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The Student Voice of St. Joseph’s Academy • Established 1930
tudent Prints February Issue
St. Joseph’s Academy • Baton Rouge, Louisiana 2017-2018 Volume 87, Number 4 February 20, 2018
Not Just Another One Why Should You Care? by Annaclaire Acosta
On October 1, 2017, Stephen Paddock opened fire on the Route 91 Harvest Music Festival in Las Vegas, Nevada, killing 58 people. On October 31, 2017, Sayfullo Saipov drove a truck into a crowded bike path in New York City killing eight people. On November 5, 2017, Devin Patrick Kelley opened fire at a Sunday service in a Baptist church in Sutherland Springs, Texas, killing 26 people. In a little more than a month, we have experienced three violent attacks in the United States – two of which are labeled as acts of terrorism. Why has this violence become our new normal? In order to understand our view of terrorism as a society today, we can begin by tracing the origin of the word “terrorism.” The Reign of Terror was a period in the French Revolution during which the French government took drastic measures against those suspected as enemies of the Revolution. During this time, executions increased in larger cities, and local acts of terror took place in smaller provinces. In 1795, this historic period marked the first use of the words “terrorism” and “terrorist.” Merriam-Webster defines “terrorism” as the use of violence or threats in order to intimidate or coerce others. However, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Code state that “terrorism” also implies a political or ideological motive fueling the violence. Because of the lack of a clear definition or understanding of the word, “terrorism” has transformed into jargon whose great emotional response of uneasiness has diminished in us. Have we become desensitized to the word terrorism and the physical acts of terrorists? We are living in a post 9/11 society. On September 11, 2001, four American airplanes were hijacked through coordination with the Islamic terrorist group known as al-Qaeda. Two of the planes crashed into the Twin Towers in New York City, one plane crashed into the Pentagon and the last plane crashed in a field in Pennsylvania. The events of September 11 resulted in the deaths of 2,996 people and created a lasting impact on not only the United States but around the world.
May 22, 2017 – Arianna Grande Concert in Manchester
Afterward, there was a dramatic increase in airport security along with the creation of Homeland Security – a department of the U.S. federal government that is meant to protect our nation against terrorism. Terrorist attacks are happening more frequently and are creating lasting impacts on our daily lives. The Boston Marathon bombing in April of 2013 shocked our country with the horror of an attack taking place at such an innocent and fun-loving event. In Orlando, Florida, there was a shooting at the Pulse Night Club in June of 2016. This attack was not only a hate crime against gays, but it was also an act of terror that created a sense of panic in most young adult communities. Once again, Americans were stunned at how something so horrific could take place at an establishment meant to promote fun and happiness. On May 22, 2017, a terrorist attack took place at an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester, United Kingdom. Concerts are meant to be fun events for different types of people to come together and enjoy something that influences all of our lives – music. These attacks have shaped our daily lives and routines while creating an intense sense of fear and anxiety to go to places and events that used to be perceived as safe havens. It is beginning to feel as if every day, there is a new hashtag trending on Twitter asking people to pray for a country or city that has been impacted by a terrorist attack. It is becoming increasingly evident that as a society, we are beginning to anticipate these attacks and do not react greatly when one occurs. We see each attack as “another one” and have become somewhat desensitized to the impact these attacks have on our society. We are expected to be afraid, we are expected to be anxious, but we are not. New York’s Annual Village Halloween Parade continued to take place the day of the NYC shooting with the mayor stating, “New Yorkers do not give in in the face of these kinds of actions.” While it is inspiring that NYC residents continued to live their normal lives after the attack, was it too soon? Should the parade have been cancelled due to the attack taking place only hours before? Our normalization of terrorism has allowed us to almost disregard the attacks as if they bear little significance. This desensitization of terrorism seems to be sweeping across our nation, causing many to wonder that when the next attack happens, will it be just “another one”? As Student Prints goes to press, we are saddened by the recent school shooting in Parkland, Florida. Our prayers go out to all affected by this senseless tragedy.