Ten years after the attacks on Sept. 11, 2011, Elon University students Rachel Stanley and Mason Sklut can think of no better response than to engage in open, honest dialogue with people of differing backgrounds.
On the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, Elon University was preparing for a pep rally at College Coffee to celebrate the opening of Rhodes Stadium.
For some, the change was immediate, breathtaking, consumable. For others, the change was gradual, subtle, almost imperceptible. For me, it was the latter.
On September 12th 2001 there was very little to be positive about in the United States. The nation had moved out of the disbelief that follows a tragedy of unthinkable magnitude and had begun processing what we just witnessed. As a nation, we were fearful and uncertain. If there was one thing that was the silver lining on September 12th 2001, one thing to be positive about, it was that you were not alone. Although everyone was hurt to different degrees, those who were lucky enough to have all of their loved ones safe began to help those who needed consoling. Some near New York even jumped to action searching the rubble for anyone still alive. Around the country, everyone was hurt and confused but somehow in sharing this feeling of weakness, we gained strength. Everyone took that little bit of power they had left in them and instead of trying to make it stand on its own they added it to others and found more strength than would have been possible alone. Eventually, someone borrowed a phrase to explain that strength: United We Stand. Today, those three words are merely a relic of the tragedy. As time went on we reverted to our argumentative norm and the phrase became a call for conformity. That isn't surprising though. We have always argued and we will always argue. Our ability to disagree is one of the things that make our country great. But today the tone of our vitriol has overridden our ability to come together and do what needs to be done. Ironically, this problem is perfectly presented in the 9/11 healthcare controversy. The Zadroga bill, as it's called, allowed for billions of dollars in funding to be provided to the men and women who now suffer from various health issues caused by rushing into the rubble after the towers collapsed. Funding for this care came from closing a tax loophole on foreign companies. Although the bill eventually passed and was signed it was subject to filibuster in the senate and for a time was considered unlikely to pass before the end of 2010. If there was ever a bill that was an easy vote, this was it. But instead it was held hostage and Republican leadership demanded that it not be supported in order to make a point about the Bush tax cuts. The Zadroga bill is just the beginning. Lest we forget about our downgraded credit rating caused by an uncooperative, divided congress. Though our country isn't facing the kind of drastic tragedy we saw on 9/11, we are still in a midst of a minor crisis. America is looking to Washington for bravery and leadership to combat uncertain times but all we're finding is dysfunction and divisiveness. The brave men and women that took action ten years ago are the perfect example of doing what is needed with out worrying about what they'll get in return or what others would think. Maybe it's time we thought about the three words from those old banners and bumper stickers: United We Stand.
http://stream.elon.edu/pendulum/2011fall/podcasts/opinions/topics_9.12.mp3 We discuss the Sept. 11 anniversary and racism at Elon.
The North Carolina state legislature is currently debating an amendment to the state constitution that would define marriage between a man and a woman as the only legally recognized relationship.
by Grace Elkus Senior Reporter SGA elections for the freshman class took place last week, and I got the chance to interview the new president and vice-president. Not only are they excited to get started, but they are also eager to meet the rest of the SGA council and voice their opinions. Joe Incorvia from Harwinton, Conn., was elected president and is adamant about creating class unity. He admitted that most people knew who he was before school even started because they had watched the video he posted on the class of 2015 Facebook group. He told me the video was “philosophical,” and in it he asked his peers how they wanted to be remembered as a class. He admits that sometimes it’s creepy because people he’s never met know his name, but that also it was helpful when he ran for the SGA position. Sarah Paille Jansa from Atlanta was elected vice-president. Although she has no experience in student government, she is looking forward to learning from the other officers and trying something new. She says the process of writing a speech and getting signatures for her petition was a “whirlwind,” but it was definitely worth it. The class senators include Robert Iachenauer, Joe Duncan and Kristopher Jiles. Adrienne Euler is the class secretary, and Ciera Martinez is the class treasurer. Martinez, who was president of her high school’s student council, is excited to be involved in the college level. “My goals are to make our freshman year memorable!” she said. “I’m looking forward to being a member of a team that will make significant changes. Being a member of something bigger than yourself.” The freshman class should be excited about their new leaders and what they will bring to their class and to the Elon community. Look for Grace's story in this week's issue of The Pendulum, on newsstands and online Sept.
Elon quarterback Thomas Wilson rolls out for a pass in the Phoenix's 42-10 victory over the Concord University Mountain Lions on Saturday night. The Elon Phoenix scored 28 points in the first half and walked away with a 42-10 victory over the Concord University Mountain Lions Saturday night at Rhodes Stadium. One of their players, however, walked away with a limp. Elon quarterback Thomas Wilson went 22 of 27 with 201 yards and three touchdowns through the air before going down with a leg injury with less than a minute left in the second quarter. "I have not got an injury report yet," said Elon coach Jason Swepson, who earned his first collegiate head-coaching win with the rout.
In the first half, Elon controlled the tempo on both sides of the ball, leading a balanced attack of 201 yards through the air and 151 yards on the ground, and leads 28-7 over visiting Concord University. Senior running back Dontay Taylor leads the rushing attack for the Phoenix with 53 yards rushing.
Ricardo Mendoza was in the air on Sept.11, 2001. It was the Colombia native's first trip to the United States, from Bogota to California, as a student.
"http://stream.elon.edu/pendulum/2011fall/podcasts/news/News_9.11.mp3" In the first episode of The Pendulum news podcast, Caitlin and Kassondra wrap up the week's news and give a preview of what to expect in this Wednesday's issue of the newspaper. Check out Time magazine's cover vs. Newsweek's cover of Sept.
It’s the second week of school here at Elon, and at this point, things are getting busy, homework loads are becoming heavier and time is most likely moving faster.
by Natalie Allison Senior Reporter Burlington is a growing place. I wish I had been smart enough to start my own time-lapse photo series six or so years ago to document how this city has grown and developed.
Read what three correspondents have to say so far about their time abroad. And don't forget to pick up a copy of The Pendulum tomorrow for news from around Elon ... and around the world. Peter Gallagher - Copenhagen, Denmark During my first few days in Copenhagen, I was amazed to see so few overweight people.
As you start a new semester of classes and organizations, The Pendulum news team is hard at work keeping the news section running strong, while also introducing new initiatives for the year.
A statewide law banning the disposal of electronics as household waste and the introduction of sustainable graduation gowns have bolstered efforts by Elon University's Office of Sustainability to make Elon a "green" campus. Under the Discarded Computer Equipment and Television Management Law approved this summer in North Carolina, electronics can no longer be discarded as household waste.
In The Pendulum's 2011 Fall Sports Insert that was included in the Aug. 31 newspaper, the 2011 Elon Phoenix Football Schedule was incorrect.
The Elon University men's soccer team hopes to achieve something this season that has never been done in program history, senior defender Austen King said. The goal: to win the Southern Conference tournament and earn a berth into the NCAA tournament. Elon was the regular season champion in 2008, when this year's seniors were just freshmen, yet the tournament title has eluded the Phoenix over the years. But the expectation this year is to win both and gain an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament, King said. "Realistically, we have a team that can do that, judging from how guys are playing this summer and the guys we have coming back," he said. The Phoenix returns nine of 11 starters, including 2010 SoCon Player of the Year junior forward Chris Thomas.
Kristina Licare, class of 2011, experiences deja vu all the time. But while most people dismiss these moments as surreal, Licare finds truth. Licare describes her experience as a "belief in the purity of each moment." For her, they are not tricks of the mind, but real and previously lived circumstances that are re-occurring. Licare's experiences with deja vu led her to question her philosophy on life and, more specifically, time. "There are moments that everybody has in their life where they look up and say, 'Where am I?
As part of its commitment to training global citizens and encouraging students to experience new cultures, Elon University and the Isabella Cannon International Centre have added five new Winter Term study abroad programs and three semester programs across the world. The Winter Term destinations are India/Dubai, not to be confused with the existing program in India, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Turkey/Greece and Vietnam, while the semester programs are in China (Shanghai), France (Montpellier) and Turkey. "We are happy that the programs are in new places," said Woody Pelton, dean of international programs. For a program to be created, a faculty member who is interested in leading the course or program must submit a proposal to the Study Abroad Committee, which then determines if the proposal is successful or not, according to Pelton.
