Teens should remember, learn about 9-11

By Tori Henry
Word Contributor

As the date draws near once again, I begin to wonder what really happened in those buildings. Sure, I can remember seeing pictures and video clips of that horrible day, but what don�t I remember that really caused this country to be where we are today? �We will never forget,� George Bush said after that day, but what have I forgotten or never understood?

Being just barely 9 years old myself at the time, I really didn�t get a lot of information other than, �Something really bad happened,� or �Some bad guys were on a plane and everything is going to be alright.� Adults often don�t think to tell young kids about things such as suicide bombers and nations that have �issues� with Americans; it would probably upset them, right?

Of course, now being older, I understand that it was necessary to keep a little kid in the dark. I can�t even imagine trying to explain something of such a great catastrophe to my younger sister or brother. They wouldn�t really want to know anyway because they wouldn�t want their lives to change at all. Changing a person�s childhood and filling it with fear is one of the worst things you can do.

Although, it doesn�t help now that what is happening in the Middle East can�t necessarily be understood in entirety by teens, because we don�t understand the significance of the event that started it all. It is like not having a full understanding of what the Jews went through in Europe during WWII, because we weren�t there to actually experience what happened.

We either learn what happened from history teachers who are able to explain to us the importance of what went on, or we actually hear or read a testimony by one of the witnesses. So we need to learn what we can and do our best to be aware of what is going on.

The important thing in all this is that we know what went on in rough detail, but we need to care about what is happening in the Middle East. We can�t lose hope! Our soldiers need 100 percent of our support, because without them, where would we be now? They support us and keep us safe, so we can finish high school and make our own footprint on this earth and live to see another day, when they may not.

Tori Henry is a sophomore at La Salle-Peru Township High School.