It was with heavy hearts that the Dec. 2 edition of our print publication was pieced together. While our usual production nights can be strenuous, this one felt different. Our usual friendly banter would subside with pauses in conversation as our minds wandered.
These past few weeks have been heavy for our campus.
Some of us broke down the night of Nov. 13, all too aware that Moscow was about to change drastically. Others only recently felt tears in their eyes at Wednesday’s vigil, breaking through the numbness that has clouded our ability to process this tragedy.
The senseless murders of Xana Kernodle, Ethan Chapin, Kaylee Goncalves and Madison Mogen have stunned everyone in their orbit.
Where many of us felt safe walking home from downtown bars or taking a stroll outside of the dorms at night, our tight-knit community has been shaken.
Following the deaths of our peers, it seems that Moscow has lost a sense of innocence. The innocence seen in the freshmen group of friends being too loud in their dorms, the sorority sisters making an impulsive trip to dance in the first snow at the Arboretum and the senior who sees familiar faces everywhere, coming to call this town their second home is gone.
Moscow now is riddled with national media, all too eager to get a “scoop” and the eyes of self-proclaimed true crime enthusiasts who are probing the histories of our lost peers. They don’t understand what this community means to us and they won’t.
Campus is now barren with many not returning from fall break, reminiscent of Spring 2020 when COVID-19 first hit. This parallel serves as a reminder of what this campus has gone through in the past and how we can bounce back.
The loss of these four loved students will forever mark our campus and we must honor their memory. We’re still in the fog of grief and mourning, but eventually we have to live on.
University of Idaho students will come to have their firsts in Moscow the same way Xana, Ethan, Kaylee and Madison did. Each of the Greek houses who lost sisters and a brother will recruit new members while they still reminisce about their loved bigs and littles.
Gone but not forgotten — a message we can live up to.
Haadiya Tariq can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @haadiyatariq
anonymous
The "innocence" of Moscow, Idaho's past may very well have been a terrible illusion, when one stumbles upon the local horror of Doug Wilson's Christ Church, and it's evil and sinister crimes of abuse that have lingered in the silent and darkest shadows of the town's history for some time now, long before this terrible crime put the eyes of the world upon it.
Alyssa
This was so earnestly and beautifully written. The thing that’s brought me the most comfort during this time is knowing that I’m not alone in this, which is why it can be so incredibly frustrating to see news anchors and crime enthusiasts treating this case as mere entertainment or free publicity. I sincerely hope that all of you are taking care of yourselves the best you possibly can during this difficult time.
Tim
Nothing will be the same... But that is life... I actually believe this case has an extreme following due to the appearance of extreme innocence in college bubble towns like this. But also that this is the first young adult generation that has almost entirely developed their worldly awareness based on mobile devices and social media. Allowing a certain physicality unawareness/innocence/ignorance to come forth into the town and new adult generation. As police typically follow the standard pattern of policing underage alcohol abuse. In a town where people don't lock their doors yet, because everyone is spread out enough, but also cold this time of year. Not many people feel the need to have door bell cameras. Nobody was really ready for this level of thing here... It was a full body, spirit and mind problem that is now a permanent fixation. They will be most notibly remembered for what appears to be a period of innocence.