The Isabella Cannon Centre for Isabella Studies held several events Tuesday to observe the first 9/11 anniversary...
The goal was to spark global and academic discussion on campus and complement the other activities held at Elon that day, according to Bill Rich, dean of international programs. “It’s not just a remembrance of events, but talking about the future,” he said.
There was plenty of talking Tuesday afternoon, particularly as more than 100 students packed the new Centre resource room to hear former Elon faculty member Aqueil Ahmad talk about terrorism and Iraq. The discussion, led by psychology professor Jim Pickens, was titled “Alternative Responses to Terrorism.”
Ahmad encouraged students to try to understand the reasons for terrorism and emphasized that the enemy is not a country in this case. “Terrorism exists in the minds of people, and that is where the war has to be fought,” he said.
Building political and diplomatic coalitions is vital to the United States, Ahmad said, particularly where Iraq is concerned. “Ultimately, we may have to go to war,” he said. “But let’s not jump into it hastily. Let’s give peace a chance.”
After his talk, Ahmad took questions from the crowd, which focused mainly on Iraq and Saddam Hussein. “I think it is a very dangerous game that we are trying to play, in my view,” he said.
Earlier in the afternoon, about thirty students participated in conference calls with Elon students in London and a recent graduate in Paris.
Jennifer Dew and Lauren Simmons spoke with the group first from their London flat. Although Dew said some students were cautious about going out on this first anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, she took the Tube to the park. “It was a normal day for us,” she said.
Simmons says the British don’t agree with how the United States is handling the situation with Iraq. “They’re angry because they’re a target now, too,” she said.
Elon alum Rob Campbell spoke with students from Paris, where he is attending graduate school. Although he is still learning to speak French, he senses from the media that France has mixed views on Iraq. “They don’t want to be involved unless the coalition is involved,” he said.
Campbell watched a formal ceremony held by French President Jacques Chirac on TV that morning and said his class observed a moment of silence in honor of the 9/11 victims. He was studying abroad in Australia at this time last year. Because of the time difference, it was 9 p.m. when word spread about the attacks.
“We didn’t know what to think of it,” he said. “We just had to sit and watch. I was disappointed that I couldn’t be in America with my family and friends.”