I found Mr. Rodeck’s comments Sept. 20 ironically reactive. He admonishes us to not be reactive, but his entire letter is nothing but reactive verbalisms, for example – “We have enemies living among us,” “Hopefully we don’t have to see the Campanile burning to realize the enemy we face is already on our soil,” “They will strike here.”

Talk like this is reminiscent of the “Red Scare” during the 1950s, where anyone who disagreed with a government policy was labeled as “un-American.” In fact Congress even had a committee to investigate “un-American” ideas. We need to be very careful using such rhetoric.

If we start distrusting people based on their cultural and religious background, then the terrorists will have won.

We need to go about our daily lives strong and proud and without fear. Should our government develop policies to help safeguard national security? Yes. But let us not fear our Muslim or Mideastern or South Asian brothers and sisters.

Tom Blair

Senior

Spanish and secondary education