Bush Administration Ignores Real Issues
By Chrissy Henneberg
Contributing Writer

After returning from a sleep-filled spring break, I do not feel as rested and relaxed as I would have hoped. I suspect that neither do many of my classmates. The world seems very different now than it did when we all poured off this campus two weeks ago to Mexico, the Grand Canyon, and other destinations. President Bush has taken this country to war with Iraq, and while the horrors of war may seem far away, we have been suddenly hit with the death of a member of our own community. The campus bubble may not have popped, but I suspect (and hope) that everyone feels it has sprung a few leaks.

Recently, I was talking to a classmate about the state of the world and the war with Iraq. I expressed my frustration with the Bush administration for disrespecting the opinions and values of our allies, blatantly abusing its power, and ignoring worldwide public outcry in order to pursue its own interests. I am persuaded that the world would be a safer place with Saddam Hussein removed from power. However, if it is the safety of the world that we are concerned about, it should be world opinion-not merely U.S. opinion-that dictates the decision of how to remove him. My concern is that the U.S. is rapidly losing the respect of the world at a time when respect and cooperation among nations are extremely critical.

As I explained these sentiments to my classmate, he replied with a statement that is very unsettling but, I fear, very true. He said that he doesn't believe that most Americans care what other countries think of us. Most U.S. citizens, he pointed out, are far from any national borders or major cities. They feel safe within the broad boundaries of their all-mighty country, largely ignorant of the differences, concerns, and values of the rest of the world. People living in big cities might be concerned about the "anti-American" sentiments that spur terrorist attacks. But the Bush administration has somehow managed to convince those fearful citizens that the way to protect themselves from future terrorist attacks is not to quell anti-Americanism by exhibiting sensitivity and humility in our foreign policy, particularly with Arab nations. Rather, the administration's method is to flex its military muscle and show the rest of the world what will happen to anyone who dares to attack-or help others attack-our mighty nation.

I do not believe in this method. In fact, I am convinced that it can only backfire. Fear is not the answer, at least not the superficial fears of soaring gasoline prices and ephemeral orange alerts. The answer lies in a new national attitude-an attitude of respect and humility for our place in a world that is bigger than America, and broader than the way of life that we work so hard to preserve at such a high cost. At this point, such an attitude must start with us-the students on college campuses around this country. We are about to find ourselves leading a country that is riddled with problems, both within its borders and in its role of international leadership. I hope we are capable of reaching beyond the bubble of our campus-and the bubble of our country-in order to look at ourselves through the eyes of the rest of the world. What does the world see? What do we want them to see?