In addition to the passing of the add/drop, locking us all into the next semester of our academic lives, this week also saw the passing of American cultural giants, and native New Englanders, J.D. Salinger and Howard Zinn.Salinger, the enigmatic and reclusive author of landmark work of American literature “Catcher In The Rye”, which in many ways exemplified the adolescent years of the nations youth, is in many ways the American anti-hero. In today’s age of shamelessly seeking the spotlight, even when you don’t deserve it (looking in your direction Jersey Shore crew), Salinger created some of the most iconic writing of the century and shied away from the notoriety that came with it.Zinn is one of the most important figures in American liberal politics, having influenced generationsof young troublemakers and radicals with his transformative works in the civil rights and anti-war movements. I have actually had the pleasure of meeting the man. In fact, we actually ended up getting in a rather heated discussion where I called him a “foolish idealist” and he criticized my “lack of imagination”. I regret that our only exchange was so intense, but that’s who the man was and I’ll always remember his fire and devotion to the cause.Even though these two men are no longer with us, their legacy of defiance of authority, revolution, and radicalism serve as a lesson to all of us as we begin to think of our lives after college and set our sights on bigger and better things. They will truly be missed.Sincerely,Ben WhelanEditor-In-Chief