Harper Rzepczynski, Opinions Editor
Surely, you remember the headlines on Feb. 28, 2026. Perhaps it was CNN’s bold frontpage reading, “How the US-Israeli strikes on Iran unfolded and the aftermath, moment by moment,” or maybe it was the New York Post’s emotional report “Iranian anchor sobs on state TV as he announces Khamenei killed in ‘criminal’ US-Israeli airstrikes,” or possibly it was Fox News’ to-the-point “Historic US-Israel strikes on Iran underway as Tehran faces regime survival test.” Regardless, the news of the United States and Israel declaring war on Iran on that fateful Saturday was inescapable, even to Sewanee students who get their news from algorithm-driven social media such as Instagram and TikTok.
The war began with large-scale airstrikes that killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Even though this move by the United States and Israel followed weeks of contradictory claims and threats, the unprovoked attack still threw many Americans, including me, into an immediate, powerless panic. The US and Israel’ s motives in the war include destroying Iran’s possible nuclear program (though we still do not quite know if Iran can even create a deliverable nuclear weapon) and to force or at least prompt an Iranian regime change. One of the most horrific attacks thus far occurred on the first day of the war, when the United States bombed Shajarah Tayyebeh, an all-girls elementary school. Upon using outdated information identifying the building as a military installation, leading to Congressional concerns about the use of artificial intelligence to identify thousands of targets across Iran without sufficient human oversight, our country blasted 175 people in a double-tap attack that left many of the dead beyond recognition, most being children. As of April 10, the ever-growing death count estimates surpass 3,000 in Iran, many of them civilians, with about 3.2 million more people being displaced across the region. In contrast, the United States has lost thirteen service members.
So, how are Sewanee students reacting? You would think that our somewhat progressive liberal arts campus has a lot to say about this conflict, but I would call it wishful thinking to hope that our easygoing student body is talking about more than just gas prices. And, unfortunately, I am right.
“I’ve only noticed my peers [at Sewanee] complaining about gas prices and joking a few times about reinstating the draft,” Chrystalleni White (C ‘27) told the Purple. “I haven’t heard anybody talk about the deaths or displacements…I find people [at Sewanee] don’t really talk about the war very much, honestly.”
As of Tuesday, April 7, the average cost for unleaded gas in the United States has shot up to $4.14 a gallon, a whopping 21% increase in the last month. This change is due to Iran closing the Strait of Hormuz, one of the most important waterways in the world, after the United States’ airstrikes. Twenty percent of the world’s oil passes through the Strait of Hormuz, making it essential in the exportation of gasoline almost everywhere. Additionally, unproductive peace talks in Pakistan on April 12, 2026 led President Trump to announce on Truth Social that US naval ships plan to blockade the strait entirely, which would only heighten petroleum costs. It is undeniable that this is an inconvenience to Sewanee students considering driving is a necessity for many of us on our sparse, rural mountain. A short trip to Monteagle will have most of us gawking at the Pilot Travel Station sign and saying aloud, “$3.89?”
With that said, is it truly fair of us to complain?
Granted, these gas price hikes hit pockets, and for some, the blow can wreck plans and budgets. But I see a bigger problem– one rooted in our privilege. Our focus on fuel costs while our government is killing and displacing men, women and children highlights a common obliviousness among too many Americans and too many Sewanee students: we do not care about war until it directly affects us.
Sewanee students are a long-shot from being the most affected by these rocketing costs, as truckers and other vehicle-based industries are struggling to keep afloat. Lower- to middle-income individuals who must travel up and down the Mountain for work have been hit hard too. Kinsley Reid (C ‘28) told the Purple, “As I was coming back [from Knoxville] immediately after this conflict had happened and the gas prices spiked, I saw 11 cars on the side of the road, and two separate ones were getting gas given to them by other cars. I think [the war] and the rest of the economy is more concerning than ‘I can’t go to Chattanooga because gas is so expensive’ or ‘I can’t go to this concert.’”
Nationally, one recent survey reported that 45% of Americans were extremely concerned about the rise in gas prices, 24% were very concerned about gas prices, 19% were somewhat concerned, and 9% were not at all concerned. That same survey showed 41% of Americans claiming that the United States military was not doing enough to prevent civilian casualties. Side by side, more of our country’s anxieties fall onto gas prices. It is ironic that on April 7, the very same day that report was conducted, President Trump threatened Iran by stating, “a whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again.” Even amid the current ceasefire, the constant flip-flopping erratic threats throughout the war likely only means continued aggression and instability, with the United States firmly possessing the upper hand. President Trump’s decision to cave in absolutely does not guarantee a permanent end to this violence. Is the absurdity of where we direct our concerns obvious enough yet?
More acute concerns from Sewanee students, as I have heard aloud through campus, and other US citizens alike is the fear of a draft as well as Iranian terrorist attacks on American soil. Yet, the draft ended in 1973, over five decades ago, and the United States prides itself on its volunteer-based military. A draft being reinstated, no matter the situation, is unlikely; as one recent report noted, about 75% of Americans aged 18 to 25 do not even qualify due to things like medical obesity, criminal records, lack of a high school education, or even something as small as dental issues. Contributing to draft fearmongering only comes off as insensitive when educating yourself by doing research online in this day and age is this easy.
Iran does not have the resources to do to us even a fraction of the carnage we’ve unleashed on them. Although the war remains controversial among Americans, the power imbalance is undeniable, as the US ranks #1 in global military strength while Iran sits at #16. Israel is at #15, which I can concede is very close in power levels to Iran, but the US completely tips the scale. We are at an extreme advantage. Even after multiple offensive US airstrikes on Iranian soil, Iran has only managed to target regional institutions/states, including US military bases in the Middle East, Israel, and the Gulf states.
To be clear: we are not the victims here.
Impotence is never an excuse for ignorance, and my call to action is this: recognize your privilege, understand what is and is not about you and, most importantly, read the news consistently and educate yourself. The recent bloodshed conducted by the United States will not be forgotten nor disregarded in the face of our trivial disturbances.