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Indiana Daily Student

Friday, Jan. 2

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When it becomes personal

A news article graced my laptop screen Monday. A very ordinary Monday morning ritual, I try to avidly follow the happenings in the world over a steaming cup of Kenyan Roast. Only this time my attention was keenly honed in on the headline: "Bali Bomb Plotters Said to Plan to Hit Foreign Schools in Jakarta" . I surprised myself at how different my reaction was this time, as my eyes poured over the text. My stomach was churning, and that had nothing to do with my morning caffeine intake.\nWhy was it that this particular terrorist activity was getting personal, while Sept. 11 or the Bali bombing for example, didn't? \nDuring Sept. 11, the world watched in utter horror at the pictures of the towers falling. For all connected to America, this was way up close and personal. This terrorist act pierced the hearts and shook the faith of every American citizen. But to me, this depiction of horror sent via satellite was distant and impersonal. New York was a world away from my European location at the time, and when I heard of Jemaah Islamiyah's latest work, the attack on the Sari Night Club in Bali, I was appalled. Linked to the al Qaeda network, this radical Southeast Asia Islamic group targeted the resort where Australia's children are known to play: Kuta Beach, the Mecca of Aussie surfers and backpackers. This was getting closer to home.\nA friend spent five consecutive wild nights partying until dawn broke the horizon. He decided on Oct. 12 that another crazy night of clubbing was too much of a good thing and stayed in his hotel. So he didn't make it to the Sari Club. That's some pretty hefty angel perched on this guy's shoulder, seeing how of those who did enter the club that night, over 190 were blown to pieces. \nEven more inconceivable was the picture of the smiling alleged Bali bomber Amrozi, whose minivan blew up with some 110 pounds of explosive material. He was overheard to have said he was "delighted" that the bomb exploded yet was unhappy but not regretful that most who died were Australians. He had wanted to kill Americans. \nUntil Monday's headline caught my eye, I had followed the terrorist news somewhat passively. \nBut this time there was a difference. Western intelligence agencies understood that the focus of the planned strikes was the Jakarta International School with 2,500 kids -- a third of whom are American citizens. The targets would be children ranging from kindergarten age to high school students. This just blew me away. \nThis is because 20 years ago, my family and I lived in Jakarta, and my sister attended the International School. Aside from the time difference, once upon a time, she was one of those cute kids clad in the Javanese Batik school tees. \nWhy did none of the previous headlines concerning the Bali bombings or the WTC not triggered such a reaction in me as did this last article I read? \nThe answer dawned. Being bombarded with news depicting death and terrorism daily, you just naturally screen out the snow. Only when it comes up very close and becomes personal does one really pay attention, tune in and ferociously devour the news broadcasts I realized. Now finally, the terrorist world had triggered off the notion of entering into my world and I was paying full attention.

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