Posted on 09/17/2001 3:16:15 PM PDT by watsonfellow
Local teens shrug off terror attacks
Many say they feel little loyalty as they can't rely on government
By Paul T. Rosynsky and Jane Rochmes STAFF WRITER
OAKLAND -- While much of America is uniting to fight the evils of terrorism, many East Bay high school students said Friday a war is not theirs to wage.
As hundreds gathered on the steps of City Hall Friday to remember those lost Tuesday during the dev astating terrorist attacks in New York City and the Pentagon, high school students came together in stead to talk of weekend plans and the latest gossip.
The wave of patriotism across the country hasn't reached many area teen-agers who questioned Friday the need to retaliate and vowed not to fight if called upon for duty.
With the terrorist attacks occur ring more than 3,000 miles away, teen-agers had trouble making a connection to the tragedies and a harder time finding a reason to care.
"It didn't happen in Oakland, it could have but it didn't, so I don't feel scared or nothing," said Hieu Le, 15, a student at Castlemont High School. "Why should I go fight in a war and die for nothing."
Similar feelings were echoed throughout the blacktop courtyard of McClymonds High School and corridors of Berkeley High.
Although many said they felt sym pathy for the victims and those who had lost loved ones, when it came to risking their own lives to fight for America, most said they would try to find a way out.
"I'm not risking my life for that, I love myself too much," said Amir Kellogg, 17, as he sat with friends during lunch. "If they came after me I would have to run."
Their lack of desire to defend freedom comes, they explained, from a lack of confidence in the government to help their own communities. Many blamed the U.S. relationship with the world as reasons for the attacks and said they don't want to help because they have not received help in the past.
"How are you going to defend a nation if that nation can't defend against things like homelessness," asked Jamaal Germaine, 15, a sophomore at McClymonds High School. "I'm not in a rush to help our country because our country is already messed up."
Students instead said any war waged by the country against ter rorist states of the world would only worsen the situation, setting off an infinite series of retalia tions.
"I think the United States deserves it," said Berkeley High senior Pat rick Rizzo. "It's pretty sad for the poor people, but the United States does the same thing. We're prob ably going to do the same thing after this. We're not going to send anybody into the country, we're just going to bomb them like they did us."
Added senior Phillip Chan: "I don't think that going and attacking a specific country is going to solve anything."
And with the only exposure to war coming through television high lights of the Persian Gulf War, teen-agers said they see no need to risk human life when the country can instead depend on technology to fight evil.
"If there is a war, it won't be a war like we're used to in the past," said Antwonn Smith, 17. "We got too many missiles to use. We're not even going to have to send people out there."
Jane Senemen is news editor of the Berkeley High School Yellow Jacket.
Maybe he and ALL his fellow Libertines would prefer to live under Islamic rule and enjoy the freedoms they have then. Stupid if the little jerk doesn't realize this thing is about us losing our country, they didn't plan to kill the president and our congress and completely disable us and then not move in. Idiots would deserve an Islamic takeover.
I wish I had heard this stupid kid say this, he wouldn't have to ever worry about going anywhere to fight, and would die for the "Freedom" of this great nation!!
I see the little darling has had his self-esteem class today.
Yeah, it's all about drugs.
Point being, media what it is, this is probably only a small, selfish, arrogant, childish, liberally brainwashed minority. Lets hope....
This little fool has been taking too many Self-Esteem courses in his politically correct high school.
My 15-year-old son has begun working out and getting himself into shape for his 18th birthday, when he can join up.
I am proud of both of them. We have a lot of others like them in our country, many who can join up now, and are doing it. I prefer to focus on them, rather than these pathetic head cases in the Berkely Blue Zone. My pride is tempered only by the sadness that some of our brave youth will die to keep these Berkely cowards from getting raped or killed.
Then again, give these California kids some time. Pacifism lingered in Oxford during the late 1930s until after Britain entered the war against Hitler in 1939. Maybe these kids will come around soon, too.
Collateral damage if anything happens then, sorry. They're in a major-league hate zone. There is near-evil there. They need to recognize that.
And yeah, maybe they OUGHT to move, on general principle if nothing else. I know I wouldn't want my family being raised in that environment, nor would I want to be providing a single penny to the local economy. I don't care how pretty the scenery might be or that the weather is oh-so-perfect 365 days a year. As far as I'm concerned, this is little different from people who build huge trophy homes on the edges of major forests, and then have complete nervous breakdowns (and expect the taxpayers to give them handouts) when the INEVITABLE forest fire comes along and burns the houses to the ground.
Remember, around the time of the Gulf War, the "peaceniks" in the Bay Area RIOTED when they didn't get what they wanted.
*sigh* This post is rather disjointed, for which I apologize. But this REALLY pisses me off.
I feel pretty good about the Virginia teenagers I've talked to in the last week.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.