Terrorism will only beat us if we let it
By Mike K., Copy Editor

This is America in 2001. We have come so far with our technology, science, and medicine. Most importantly, we have made gigantic steps in the area of race relations.

It saddens me to see our nation take even larger steps backwards by persecuting anyone who wears a turban or a beard. Many of these people aren't even Muslims.

The religion of Islam is a fine religion that promotes peace and understanding. The monsters who committed the terrorist attacks twisted the teachings of Islam to fit what they wanted to accomplish.

As several Muslim leaders have said, the terrorists who did this do not represent Islam or the people who follow it.

These are almost the same circumstances in which the Nazi oppression of the Jews started. We must stop this before it gets to that and start acting calmly and sensibly.

We should take all the anger and hate we are showing as Americans and focus it on the terrorists. As President Bush said, this is a war on terrorism and not on Muslims.

There have been cases of hate crimes where Muslims have been shot and killed. Aren't we just helping the terrorists accomplish their mission of killing Americans?
If we continue to do that, no matter how many bombs we drop, no matter how many terrorists we kill, they have accomplished their mission of sending America into a tailspin of hate and anger.

We can't let them do that. We have to show them that we can and will beat them.

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Light shines from beneath the rubble
By Carl L., Entertainment Editor

Life has changed. Terrorist attacks against our country have shaken the people of this great nation and brought their patriotic souls to the forefront.

America always seemed a land of security and comfort. We have now been placed on alert. This will help us in the time to come.

The attack on the towers, which came down that dark Tuesday, was meant to harm us both physically and emotionally, and it almost succeeded.

Although the terrorists took away many lives out of spite, they failed to destroy the American spirit, the patriotic sense of brotherhood within all of us.

This spirit has united most of us in a way that will disappoint the people who did this to our great country. We are not in crisis over the terrorist act; we are on the alert. Government agents are tracking down the culprits of this terrible crime.

As of now, the leading offender is Osama bin Laden, and if any government funded that man, they will discover the true power of American pride in the form of an explosion.

Though these events have saddened and angered us, we must not allow this search for a responsible party to become a witch-hunt. We must not prosecute every single man, woman and child from Afghanistan.

You cannot judge a whole nation from the acts of a few men bent on destruction.
Terrorist attacks will only affect the source of American freedom, the heart, if we give into fear.

As we live our lives we must not live in fear, but in pride. Stand proud to be an American, a citizen of this wonderful nation.

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The Dress Code
By Elysia B.

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Has Junior become presidential?
By Paul P., Op-Ed Editor

Yes, George W. Bush actually won the presidential campaign. Decreased environmental laws, a disastrous tax cut, and terrorist attacks highlighted Dubya's first half year in the oval office.

At the beginning of the year, California lost much of its power supply. The solution? Drill federally protected land in Alaska for oil! Now most of the undisturbed Alaskan forest will be destroyed.

Dubya thought he could win the heart of America by giving a big tax cut. Democrats criticized the idea because they said it would deplete the national budget surplus. George dismissed the idea and carried out the plan. Once everyone got their tax cut, the national budget surplus promptly disappeared.

But in the last two weeks, George W. Bush has become more of a president than anyone ever thought he would be. He has delivered several powerful speeches in the face of danger and has scared the Middle East into complying with his extreme demands.

Dubya may shape up after all.

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Does the terrorist attack on the United States mean war?
By Alyson D. and Alicia N.

As you all know, there was a terrorist attack in New York City on the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center. It has changed America forever. The main suspect is Arab militant, Osama bin Laden. The U.S. is trying to hunt him down, but aside from that, the question on everyone's mind is, are we going to war? If so, with whom?

I really don't think we should go to war. We don't have an exact enemy. We don't even know exactly who did this or what group. It wasn't even a whole country that did this. It was one person.
- Karina D.

I think the United States has to respond and respond quickly. I really don't think that war is what is going to happen. I think it's going to be a different kind of war where we go after the terrorists, and not an entire country. I think it will take a long time. I think that President Bush is taking it slowly and handling it the right way.
- Mrs. Laughlin

I don't think we should go to war either. We don't know exactly who did it. It is not a country that attacked us but a terrorist.
- Matt V.

Yeah, I think we should go to war. They killed so many Americans that the terrorists deserved to be bombed.
- Stephanie J.

We definitely have to go to war with Afghanistan. They are losers. We hate them and they hate us.
- Joey P.

Yes, I also think we should go to war with Afghanistan. We need to find out who is responsible and punish them.
- Mike K.

I think we should settle what we need to settle. There are so many terrorists, I don't think we could handle them all.
- Nicole H.

If it was terrorists that did this then the government didn't have anything to do with it. I don't think we should go to war. The terrorists should be punished not the government.
- Lyndsey M.

I think we should not go to war with anyone because we don't know who it is. Also, when we find out who it is, killing them just stoops us down to their level.
- Abby Z.

It is uncalled for to go to war with anyone. But if we did, it would have to be Afghanistan.
- Brandon C.

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