of war will be haunted by the full power of American military might. I trust that our government and our president will hunt down the people who committed these atrocities and see that they are brought to justice. \nThe students of IU have an important role to play in this tragedy. It is important that this campus and the community unite and offer all support and assistance we can in this time of national mourning. \n We need to remember that we do not yet know who perpetrated this heinous act. All of us, regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, and national origin are in a state of shock and, as Americans, we are all touched by this tragedy. It is imperative that we, in an attempt to express personal frustration and anger, do not target our fellow students as the enemy. \nThey are not the enemy. The enemy is the radical group or groups that planned and executed this crime. If we turn on each other, the goals of the terrorists will come to fruition because we may destroy ourselves. \nWe all have a role to play. We all need to be available to donate time, money, food, and blood for the victims. We need to be counselors for those who have lost loved ones. IU must be the leaders in the community in dealing with this crisis. The campus is safe for all students and there are many outlets to deal with the feelings that we are all going through.\nThis begins the healing process. I hope you will join with me and pray for the victims of this tragedy, their families and friends. Indiana University must stay strong. It is events like these that test the true will of a people. We will not live in fear and we cannot let terror rip apart the very fabric of our being. \nAs our community and nation are in dark times, I am reminded of the words of Thomas Paine, "We have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph"