Wednesday, September 12, 2001

Students react with multitude of emotions
Terrorist attacks lead to shock, fear, disbelief among students
By Sarah McClellan
Staff Reporter

Students gathered from all over campus Tuesday and stared in shock at the Student Center Lounge television as events that will change the world unfolded in New York City and Washington, D.C.

At least half of the more than 100 students in the lounge had tears in their eyes as they watched hijacked planes destroy the World Trade Center and The Pentagon in possible terrorist attacks that caused numerous American fatalities.

Caleb Williams - Skiff Staff Chelsea Hudson, an Student Government Association member, prays during the prayer assembly for the tragedy inflicted on the United States, Tuesday.

Steve Witt, a sophomore premajor, compared the terrorist attacks to some other memorable events in history.

“Last time (something like) this happened, we had World War II,” Witt said. “And I don’t want to be a soldier.”

Some students projected that the United States may go to war as a result of the incidents.

“I think war is a good possibility,” Kenny Thompson, a junior political science major, said. “I know we’ll retaliate somehow. I’d go (to war) if I had to.”

Some students demonstrate fear.

“I found out (about the attack) in my car on the way to school,” Kelly Cowdery, a senior early childhood education major, said. “It was a revisiting of old bombings, like Oklahoma (City). I didn’t quite know what happened. I was a little shocked and frankly, a little scared.”

Tom Sullivan, coordinator of fraternity and sorority affairs, said faculty and staff members share in the students’ fear.

“I don’t know if I realized the magnitude of it at the initial onset,” he said. “By the time I got to work it was a pretty scary feeling.”

Stephen Gose, a junior graphics design major, said the events seemed surreal.

“I can’t believe this really happened,” Gose said. “You always hear about terrorism, but you don’t think it’ll really happen. I saw the New York skyline collapse on TV this morning when I was trying to study for a test.”

Jonathan Kohn, a junior biology major and president of Hillel, a Jewish student organization, said it was eerie to hear about Tuesday’s attacks after meeting Morris Dees Monday night during the Gates of Chai Lectureship series. Dees, who spoke on the TCU campus Monday night, is chief trial counsel for the Southern Poverty Law Center.

“He spoke about terrorism,” Kohn said. “He said we’ve taken two steps forward and one step back in tolerance, and I think this is just another step back. But people are going to come together because of the magnitude of this.”

Students did come together at noon Tuesday on Sadler lawn, where a prayer vigil was held. Many students prayed aloud as hundreds more stood or sat with heads bowed.

One student prayed to “lift up President Bush to God. I can’t imagine what he’s going through.”

Several students read Bible scriptures into a microphone. At the end of the vigil, Kristin Holt, a junior political science and Spanish major, led the crowd in “The Star Spangled Banner,” after which the crowd sang religious hymns.

Another student prayed to “help each and every one of us to stand strong in this time of trouble. As TCU, we need to come together as one mind, one body and one soul, because that’s the only way we can get through this.”

Sarah McClellan
s.l.mcclellan@student.tcu.edu