Dear West Chester University,
Through the endless gray of winter in West Chester, I hope everyone had a lovely holiday break with friends, family and household pets. It was surprisingly warm, despite Pennsylvania’s record of biting winter months. As we wrap up the first week of a brand new semester, I want to offer my thoughts about a couple of major events that happened over the course of winter break.
First — impeachment.
It’s been the talk of every news outlet. Mentioning it here seems almost counterproductive against the sensationalism its wrought across the country and the rest of the world. While I’m fairly certain I already know what the outcome will be for President Donald Trump’s trial in the senate, I won’t elaborate on the situation anymore than to express my disappointment with how the press has chosen to focus in on every detail, regardless of relevancy.
Second — the bombing in Iran.
At the time that I am writing this, I am 22 years old. I was alive for the 9/11 tragedy, though I don’t remember it. What I do remember is what I was told in the years following. I was told that the people from Afghanistan hate our freedom. I was told that Iraq had a lot of bad people in it and that their dictator needed to be stopped. Ultimately, I was told that we were helping the people in the Middle East.
I was told the terrorists were from every Middle-Eastern country except for Saudi Arabia, an ally country of ours where the terrorists were actually from. I was never told about the oil-rich lands that provided profit worth killing for. I was never told of the massive civilian death toll in the middle east or what Iran was like before the United States intervened.
As terrible as it is, the incident is far from a shocking event.
Even if bad news is ever-prevalent, it doesn’t mean that the little things we do to make our lives meaningful don’t matter. I hope that everyone can find enjoyment in the little details of their lives, and choose to be as radically happy as you can be.
Have a great start to the semester, West Chester.
Sincerely,
Samantha Walsh