A recent article in The Atlantic states that many teens are unaware of who Osama bin Laden is, and what his role was in the September 11th attacks in 2001. The article goes on to suggest the initial reactions: how can that be? The education system has failed the students! But it then offers a different angle. It argues that perhaps these teens, who were young children at the time of the 9/11 attacks, have been spared a looming fear that the rest of us have had to live with since that terrible day.
On the one hand, I understand why technically the youth today don't feel as strongly about the threat of terrorism in our midst and don't really know who bin Laden was and what he represented. They were, after all, children. It's impossible for them to feel the way a witness to the attacks felt or even just an individual who's old enough to understand and appreciate what happened. However, it's our job, as the survivors and witnesses, to educate our youth on the threats we face in the world. We must strengthen our foundation and our beliefs in order to become proud patriots, so we can announce to the world that no one messes with our country. We must instill in them a sense of reality - we have enemies, and it is our duty to live our lives with our heads up, showing that we will not weaken.
To read the complete article, check out: http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2011/05/omigod-who-is-osama-bin-whatevs/238529/
That is sad that kids are so sheltered today or just don't care as much about the issues. Not that our generation only a few years older is exempt from this judgment as well. It's interesting how we can be at war for so long and be completely distanced from it on the home front.
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