Listen Here
By Erin Moran
morane@findlay.edu
As tensions continue to rise following the U.S. and Israeli airstrikes on Iran, University of Findlay students with mixed opinions are concerned about their lack of information as the war continues to escalate. The conflict that started with military infrastructure sites has led to retaliatory attacks and economic impacts that are felt in Findlay.
Despite the conflict taking place thousands of miles away, the U.S. involvement and actions have caused impacts on daily life that are starting to be seen more, especially for students, whether or not they have any knowledge of the situation.
“I’d say I’m moderately informed,” said Justin Reed, a junior physiology major. “I don’t really spend any time on social media or browsing the web on social sites, so it is pretty easy to fall under a rock. But it can also be pretty easy to get misinformed on social sites.”
“I’m not very informed. I don’t really watch the news,” said Kennedy Shaull, a sophomore psychology major. “Most of the information I get is from social media.”
Eva McKnight, a sophomore animal science/pre-veterinary major, echoed the same sentiment, saying she has no knowledge of the situation.
“I’ll be honest. I know nothing,” McKnight said, adding how the topic has not been present on campus or in classes.
“I don’t watch the news on TV. The only source of news I get is when people repost things on their Instagram stories,” said McKnight.
The lack of direct impact on daily life has made it easier for students to disengage even with the significance the events hold.
“The biggest effect I see in my life is gas prices,” Reed said. “Other than that, there aren’t many direct effects, so it can be easy, as bad as it is, to ignore what’s happening.”
Direct effects of the Iran war are starting to show across the world, as gas and oil distribution is disrupted. Rising prices have already occurred in the U.S., despite only getting 7% of its oil and 2% of its gas from the Persian Gulf, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
Shaull also said the tone of the news discourages her from staying informed.
“I don’t really feel like looking at the news because it’s so sad, and nothing seems to be getting done in a positive way,” Shaull said. “Everything just seems to be getting worse and it is hard to accept.”
The situation has raised concerns about U.S. involvement and the risks of further escalation.
“It’s a really complex issue, and I’m not sure I have all the answers,” Reed said. “I think the U.S. getting involved might have happened too quickly and without a clear plan. There’s also a lot we don’t understand about the culture and how people in the Middle East live, and I think it is hard to quantify the difference between here and there when you haven’t lived there.”
“I know we bombed places, and people say it was necessary, but I don’t think violence is necessary,” Shaull said. “I think we should try to talk things out instead of just resorting to killing thousands.”
“I feel like I don’t know enough about this story to say,” McKnight said.
McKnight believes UF could play a role in helping students better understand global events, but isn’t sure what it looks like.
“I think they could make us more aware by just telling us what’s going on, but there’s a fine line between informing students and pushing their own opinions,” she said.
“I think it is a touchy subject, and people don’t want to talk about it because of the danger of saying something that could be wrong or perceived as wrong,” said Reed.
“I just hope the conflict can be resolved,” Shaull said. “I don’t think bombing and killing people is the answer.”
Despite varying levels of awareness, the students agreed the issue deserves more attention.
“I definitely think more conversations should be had and more people should inform themselves on international affairs, including myself,” said Shaull.
“Obviously, there are people’s lives at risk, and that’s terrible,” Reed said. “This situation could become very explosive very quickly, and a lot of people could get hurt if things get out of hand.”
