| But students were skeptical that this film might persuade potential
terrorists or their allies. The reason for their assertions had nothing
to do with the unshakability of conviction that has been associated with
the theology or political ideology of the enemies of the United States.
Rather, they doubted that potential terrorists would have Flash-compatible
computers or "high-speed Internet connections." They argued that the assumed
audience for this film could not possibly be in a "third world" environment
without high-tech accoutrements.
Although these undergraduates assumed a class divide between themselves
and people in the "third world," the terrorists were in many ways like
my affluent University of California undergraduates. Like them, the hijackers
were largely the college educated offspring from families of the affluent
professional classes Like my students, they almost certainly had access
to high-speed Internet connections. |
