Open forum about effects of the tragedy
This past Wednesday professors and students at Georgia College & State University continued a discussion that began about three weeks ago about how lives will change after the tragedy that struck America on September the 11th.
Dr. Amin Sakar, the acting chair of the Economics department, Dr. Chris Grant, an assistant professor of Political Science from the Department of Government and Sociology, Dr. Birgit Sehabler, an assistant professor of History, and Dr. Michael Digby, a professor of Political Science from the department of Government and Society, composed the panel that spoke to and answered questions at the forum.
The panel addressed many issues that we as students and as a society will have to deal with due to the the events that took place three weeks ago. Dr. Sakar addressed the changes in economics that our country and the world will have to face in the coming months. Sakar spoke about the decline in sales and layoffs of workers and how that would increase government expenditures. The impact, Sakar said, from government actions, such as relief to airlines and the lowering of the federal interest rate, would take about eight to nine months to make a noticeable effect on the economy.
Dr. Grant spoke about how September 11th had affected him personally, having been born in New York City and growing up during the construction of the World Trade Center. Grant also spoke on how the recent changes will affect politics in America for the coming 2002 elections.
“Just recently, our Bush broke the record for the highest approval rating for a U.S. President when he surpassed his father’s approval rating of 89% with a 90% approval rating following the events that happened three weeks ago,” Grant said.
Dr. Sehabler discussed changes that are happening in the Middle East following the attack on America. She discussed her own personal difficulties dealing with getting a Visa to travel to her native country of Germany, where many terrorists have been discovered living in communities. Sehabler also told of how many Arabic students who are studying abroad are going home to their families. She emphasized talking about issues and listening to your fellow students and not getting upset for no reason.
Finally, Dr. Digsby discussed America’s changing foreign policy and how it will affect students. He said that the U.S. will probably use a four pronged approach concerning the nations policy on the attack. Digsby said that the U.S. should use a “field of diplomacy,” to isolate countries that harbor terrorists and terrorist organizations. A financial strangle should be placed on the monetary assets of terrorists and their organizations. Policing in the U.S. will also have to increase in relation to organizations such as the F.B.I and the C.I.A. In addition to the other three, the United States will have to execute some “reasonably crafted form of action that is sharp, short and carefully chosen.”
Students asked several question, and all members of the panel were very helpful in answering questions dealing with things such as commerce and foreign relations.
Posted by Colonnade Archives
on Oct 5 2001. Filed under News.
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