Everything After - A 9.11 Youth Circle

Hey everybody. What's up? Well, I guess I'm deciding to go on and get the discussion started :) I've been wondering if people in different parts of the U.S. are less affected or more affected by the events of 9/11. How does the South East differ from the North West, for instance? What do you think?

Hi, i'm ashley, i'm from PA and it hasnt effected me THAT much. like i take extra percautions when i fly and stuff, and i have my little american flag sweatshirt but nobody close to me died or anything so my life wasnt like completely changed or whatever.

Hi, I'm Justin, from Iowa. It hasn't really affected me as far as family goes, but i think it has given me a totally different view about our country and other countries. I mean, isn't it kind of unbelievable that someone could even begin to think about doing this to our country? So yeah, I guess you could say I was affected by it!!!!!!

Well, I've been affected by it because we have close friends that work in NYC and relatives that used to work at the Pentagon in Wash., D.C. Luckily, no one we knew was hurt. But it was a scary thing while we were waiting to hear from them. It's also affected me in school because I have a lot of friends at school who are of the Islamic faith. This was very difficult for them to deal with, and it was hurtful to hear all of the stereotypical, racist things that people were saying to people who looked to be of Middle-Eastern decent. It was really irritating.

Dear board,

9/11 hasn't affected me much, because I felt as if my life I have lived has been pretty good, and it didn't give me a wake up call or anything like that for me to change or go to church, because I'm already doing those sort of things and living the best life I can. But Sept.11 did put a passion in me to help unfortunate people. When you look ay the world around us it's so much that still needs to be done to make the world a better place. Sept.11 TH also made me more rejuvenated in my efforts to achieve all that I aim at, at an early instead waiting until I get older, like starting my own business, pursuing an acting career, and studying politics more. So in a short nutshell Sept.11th made me pursue life just a little bit more.

hey this is ruth. since i live in oklahoma, 9-11 didn't really effect me. i mean, it makes me tear up everytime i see a picture or read a story about it, but i haven't been able to really connect with the event. i feel kinda disconnected because of the distance. a whole time zone away. with the okc bombing, it was more real, and close to home. i just haven't been able to relate to the attacks. also, like 20 Unique 03 said, i have a lot of friends of islamic and palestinian and orthodox backgrounds that have been discriminated against ever since september 11th. so many kids were checked out of school that day and the 2 or 3 days following it because of harassment and discrimination. it's so sad, why is there so much hate in the world today? i mean it's like these attacks have turned some of our country against each other. what do u guys think?

Sept. 11th made me more aware of international issues. Up until then I had no idea where the hell Afghanistan waz or what a turban is. Since Sept. 11th I have made it a personal goal to keep up on the news via many news outlets and to stay informed.

...punch and pie

Hey, I think the 9/11 didn't really change our lives in daily basis, but it gave us a huge impact in terms of our "security". I mean, America's been always the "good" one and "strong" one, but now it seems like that is no longer true... By the way I am partially against the Bush's war against Afghanistan, because even if we kill Osama, it is not going to change the people's feelings towards the U.S., and besides I think it is unfair when US has all these weapons and they don't. What do you guys think?

September 11 was a very nerve-racking day I think for all of us; some were affected more than others. I used to live close to Manhattan and I had relatives that worked in the WTC. Luckily, they retired and moved to Nevada before any of this happened. I don't think that the war over in Afganistan is irrational...however I don't agree that innocent civilians are being hurt and killed either. Hopefully they will find Osama Bin Laden soon and the whole thing will be over with.

Well personally 9-11-2001 didn't change my life drastically. I live in Michigan, didn't know anyone who died or was injured....luckily my aunt, uncle and 3 cousins weren't injured when the Pentagon got hit. They were in church attending a funeral about 1/4 of a mile if that from the Pentagon. I personally feel sorry for all the children who lost their moms and dads 'cause I've been there and know what it is like to lose a parent. I lost my dad when I was 14, not to something like 9-11-2001 but still it affects you. 9-11-2001 has changed my life in the fact that now more so then ever, I live everyday as if it is my last and make sure I tell the people I love that I love them before I go anywhere or they go anywhere. I will never forget where I was when it happened and what I was doing, I'm also more aware of how real terrorism is on our own soil. 9-11-2001 is something we will all remember and tell our kids about when they are our age.

i agree with what ~sweetie~ said. events like 9-11 really make people think about their lives and start appreciating their loved ones a lot more than before. i make sure to tell my family that i love them every day before i go to school because i never know whether that will be the last time i will ever see them alive again. what would happen right now if i died? there is so much left unsaid and undone. it really gets people thinking about achieving their dreams and goals and such. but it's so sad that it takes a national disaster to trigger that thinking.

I was at school when the planes hit the towers. You can see the towers from my school and it was so surreal. A lot of us had to walk home to Brooklyn or Queens or wherever we lived and it was just strange smelling the smoke and just really being there watching something like that happen. I still sort of don't believe it like it's too much. It's like history class where I can't really believe all of it. I read it take the tests, watch films, meet witnesses, and I'm still a little bit detached. Same with 9/11. As for everything after that day ::throws hands in the air:: it's exponentially more surreal.

Gray,

I agree with you 100%. I still cannot believe that it happened. I cannot comprehend it. The towers have been in Manhattan for as long as I have been alive, and not having them there is strange - but I cannot imagine that they fell. I cant really explain it but every time I really try to think of it, it is uncomprehendable.

The september attacks didn't really affect me that much, i was @ home sick that day & like 2 min. after i woke up it was all over the news. it reminded me of when the okc building was bombed~my aunt died in that~& it hurt to think of all the people that had no idea if their family or friends were alive. it made me think about how i treated people alot more. it's sad that it took something like that 2 make us say ~i love you~more often 2 people we love.

9/11 didn't affect my family personally. I live in Wisconsin. I have a lot of friends from different school in my neighborhood where there family was affected. I remember when I found out what happened I was sitting in the field house at my school listening to the school rules and and the end the principal was like"Oh, by the way a plane crashed into the WTC and they think it was terrorism. And then all day they kept making announcements saying we were safer in school, but then they cancelled all after school activities for the day.