Much has changed in the American vernacular over the past year. Patriotism, once hidden away in favor of capitalism or individualism, has resurfaced with new and heightened meaning: flags on every item of clothing you can find.

Afghans, the term that previously referred to the blanket at the end of your sofa, now prompts images of our ever-present enemies.

Iraq, known as the womb of our former arch-nemesis, has reasserted itself as a concern of national security.

Previously 9:11 was the time at which it was just exactly too late to walk into a 9 a.m. class, but now 9/11 signifies our generation’s Pearl Harbor.

However, the elements of our current cultural jargon contain much more meaning than the typical fads in slang; they are words that contain emotions, memories and, most importantly, the unpredictable fate of our nation and our world.

So, while we are in the business of calling up old ghosts, we also request the presence of a forgotten relationship that may be the only answer to the problems looming in our formidable future: youth and activism.

Students on college campuses once had the ability to cause change, sway political views and disrupt the force of war. With optimism, we hope that this has not been forgotten.

In the words of Vice President Cheney, “the time has come for action.” Hopefully, for college students at Simpson and around the country, this will mean more than just waving flags and using slang terms to discuss politics, in theory.