9/11: Thoughts from the Generation that Grew Up Under the Shadow of Terrorism
Gen Z: the generation that has learned to call terrorism and shootings normal.
Every parent can tell you in vivid detail where they were and what they were doing on September 11, 2001. Even though we were too young to remember it, it has revolutionized the foundation of our daily existence. We wanted to document the unique perspective of those who grew up under the shadow of terrorism. Recently, we asked college and high school students this question:
9/11 has changed the very fabric of the society our generation grew up in. How do you see the effects of this in your daily life? Do you feel safe in our country?
Here are their responses.
Jediael F. Auburn University 2021
As an immigrant who wasn't in this country during the 9/11 attacks (and doesn't identify with American patriotism/nationalism), I feel like 9/11, or more accurately, the U.S.'s response to 9/11 has contributed to a society that easily uses fear mongering to justify its own harmful behaviors, while casting other nations and peoples as dangers. Of course, U.S. imperialism justified by nationalism predated 9/11, but I think the reaction to that event led to harsher, more prejudiced narratives about international communities. I see this in my daily life in the way that immigrants are criminalized (both legally and in the collective consciousness), and even in the way "terrorism" has been so flippantly used to classify Black & brown people seen as too radical. As far as whether I feel safe in our country, I generally do not, but that's due to how I am and have been treated by this country, and not at all due to a fear of international terrorism.
Lillie A. University of South Alabama 2022
I was born shortly before 9/11, so the post 9/11 world we live in today is all I’ve ever known. With that being said, I find it hard to think about the ways that it has impacted my daily life. Because I was not old enough to remember how society was before, I only really consider how it affected everything when I am at the airport. I believe the biggest physical changes we experience are the heightened air traffic control and security checkpoints. However, I think there have also been invisible impacts. This invisible change is the racial profiling and judgements made toward Middle Eastern people. People use the small group of hijackers to make harmful assumptions about an entire people group. We see Middle Eastern people stopped in airports because they look like they could be a terrorist. I do feel safe and protected in my daily life, however in certain situations (such as being at the airport) I would not feel safe if my skin was not white.
Amelia B. Whitesburg Christian Academy 2021
As someone who was born in the aftermath of 9/11, I recognize that I will never truly understand how different the world was before this event. My generation grew up in a world of terror. It seems as if every day there’s a war brewing or a nation revolting, and one of the scariest parts of it all is the fact we are used to it. We don’t flinch at the news like our older counterparts. We don’t bat an eye when we hear about the world’s latest tragedy. I have directly seen the effects of 9/11 in this way. Ever since we were young, we have been taught by our elders that we live in a post-terror society, and it is this attitude of fear that has inadvertently created a feeling of numbness towards terrorism and unrest. This universal feeling of insensibility is not one that is completely apathetic towards international terror; it is rather a notion that this is the world we are growing up in, and we must find a way to cope with that. I’ve had countless interactions with my peers that confirm this belief. When asked if I feel safe in my country, I have mixed emotions. I want to say yes, mainly due to the fact that I am extremely blessed and have never had to genuinely question my safety before. However, I do understand that this world is not perfect and that a nation can change very rapidly, at any time. 9/11 is a perfect example of how quickly a nation can undergo major vicissitudes. Within the span of hours, America rapidly shifted from a confident, successful nation to one that was deprived of all hope. It is because of these kinds of events that I hesitate to say I feel safe in my country. If I learned anything from 9/11, it’s that things can happen very quickly and nations can be destroyed within minutes. Despite not seeing the immediate results of the 9/11 attacks, growing up in a world post-terrorism has taught me to value the safety I have currently and to understand that things in my life today could be vastly different from my life tomorrow.
Sarah B. Kennesaw State University 2022
I feel like the events of 9/11 started the trickle down of “normalizing” tragedy in our country. It made people more aware of just how fragile the balance is in the economy, between countries, and for their own selves. As more events like it happened, though, that awareness turned into normalcy. As sad as it is, our generation has grown up seeing mass shootings and war on television, social media, and even in our home towns. It seems like every day there is a new tragic event in our country, and the scariest part isn’t the event itself, it’s the lack of action. I don’t feel safe in our country more because the government won’t take action to prevent these things from happening. Once we solve the problem at its source, then it will make the people feel safe in their own country.
Jason H. Mississippi State University 2022
9/11 made Americans more hostile towards people that “didn’t look like them.” Wherever my family and I went, we would always feel their glares stabbing us in our backs and it continues to happen today. I feel that in certain conversations, there are things that the other person holds back in regards to my race. It’s difficult for me to feel safe in today’s world, but the generation of young adults that are present with me today, for the most part, befriend me and make me feel safe.
Hannah S. Auburn University 2021
I do feel safe in this country, but not everyone does. The threat of international terrorism doesn’t seem as large as it did in the years immediately following 9/11; to me, the more real and terrifying threat is that of domestic terrorism committed by my own countrymen. The effects I saw happen in my life as a result of 9/11 were largely men and women enlisting to fight overseas, and a lot of my friends had parents who were active duty military growing up. The feeling of Nationalism and being “proud to be an American” was also a large part of what defined my childhood, and I think those two things contributed largely to the feeling I have of being safe here. However, like I said, not everyone feels protected in this country. Imminent dangers exist to many, and they predominantly affect those who don’t share in my experience as a cisgender white woman; namely, those who identify as Black, BIPOC, and LGBTQ+, not to mention the aggressions faced by Muslim and Middle Eastern Americans in the years following this tragedy. Post 9/11, I have been very fortunate to have had the life I’ve lived. Being in fear in my own home is not something I can fully comprehend, but for many it is their reality. I hope that this generation will create an America where everyone feels safe.
Today, we need to remember the event that shocked the nation and was the beginning of America’s new normal. Our generation has experienced a lifetime of uncertainty and violence. Without 9/11, America wouldn’t be the way it is today.
Sincerely, Abbey and Hannah
Photography: Hannah B.