Talk of the Town

These two articles by John Updike and Susan Sontag both illustrate the horrors of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks and how the people and government responded.

The first article interpreted the attacks on the twin towers from Updike’s own perspective. He describes the scene in such a way that the reader feels as if they too are looking out the window onto the horrifying sight and feeling the realization as sharp as a knife to America’s core. He further goes on to question America’s policy about freedom for all. “Can we afford the openness that lets future kamikaze pilots, say, enroll in Florida flying schools?” he asks. Almost ten years later, we are still questioning our openness. Obviously we have imposed measures such as stricter airline checks and background checks on people, but are those enough? My favorite part of this article though, was a piece of the last sentence: “…but New York looked glorious.” This demonstrates that through all America went through on that appalling day, we were still able to stand strong and protect our country’s rights for our people.

The subsequent article by Susan Sontag was also about the attacks but took a more political approach to the matter. She starts out by debating what makes an attack cowardly or courageous. One thought that struck a chord was that she claimed that kamikaze pilots should not be considered cowardly; those who kill “beyond the range of retaliation, high in the sky” are the cowards. Sontag then goes on to talk about the fact that “everything is not O.K.” and that our then-President Bush was not dealing with the matter appropriately. I agreed with her most when she said, “the public is not being asked to bear much of the burden of reality.” The government is just telling the people to sit back, relax, and just wait for them to sort it out. I also agree with Sontag that this is not the idea of democracy. As she says, we are constantly told that everything is fine, and that America is as strong as ever. No one doubts that America is strong, but is sheer strength all that our country has?

A Look At Me

Hmm, how do I describe myself? Friends, family, interests and goals would be my definition.

Let's start with family and friends. I live with my mom and dad, Ann and Brian; two younger brothers, Chris and Andrew; and my dog, Luke. We share a brown house with blue shutters and all love to spend time outdoors. In addition to my immediate family, I am also close with more of my extended family. No one lives less than 100 miles away, but our bonds stretch over the distance, keeping in touch through snail mail if necessary. Even though family plays a large role in my life, my friends are the ones that keep me sane. I would not define myself as having a very select group of friends or being in a clique; I would say that I am generally friends with everyone, and I love to meet new people. "Random" would be the word to describe our activities as they include everything from spontaneous bike rides to baking cookies at 2 AM to jumping on trampolines and going to concerts.

The most time consuming part of my life would definitely be my interests. Music and sports are my two main interests. I love singing no matter the time or place, acting in plays or musicals, playing instruments, and listening to every sort of music, though I am an 80s music fan above all. Tennis, soccer, biking, running, and recently rowing are all my favorite sports. Though I wouldn't say that I am an especially competitive athlete, I always have a great time, especially with my friends who also play. My other great interest is travel. My family has been very fortunate to be able to travel around the world, whether it be Australia, Germany, Hawaii, or Alaska (coming up in July!). I love experiencing new places and learning about different cultures.

The next way to define me would be my goals. I am one of those people who has never had much success with long-term planning, so I am constantly setting smaller goals for myself. The only long-term plan I am set on is going to college, but I have no idea where or for what! My one idea for college is to get out of the Midwest region. I love new adventures, so I really hope to go somewhere where experiences and lifestyle are different.

So whether it be drinking pina coladas or getting caught in the rain, the definition of me is endless and I'm really looking forward to sharing my thoughts and experiences aloud through this blog!