Another day in paradise

It seems that recently the world as we knew it came crashing to an end. Our sense of invulnerability, as the youth of the most powerful nation in the world, was destabilized by the terrorist airplane attacks. Now, as we attempt to normalize our lives in the hotbed of the anthrax threat, it may be difficult to remember why we should be giving thanks on Thursday.

The holidays can always be a difficult time for families who are struggling through emotional battles. With the great amount of loss that was experienced because of the terrorist attacks, the coming festivities may not be so joyful. However, we must not lose sight of all the qualities of Thanksgiving. Too many times we focus only at the obvious gifts in our lives, such as our families and possessions. When these are taken away, it becomes even harder for us to appreciate the little treasures of life that we normally take for granted but can help sustain us through these tragedies.

Never before in our young lives have we witnessed on such a grand scale the supreme acts of compassion and charity that resulted from the attacks on our country. We can thank everyone for their support to all those who were most affected by the attacks. There are many other things Rider students can be thankful for this year. Here are just a few:

w A college education. The sad fact remains that most of the world is not fortunate enough to receive a college education. While we are here, we should be thankful for every class, regardless of how annoying it may appear to be. An education is something that no one can ever steal from a person.

w A pluralistic society. As Americans, our First Amendment rights assure us that any opinion we may subscribe to is a valid one. We are not limited to a belief system that is outlined and enforced by the government. Because we are a democratic society as well, if our opinions do not correspond to our leaders’, we have the opportunity to publicly disagree with them.

w The right to vote. Even if we disagree with our leaders, they are elected by us. We have the right to choose our leaders based on their beliefs and agendas and the right to replace them, without violence, as their or our views change.

w Your life. If you are reading this, then you are alive. Congratulations!

w The Internet. Even though we curse our horrible service on a daily basis, at least we have the service to curse. When it’s up and working well, the communication it provides is invaluable. It allows for the exchange of ideas, and gives us access to the information to understand other cultures, thus making the world a smaller and less scary place. After all, if our biggest complaint is that we can’t get online, then we’re doing pretty well.

w Entertainment. We have the mindless void of TV and magazines to numb our brains when they start to hurt too much because of classes. It also gives us a medium to empathize and sympathize with our fellow human beings.

w Oh yeah, and let’s not forget that Thanksgiving gives us a break from classes and a chance to see our families.

A final note . . . The News staff was completely appalled by the level of selfishness displayed by some jackass in Hill Residence Hall this past week. A person stole a basket of food meant to go to a low-income family this holiday season. After a strong message from the resident director, the basket was returned—but without the food. Thankfully, the residents of Hill were generous enough to donate more.