As we pass the five-year anniversary of 9/11, a recent study suggests many Canadians are bored hearing about the issue and want to move on. But some teenagers beg to differ, and feel that forgetting such a tragedy may be easier said than done.
Taylor Whittamore, 17, said she thinks it is terrible that people say they are bored with the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. For Taylor, disregarding such an important event would be like overlooking the war in Iraq and those who are suffering overseas.
“I think it is way too hard to forget something so tragic and historical. It’s hard on so many people and I certainly haven’t forgot about it,” Taylor said.
“It made me a lot more cautious and even slightly paranoid about my everyday life.”
Similarly, high school student Sameer Rawal said remembering 9/11 is vital for him because everyone around the world, especially in the United States and Canada, is still feeling the effects of such a horrifying experience. He said as long as the same U.S. administration is in power and civil liberties are at risk, we won’t be able to escape the “shadow” of 9/11.
“A huge reason the world is like it is today is because of 9/11,” Sameer said. “It might not be the Towers falling, but the fallout from 9/11 still continues to this day and probably beyond.”
Media impact
But the news coverage and obsessive publicity has hit the nerves of some. Kim Eickmeier, 17, admits she thinks it may be time to move on, but said people should also never forget. Ignorance is what caused such a tragedy in the first place, she said, and, if anything, we should come away with a greater awareness that terrorism such as this truly does exist.
“Many people have become fixated over 9/11 since it displays how close to home foreign dangers can strike, and that no one, not even the superpower of America, is immune to it.”
Teen interest
Margaret McPhail is a mother of two and a grandmother of three. She is not surprised teenagers have been affected so deeply bythis event. The reality is each generation has no choice but to deal with disaster in the best way they know how, she said. From the terror of the atomic bomb and its ability to destroy the world, to the fear of the Second World War, teenagers are aware the world is not a perfect place.
“September 11th is the most shocking world event that most teens would have ever seen,” McPhail said. “It steals their innocence. It influences and changes their future.”
For more information visit:
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/montreal/story/2006/09/07/911poll.html
http://www.time.com/time/