Editorial: The state of our generation after 9/11

By THE BLUE & GRAY STAFF

We will always remember where we were when we heard the news. Whether it was at home, school or work, we remember.

On Sept. 11, 2001 the nation lost 2,996 loved ones. Every generation has at least one major tragic event that defines it, whether it is the Kennedy assassination, Pearl Harbor, Watergate, the Great Depression, the Vietnam War or any other

For our generation, what some people consider the “millennial generation,” we have seen our own share of events, whether it be 9/11, the war on terror or the 2008 recession. We might be the “the millennial generation,” but we do not let these tragic events define us – instead, we work to make the world a better place.

Everything that happens to us is somehow interconnected, and a lot of it can arguably surround the events of 9/11, but we must continue to be the generation that does not become apathetic toward our government.

Some consider the millennial generation to be a negative term because we are perceived as “lazy” or “demanding,” but the millennial generation captures everything that has happened in our lives, and how we have adjusted to it. We have grown up in a culture full of loss, but also love.

We are a generation that does not stand for injustice. We hold the greatest amount of financial liabilities because we understand the importance of higher education. But despite our ideals and our sacrifices, there is much more to be done.

There is approximately $1.1 trillion of outstanding student debt, the average borrower owes $27,547, and the number of student loans increased by 31 percent since 2007. We value an education that we cannot afford.

We are still dealing with everyday racial tensions, a recovering economy, unemployment and gun violence.

A white officer uses deadly force against a black person almost two times a week, according to the FBI.

We are at a 6.1 percent unemployment rate, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

There has been more than one school shooting every week while school is in session, according to the Huffington Post.

We are always making moves and trying to change the status quo, and that is not a bad thing.

Millennials will never forget 9/11, because in a large part it helps define us. We will never forget, and we must continue to move forward.

The Blue & Gray Editorial Board extends our sincerest condolences to the families and friends of those who were lost on Sept. 11, 2001.