Well, in my opinion, at George Washington University, not much. A few weeks ago, the Young America’s Foundation, interviewed some students there, and the video shows the results. Only 6 out of 30 students knew that we’d be commemorating 9/11 the following week.
How could any 18-22 year old NOT know about 9/11? My 6-year old grand nephew’s Catholic School class even talked about it on September 11th.
Just three years ago, every television station, newspaper and magazine, commemorated the tenth anniversary of 9/11. How could they be so oblivious to that news coverage?
When I was a 12-year old kid, I remember very clearly the assassination of John F. Kennedy and I could still tell you the day was November 22, 1963, without looking it up. And here you have arguably another, even more significant, date in our Nation’s history, September 11th, 2001, and young adults still don’t’ have a clue. How can that be?
With tuition, room and board, books, etc., GW University costs over $60,000 a year and this is the caliber of student that is being accepted at this university? It’s absolutely pathetic.
I’m sure these same students are going to grow up to be the same clueless people that have been shown pictures of current politicians and are unable to identify political figures such as Nancy Pelosi, John Boehner, George Bush, Barack Obama, Bill and Hillary Clinton. Now, I’m not saying that in 1969, when I was 18, I knew the name of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, John William McCormack, but we had one newspaper in the apartment, The Daily News, and a couple of television stations that presented the “nightly news.” In today’s America, we have 24/7 news streaming through our home, cell phones, computers, etc. How could anyone not be able to identify Nancy Pelosi when, just a couple of years ago, during the Obamacare fiasco, you couldn’t go anywhere without seeing that face of hers?
It’s a new world, and it’s impossible to go anywhere and not see headlines of daily events. Waiting online at the checkout counter – there are magazines and newspapers; waiting for a flight – there’s CNN on every tv at the airport; working out at the gym – there are tvs going all the time with various channels.
How can anyone be oblivious to the horrific acts of ISIS in the last few weeks? The majority of the 30 students interviewed didn’t even know who or what ISIS was and only 4 out of 30 could identify one of the journalists who were beheaded. But, 29 out of the 30 knew at least one personality whose naked photos were recently hacked – something I’m sure will help in their careers. It’s a very sad state of affairs.
For most of their lives, the United States has been involved in a war against terrorism. Do they not know that our soldiers have been in Afghanistan all this time? Do they even know what Al Queda is? Were they unaware of the killing of Osama bin Laden? Have they traveled on an airplane since 2001? Have they even questioned, “Who are these TSA people and why do I have to be scanned?” It’s absolutely pathetic and this is the future of our country.
If they don’t remember such an important date as 9/11, I’m hoping they forget Election Day as well.
I don’t get it, but if you do, God bless you.
