Students ought to consider ‘what ifs’

After reading the Nov. 11 letter from the three Jackson High School students (Fighting Terrorism: America needs to look for new tactics”) I was disappointed to think that I was paying for them to receive such a negative education. Yet, it is encouraging to see that students are interested in our national life. Here are a few “what if…” questions for discouraged students to think about.

What if your heroes had decided that the American civil rights battle would be too difficult? What if your grandfather’s generation had decided that the German blitzkrieg was unbeatable or the Japanese Kamikazes were invincible? In about 1900 millions died from anthrax, smallpox and influenza. What if your grandparent’s generation had decided that there was no hope? What if most of your parent’s generation had decided that they would just have to live with international communism?

I hope that in the years ahead you all will have the opportunity to travel to many countries of this world. It won’t take much travel to discover that the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor really does stand for some pretty awesome ideas – ideas that have consequences.

Edmonds

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