2008 Woodie Awards
The pen is mightier than the sword
Ryan Schellink, Staff Writer
Issue date: 2/8/06 Section: Opinion
As an avid writer and advocate of peace, one of my favorite maxims (second only to the magazine) is the pen is mightier than the sword.
Essentially, this means that words are a more powerful and effective means to an end than are weapons. The truth becomes increasingly apparent when viewed in light of the current war on terrorism.
The war on terror is a hoax. To declare war on terror is to commit a great fallacy by reifying an emotion. Additionally, a "war-on" is a silly notion in and of itself. The use of the word war implies that we plan on winning such a battle, no?
Checking my records, I don't believe we have succeeded in any of our "wars-on."
Let's do a quick inventory. The war on drugs can't possibly be working. You can throw a rock from UC Berkley's campus to the nearest medical marijuana clinic.
And if they had us fooled about the war on poverty, media coverage of Hurricane Katrina made like Toto in the Land of Oz and pulled back the curtain on the wizard.
If you want to see how ridiculous "wars-on" are, do some good, hearty college-level research and Google it. You'll find the war on terror right there with the war on spam, the war on long hair, and the war on faith. But I digress.
America wages its war on terror by use of military force and economic pressure. Al Qaeda and other militant Muslim groups, the primary targets of these tactics, certainly instigated, and perhaps even deserve, this aggressive response.
But the onslaught effects the population of the entire region, the majority of which are moderate, restrained Muslims.
Much like Americans, these people focus their lives on serving God humbly and providing for and spending time with their families.
Also, like Americans, they have a sense of pride and unity. These people feel greatly compelled to fight back against those who attack their homeland. You guessed it, just like Americans. And while I don't believe it to be the truth, the western world, namely America, must look so evil to these people.
Essentially, this means that words are a more powerful and effective means to an end than are weapons. The truth becomes increasingly apparent when viewed in light of the current war on terrorism.
The war on terror is a hoax. To declare war on terror is to commit a great fallacy by reifying an emotion. Additionally, a "war-on" is a silly notion in and of itself. The use of the word war implies that we plan on winning such a battle, no?
Checking my records, I don't believe we have succeeded in any of our "wars-on."
Let's do a quick inventory. The war on drugs can't possibly be working. You can throw a rock from UC Berkley's campus to the nearest medical marijuana clinic.
And if they had us fooled about the war on poverty, media coverage of Hurricane Katrina made like Toto in the Land of Oz and pulled back the curtain on the wizard.
If you want to see how ridiculous "wars-on" are, do some good, hearty college-level research and Google it. You'll find the war on terror right there with the war on spam, the war on long hair, and the war on faith. But I digress.
America wages its war on terror by use of military force and economic pressure. Al Qaeda and other militant Muslim groups, the primary targets of these tactics, certainly instigated, and perhaps even deserve, this aggressive response.
But the onslaught effects the population of the entire region, the majority of which are moderate, restrained Muslims.
Much like Americans, these people focus their lives on serving God humbly and providing for and spending time with their families.
Also, like Americans, they have a sense of pride and unity. These people feel greatly compelled to fight back against those who attack their homeland. You guessed it, just like Americans. And while I don't believe it to be the truth, the western world, namely America, must look so evil to these people.