Dear Editor:
Please consider this reflection by Dr. Rachel Cunliffe who asks if our young people will inherit our trauma and its trailing effects from the Sept 11, 2001 terror attacks. For PeaceVoice, thank you,
Tom Hastings
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Knowledge in the Blood: Stories about 9-11
by Rachel Cunliffe
582 words
A Saudi Arabian exchange student starting 12thgrade in an American high school this fall is bullied because his name is Osama. “Something about 11thof September?” I learn.
Jonathan Jansen called it “knowledge in the blood” when he wrote of the vindictiveness and hostility of Afrikaaner youth born after the end of apartheid as they entered his desegregated college in Pretoria, South Africa. Jansen’s exploration of the rigid views held by these youth about a past they had never lived illuminate the lasting stories we tell about 9-11, and the legacy in those stories we are passing on to our youth and now to a group of young Saudis who have come here because of their leadership and potential to forge lasting relationships with young Americans.
The new American voters in the election of 2020 will be the first generation of voters born after 9-11. The attacks 18 years ago are their story though not their experience. But what exactly is the nature of that story? Is it a tale of injury and revenge? Is it a tale of sorrow, grief, reconciliation and reconstruction? Is it an account which valorizes the blood sacrifice of American youth seeping into sand in Iraq and Afghanistan, largely forgotten and ignored conflicts which have been ongoing ever since? Is there any consideration in our stories of the massive loss of Afghani and Iraqi life, or the atrocities at Guantanamo and Abu Ghraib? Have we attempted to come together with people where between us is offense and injury to try to co-create a future where such harms will never happen again? How have our stories and division created our complicity in the world’s violence and misery as regimes have been toppled and destabilized all over North Africa, the Middle East and beyond?
Ivor Goodson in a book about teaching said, “…stories do social and political work as they are told. A story is never just a story – it is a statement of belief and morality, it speaks about values ….[stories] may accept political and social priorities without comment, or they may challenge those priorities.” If American youth bully Arabian boys called Osama, what is the nature of the stories we are telling which they are now enacting? How have we become stuck in a particular set of “political and social priorities” and have refused opportunities to reconcile ourselves with a past that cannot be changed but which can pass, and from which we could build a better future? How much has our refusal to shift from a narrative which requires revenge been the fertile seedbed for the resurgence of the Taliban in Afghanistan and for the persistence of ISIS which is reimagining the spaces a failed Al Qaeda did not conquer? How much has the particular way we have persisted in telling these stories prevented our healing and recovery and learning?
As we recognize and commemorate the 18thanniversary of the tragedy and horror of that day we can stand with the survivors whose loss is still so keen, we can acknowledge the ways the world changed for so many of us as we watched with desperation the helplessness of those trapped by flames and collapsing super-structures, and we can commit to build bridges with a more nuanced understanding and empathy towards those whose stories are different from our own in order to contribute to a world in which there is never again a gap so wide it seems it can only be filled by fire.
—30—
Dr. Rachel Cunliffe is Assistant Professor of Conflict Resolution at Portland State University.
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The Amity Affliction
Signs to Pure Noise Records
Unleashes New Single
OCT 9 | THE COMPLEX | SALT LAKE CITY, UT
Brisbane, AUS - Australian metalcore juggernauts The Amity Affliction have returned with a new label and a new single as well. The band has announced their signing to Pure Noise Records with "All My Friends Are Dead," a blistering track that serves as the follow up to 2018's Misery. Stream the song now, here.
"We are excited as all hell to be on Pure Noise, where the roster is amazing, and Jake is still running the label independently, and with a strong ethos," shares vocalist and lyricist Joel Birch."We can't wait to see what the future holds; this shit is tight, thank you for your support, thank you Pure Noise, and thanks again to everyone out there who makes this dream of playing music worldwide our reality."
Fans can hear "All My Friends Are Dead" live this fall as The Amity Affliction prepares to hit the road in Australia, Japan, and the United States. They will also be touring the UK in early 2020. For a full list of upcoming shows, please see below or visit www.theamityaffliction.net.
Last year The Amity Affliction released Misery, the band's 6th studio album. In it they wove electronic elements and even bolder hooks into their signature sound, and did so with humbling confidence. "It was time for a breath of fresh air, and more so for us than anyone else," stated Birch. "Our whole career, we've always felt that we've had to prove ourselves. We've had to prove we tour enough, that we're good enough, and we've never been given a handout. We've never really been supported by other bands taking us on big tours to help us get bigger. With this record we're standing here and stating here we are."
Throughout the album, while they pushed their sound in previously unexplored directions and imbued every track with a distinct identity, everything they did remained fundamentally true to who they are, both as individuals and as a unit. "It was definitely somewhere that we were headed. Everyone's a bit older and musical influences change, and how we envision the band changed," explains Birch. "We always handle everything ourselves, and our producer Matt Squire helped us get the electronic stuff the way we wanted it. We came to him with clear ideas and placeholders of the sounds we wanted, and he helped us nail those down."
While they retained the formula of guitarist Dan Brown writing all of the music, Birch providing lyrics, and bassist/clean vocalist Ahren Stringer weaving the two together implemented on This Could Be Heartbreak (2016), the band worked more cohesively than on any of their previous releases. They also recruited Defeater drummer Joe Longobardi and producer Matt Squire to round out the team.
Now The Amity Affliction is back with new single, "All My Friends Are Dead," out now via Pure Noise Records. Stay tuned for more coming soon.
Follow The Amity Affliction:
Website: www.theamityaffliction.net
Facebook: www.facebook.com/theamityafflictionofficial
Twitter: www.twitter.com/amityaffliction
Instagram: www.instagram.com/theamityaffliction
For hi-res press photo, please click here
WHO: The Amity Affliction w/Sum 41
WHERE: The Complex | 536 W 100 S | Salt Lake City, UT
WHEN: Wednesday, October 9th | Doors: 6pm
INFO: http://bit.ly/2kyVJYA | $33.50 | All Ages
US Tour Supporting Sum 41:
10/5 - Minneapolis, MN @ Skyway Theatre
10/6 - Chicago, IL @ Riviera Theatre
10/8 - Denver, CO @ Ogden Theatre
10/9 - Salt Lake City, UT @ The Complex
10/12 - Chico, CA @ Senator Theatre
10/13 - Seattle, WA @ Showbox SoDo
10/16 - Las Vegas, NV @ House Of Blues
10/17 - Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Palladium
10/18 - San Diego, CA @ Soma
10/20 - Tempe, AZ @ Marquee Theatre
10/23 - Houston, TX @ Revention Music Center
10/26 - Raleigh, NC @ The Ritz
10/28 - New York, NY @ Manhattan Center Hammerstein Ballroom
10/29 - Philadelphia, PA @ The Fillmore
10/31 - Worcester, MA @ Palladium
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With the U.S. ranking No. 19 on this year’s World Happiness Report, down one spot since the previous edition, and research showing that money up to a certain dollar amount can contribute to happiness, the personal-finance website today released its report on 2019’s Happiest States in America as well as accompanying videos.
To determine where Americans have the highest satisfaction with life, WalletHub compared the 50 states across 31 key indicators of happiness. The data set ranges from emotional health to income level to sports participation rate.
Happiness in Utah (1=Happiest; 25=Avg.)
For the full report, please visit:
https://wallethub.com/edu/happiest-states/6959/
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Hi Jim,
Please feel free to use the below article as is. If you would like an interview or comments from Alex Joyce on this and related topics please reach out and I will be happy to coordinate.
Ashley
Worried About Saving For College?
Here Are The Key Points To Consider
As students head back to college, millions of parents are hoping their younger children someday can do the same.
With the high costs of college continuing to rise and many students and families saddled with heavy debt, saving for college has become as important as ever. Many people started savings plans early, while others either could not afford to or procrastinated.
The bottom line, says financial professional Alexander Joyce, is learning all the options that fit with a family’s financial situation.
“It’s never too late, but most people wish they had started sooner, and many don’t know what investment option is best for their college funding needs,” says Joyce, president/CEO of ReJoyce Financial LLC (www.ReJoyceFinancial.com) and author of ReJoyce In Your Retirement: Everything You Need To Know To Get Everything You Want.
“Be honest and realistic about the college part of your family financials, and from there you can decide on ways to get there in discussions with a planner.”
Joyce says the following points should be explored and evaluated before going forward with a college savings plan:
Your risk tolerance level. Before committing to a college savings plan, it’s important to determine how much you can afford to risk. “Just like anything in life, the higher the risk, the higher the potential reward,” Joyce says. “If you start very early you likely can go higher risk somewhere down the road. At the same time, risk tolerance — and protecting your principal — is very important because college savings is a usually more conservative investment; it’s a targeted investment, meaning you need an amount of money by a specific date.”
The pros and cons of 529 plans. The 529 plan is an immensely popular college savings tool. Among the benefits are tax-deferred growth and tax-free withdrawals when savings are used for qualified education expenses. And as of 2019, individuals can contribute up to $15,000 per 529 plan, per child annually without triggering a gift tax. However, there are some disadvantages, such as limited investment options and a 10 percent tax penalty applied when money in the account is used for non-qualified education expenses. “The 529 has traditionally been the way for many families, because you hear about it the most,” Joyce says. “But if you’re getting a late start on college savings, this may not be the plan for you. You may have to play catch-up by contributing larger amounts, and you also have a shorter window for seeing your investments recover from market volatility.”
Non-traditional college savings plans. “One of the best things some people can do is look outside the box of traditional planning vehicles,” Joyce says. “There’s a big argument for adding an additional level of equities — some say you would be better off buying a mutual fund or exchange-traded fund (ETF) to fund college. For example, with some funds averaging 10-15% in the market the last 10 years, those who did exceptionally well took more market risk, exposing the principal to loss or gain. On the other hand, perhaps try a Roth IRA — it could double as a college savings account as well as a retirement account. There’s no 10 percent penalty when Roth IRA withdrawals are used for qualified higher education expenses, but ordinary income tax may apply to any earnings withdrawn before the age of 59½.”
“When drawing a conclusion on a plan of action, stick to it the best you can,” Joyce says. “Consistency wins the race.”
About Alexander Joyce
Alexander Joyce is CEO and president of ReJoyce Financial LLC (www.ReJoyceFinancial.com), a full-service retirement income planning firm in Indianapolis, Ind. He’s the author of ReJoyce In Your Retirement: Everything You Need To Know To Get Everything You Want. Joyce holds the NSSA (National Social Security Advisor) and CRPC (Charted Retirement Planning Counselor) designations. He hosts informational and educational seminars as well as the radio show Retirement Halftime Show. He can be seen monthly on Money Monday as well as Your Money on the IndyStyle program, broadcast by WISH-TV, myINDY-TV and WTHR in Indianapolis.
