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It would take a brave person indeed to label the current world situation as anything but uncertain. Even living in a city like Sydney, isolated in international terms, things seem to change, however imperceptibly.
I was walking down to the Opera House just after the war finished, and things seemed to be normal. There was the usual throng of tourists taking photos, the cafÈs were full, and everyone appeared a little less nervous. But as I walked past the tourists and locals alike, there seemed to be an unease between people. The uncertainties of SARS, war and terrorism adding to the already massive problems that this world has. Moving further into the crowds, I even saw one group of tourists wearing surgical masks to protect themselves from SARS; this in a city that hasn't yet had a confirmed case. It left me thinking how we have come to live in such unstable times.
When war seemed inevitable, daily protests were common. Instability in the world urged people to voice their opinions, many through protesting. Sydney saw the biggest protests since the Vietnam Era, even bigger protests taking place all over the world. And then came the student protests in Sydney. They were meant to be peace marches, but turned out to be a fight between students and police. The city seemed to be enveloped in an eerie atmosphere, no one seemed to know what to think about it. And then, amidst a hail of speculation and attention, the April 2 student protest turned out to be peaceful.
In spite of all the protests the world could offer, war still broke out, with US forces taking control of Baghdad within 23 days. Back in Sydney, people were glued to their televisions and radios. Anxieties surfaced in the inescapable environment of war coverage, people on edge as they moved quickly along the streets, leaving the cafÈs empty.
With the war over, certainty returned to Sydney and people began to become relaxed, as good Australians are meant to be. But now, with the North Korean crisis, SARS and the validity of the US campaign against Iraq, conflict and anxiety return, leading me to wonder, what will the future hold for young Australians and the world at large?
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Lewis Best
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