During the past week we talked at
length about war memorials and the ideas behind their architecture. We also
observed 9-11 on Thursday. This is where my post for today picks up. While
listening to the announcements Thursday morning the speakers in our classroom
were crackling in and out. Several of the underclassmen in the room thought
this was funny, not simply funny, they thought it was hilarious. They laughed
throughout the announcement and the "Moment of Silence" How they can
think that such a solemn topic is funny is sickening to me. This younger generation-the
freshmen were born in 2000 - have no concept of how grave this day is. They
have no respect for the people who have died at war willingly, or those who
were slain innocently. I myself have two family members in the military and it
makes me want to scream at them when they laugh during something so serious.
The rest of the country has no problem honoring those who have fallen. This
weekend at Maryland University before the football game they had a flag the
size of the entire football field. When that flag was unfurled it was the
loudest stadium I've ever heard through the TV. Teachers have said "I
found that some don’t understand how you cannot support the war but still
support our soldiers who are fighting." (Crabtree) This disrespect for
those who willingly go into harm’s way to let you sit at that desk every day is
disheartening. How can they not have respect? Maybe it's that these kids need
to learn about what happened in school as kids in Carolina do. Maybe with a teacher
explaining it to them the kids will learn it better, but if we don't educate
our kids about this tragedy they will never learn the necessary respect for
those who have served, and fallen.
I think you addressed the subject of the 9/11 announcement extremely well; my class too was trying to stifle their laughter at the announcements. Although, I think if everyone knew that it was for 9/11 (because my class didn't) they would show more respect for the veterans and the fallen.
ReplyDeleteI think that like the video said, the teachers are going to have a harder time with each passing year explaining 9/11 and making sure that students feel the connection with it that we do. I also think that the teachers at a high school level also need to work on making sure that we continue to know about 9/11; I feel like the last time I actually had a teacher talk about it was in elementary school.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you Matt. Kids who laughed through the announcements and "moment of silence" is extremely disrespectful and unacceptable. I feel like they should be more educated about 9/11 so they can actually grasp how dire it was.
ReplyDeleteThis reminds me of an article I read one time. It explained how after a certain year,those children will forget things like historical events by date like WWII and so on. 9/11 being one of those dates, I believe that the year was 2020. So I agree that their should be more ceremonies on the student side of things to make sure we do not forget these tragic moments.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate the quote about how you can "not support the war but still support our soldiers who are fighting." (Crabtree) Many of us hate the idea of war and the accompanying harm to all involved, but we should support those that are involved in any war, because they are trying their best - even sometimes giving their lives - to make the world they know into a better place. War and violence are best avoided, but when they are not, the people who are fighting in whatever sense they choose or are forced into by circumstance deserve support, respect, and understanding.
ReplyDeleteThe video was a very nice touch. It helped connect the words to real people and provided a solution to the problem you presented. Also, I agree that the rendition of taps over the announcements on Thursday was just unappreciated by the general population of students because they do not understand the meaning behind the melody and have trouble relating to 9-11. The events that happen that day should be introduced in school as they are in Carolina
ReplyDeleteI think that the video helped to drive your point home. I also think that your personal connection to the topic helps to make the possibility of losing loved ones more real to your readers.
ReplyDeleteI am very lucky to have not lost anyone to 9/11 and yet the laughing during the announcements sickened me as well. However, it was not underclassmen, it was a physics class full of juniors which made it all the more worse in my eyes. It was not even remotely funny. That video was very relatable because I was not even 3 at the time of 9/11 and it supports the attitude against the kids laughing; I have a good enough idea about how bad it was even though I barely remember where I was when it happened.
ReplyDeleteUnlike many other classes i guess (from reading the comments), my class which was full of mostly juniors and sophomores showed more respect then I think I've ever had in a class. Like you mentioned in your post, i too would be very upset at the disrespect and believe we should have more teaching of 9/11 instead of just cutting it out completely.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I agree that what the kids did was very disrespectful and immature, I am inclined to think that the kids are not the only ones at fault. There seems to be a disconnect of generations that our peers-- and even ourselves included-- may be a result of lack of education. Ignorance of the attacks and the effects on the United States may be the cause for this disrespect rather than actual disrespect. Just a thought...
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