OPINION & EDITORIAL
A time for thanks
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Also by Matt Modell:
- Taking responsibility for your decisions (April 24, 2003)
- Fixing the problems of ASM (November 25, 2003)
- The key word is 'illegal' (December 4, 2003)
- Feingold-McCain 'Incumbent Protection Plan' fails (November 13, 2003)
- A fond farewell to UW (December 11, 2003)
Related Stories:
- An open letter to Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin (November 14, 2002)
- A new battle for a new war (September 26, 2001)
- U.S. security at risk (October 14, 2002)
- Terror can strike anywhere and must become universal priority (September 9, 2004)
- Yesterday's attacks will have everlasting effect (September 12, 2001)
by Matt Modell
Thursday, December 5, 2002
The end of the semester is nearing, and 2002 is almost gone. This was a year different than any other for this country, because it was the first year after we were attacked on our soil.
It was a year that involved political bickering over many important issues, including national security. Over a year after the attacks, the homeland-defense agency has finally been created, which is an important step as it is clear we will have to fight for years to root out much of the evil in this world.
This was a year where we had two serial killers that caused some terror in Washington, D.C. for a couple weeks, but Americans were fortunate to not have to face another major terrorist attack.
Yet, things are not safe everywhere around the world. Palestinian homicide bombers in Israel continue to kill innocent Israelis, thus preventing talks of peace from even beginning. Recent terrorist attacks in Kenya and Bali show that the world is not free from terrorism; even though intelligence of an imminent attack in Kenya was available, it did not mean such an attack could be prevented.
It was a year of uncertainty. As a nation we are lucky.
We are lucky to live in a free nation, where even after such attacks we became more united, not less, as the terrorists had hoped.
We have free and open elections, and regardless of whether we like the outcome, we accept our leaders and allow for a peaceful transition of power.
Free speech is still respected and our civil liberties are protected — no matter how much some people may try to scare us and say the federal government is taking these rights away.
We are lucky to have courts that allow American citizens due process and watch over security agencies to make sure they do not go too far.
In Madison, we should be thankful for the world-class education we receive for such affordable costs (particularly those of us from Wisconsin and Minnesota). Out-of-state students are also lucky they have the ability to choose to come to Wisconsin.
We are lucky that as a society we have become more accepting, and people are less likely to judge someone by the color of their skin, religion or nationality — even Illinois residents are, for the most part, being accepted as part of society in Wisconsin.
I know I am incredibly lucky to have a loving and caring family, who cares for me and helps me when I let them. I have good friends and a select few whom I can depend on and know they will be there for me. And all of my friends know they can count on me 100 percent of the time.
I am not the only one this lucky either. Most of us have at least one person who they can count on to be there and who looks out for his or her interests.
It is all these freedoms and friendships that we take for granted. As the year comes to an end, we should take a minute from our busy lives and think how lucky we are to be free and to live in the greatest country on the face of the earth.
To be allowed to speak our mind and to be able to work hard to succeed and to meet people and become friends with people whom can be counted on — these are the things that make us so lucky, we rarely realize how good life truly is.
Matt Modell (mmodell@badgerherald.com) is a senior majoring in journalism and political science. He is in Washington, D.C., this semester for an internship.
