September 11 begins to fade after six years

     It seemed like just another school day for GCSU students.
Groups congregated around benches in front of the library.
Others walked briskly through the crowds while text messaging their classmate to save them a seat.
     Half a dozen students stood in line at Books and Brew yawning and impatiently tapping their feet hoping to get their cappuccino before their 9 a.m. class.
     One student began to write a check for her grande white chocolate mocha. She stopped for a moment and looked puzzled. Finally she asked the woman behind the register the days date. Casually the woman replied that it was Tuesday, Sept. 11.
     Tuesday was the 6-year anniversary of the worst terrorist attack against the United States that claimed almost 3,000 lives and left the nation in shock.
     But the tragedy that most media immediately called the defining moment of today’s generation of young adults was not what defined most GCSU students plans.
     “I haven’t participated in anything concerning 9/11 and the attacks,” said Taylor Minch, sophomore, who is currently undecided about his major. “I mean, I remember where I was when it happened and that is really sad that all those people lost their lives but it was six years ago, its fading. I don’t want to dwell on it.”
     The generation of young adults today also called the millennial generation, which includes anyone born in the early 1980’s to 2000, experienced many other tragedies since the Sept. 11 attacks took place. They have had to deal with intense media coverage of tragedy like the Virginia Tech massacre in April 2007.
     “The tragedies that students have dealt with since the attack six years ago could be hitting closer to home for them if they weren’t directly affected by 9/11,” said Chris Lamphere, counselor at GCSU. “But I think it’s just a part of human nature to move on, there’s a need to get back to something normal.”
     For many students not participating in some type of memorial on Tuesday didn’t mean they were insensitive, the day was more about remembering what they learned from the tragedy.
     “I never saw any advertisement for the memorial services but I still probably would not have gone to them if I had. You just remind yourself of the lesson it taught and you move on,” said Logan Clarke a sophomore, currently undecided about his major. “The message is that we are not untouchable and you never know when something like this will happen, you just keep living your life to the fullest.”
     Six years and several states away put a lot of time and space between GCSU and the tragedy that happened on Sept. 11. Students that were not directly affected or threatened have been able to put the incident in the past and move forward. But not everyone at GCSU has had that privilege.
     “I was born in New York and lived there for several years,” said Sacha Rojas, sophomore business major. “I have tons of family still living there. My parents came to the United States from the Dominican Republic in the early 1980s. My mom said the first thing she saw when the plane was flying into New York City was the twin towers. She said that is when she new she was in America. When the attacks happened it was very emotional for my family. We are very patriotic because this country has given our family so much opportunity.”
     A new grass roots movement was recently created for the purpose of keeping alive the memory of the heroic acts that took place on 9/11.  People can make a pledge to do something good on this anniversary at oneGoodDeed.org. The good deeds range from smiling and making an effort to be cheerful around others to mailing care packages to soldiers in Iraq.
     This could be a way for the millennial generation not to dwell on tragedy of the past but to remind each of the acts of courage and humanity that resulted from that one morning in September. 
     To learn more about pledging a good deed visit www.myGoodDeed.org.

9/11 International perspectives

Name: Johan Cronvall
Country: Sweden
Location on 9/11: high school dorm with roommate.

     “I had been to the World Trade Centers in 1999. I ate dinner in the restaurant there so it was really unreal seeing that place fall apart. We were also wondering what was going to happen now? Because the United States is such a super power, we  had a lot of questions.
     Since the attacks I think there has been some good things and some bad things. I’m sure the war on terror is probably good, kind of good, but I don’t know about the war in Iraq. I mean there was only one group it seemed like, not all those people in Afghanistan. I think there has been a lot of unnecessary loss of life.”

Name: Sofia Intriago
Country: Ecuador
Location on 9/11: eating in her high school cafeteria.

     “The principal thought that maybe the terrorists could come there and attack us. To me it was kind of scary because I have family in New York. Everyone around me was saying that so many people had died and I had no way of knowing if my aunt and cousin were alright.
     All my family in Ecuador does not understand why the U.S. wants to fight. They think this country wants to fight so they can be the best. Now I am affected more because I have a cousin who works on computers in the army.  They sent him to Iraq in August. It just makes me wonder why are we still fighting after so long?”

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Sep 14 2007. Filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry