By Abby Weinzer Editor

According to Merriam-WebsterÌs Online dictionary, the world "lunacy" is defined as "intermittent insanity once believed to be related to phases of the moon," or "insanity amounting to lack of capacity or of responsibility in the eyes of the law."

What is happening in our country right now is true lunacy. This is a "full moon" and many people in our nation are feeling the effects.

In the aftermath of the attack on the United States, a great many people are asserting irresponsible bids for attention. Some have lodged false accusations of assault. Others mail harmless talcum-based powders suggesting an anthrax attack and meant to instill fear. These hoaxes are extremely detrimental to the countryÌs attempt to return to normalcy.

Arizona State University student, Ahmed Saad Nasim, 19, twice reported being attacked on campus simply because of his Middle-Eastern heritage. As a result, several other students from the Middle East, as well as some Arab-American students, withdrew from their classes and left ASU. After further investigation, those accusations were deemed to be false.

Sadly, because of one misguided person, an entire university community has suffered. His callous behavior not only caused the return of many international students to their homelands, but also instilled fear in people across the state.

His punishment is still being decided, but one thing is clear: we cannot allow members of our community to mangle our sense of safety. What were his motives? Will his punishment be severe enough to account for the ways in which he manipulated the ASU student body? These questions are still being answered. It is clear that this is not some silly college prank; this is a twisted abomination of the truth.

Attention-starved? Sick in the head? What could cause someone to do this? And why would we tolerate it? As far as I am concerned, this is a hate crime. He clearly has hatred for the community he has betrayed, and he should not only be expelled from ASU, but be brought up on criminal charges of the severest kind.

Another phenomenon has come about in light of recent tragedies, the overwhelming amount of hysteria over the threat of biological terrorism. Some people fear that opening their mail will result in Anthrax inhalation. Others are starting organic vegetable gardens to avoid biological weapons in crop dusters. This is the beginning of a vicious cycle, ladies and gentlemen. The Emmy Awards were postponed a second time and the entertainment world is avoiding humor altogether.

If we paralyze ourselves and isolate our ways of life, the terrorists have already won. But if we allow the sickness of Anthrax hoaxes and false violence reports to flourish, we are allowing our own citizens to perpetrate terrorism.

Greater than the threat of Anthrax or smallpox or any type of chemical warfare, is the threat of the dissolution of our countryÌs ability to rise in the face of tragedy and greet the coming days with the same pith and stalwartness that has been the backbone of our democracy since 1776.

Last updated: April 12, 2002
Paradise Valley Community College- URL-http://www.pvc.maricopa.edu
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