Letter from the Editor: 2 Years of remembering and new horizons
This is our last issue for the spring semester and it is my last issue as Editor-in-Chief of The Corsair. We end the semester once more reflecting on the tragic events of June 7, 2013 when a violent mind decided to attack our campus and take three lives, including those of Margarita Gomez, SMC groundskeeper Carlos Navarro Franco and his daughter, SMC student Marcela Franco. Their names are remembered with respect on this campus, and rightfully so. And yet important, serious questions remain about that day's events and what led to them. This is why our cover story centers on SMC professor Wendy Parise who interacted with the shooter, John Zawahri, when he was a young child produced within a violent, abusive home. Our cover may disturb some, but it is a reminder that we should never forget not only the victims of terrible violence, but we should always probe deeper into the roots of a tragedy. Maybe then we can prevent future nightmares. I myself was in the campus library when Zawahri walked in, clad in black commando gear, and began the last phase of his rampage. I remember vividly running out through the back doors with fellow students terrified and confused. This is why as a writer, I insist we look into the abyss that produces walking, human weapons.
When I first came to The Corsair in the fall of 2013 I wanted nothing more than to write, and this campus paper has given me that opportunity with a breadth I will always be grateful for. Our advisors always gave us total freedom as a staff, even when when we clashed over ideas, content and debated articles. They produced an environment of collective creativity. I wish I could have stayed longer, but the seasons change, and life continues its shifts. Change is a constant in life. At The Corsair I found eternal friendships, even heartbreak, and had adventures with staff that produced endless stories that will follow me forever as I continue to pursue my dream as a writer.
But enough with the traditional goodbyes. We offer here a small comic strip, because every decent paper should have one at some point, where we give you a general overview of what it's been like to work at the finest campus newspaper this writer has had the honor to lose sleep over.
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