No, Millennials Aren’t “Dramatic” About 9/11

I've been seeing a lot of social media posts lately about how millennials are supposedly being “dramatic” about 9/11.

A lot of that criticism seems to be coming from Gen Z.

But here's what they don't understand:

For many of us, September 11 wasn't just a tragedy we learned about in history class. It was the day a certain shred of our innocence was wiped away.

city skyline during night time

We were just kids when 9/11 happened

I wasn't even in middle school yet when the planes crashed into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, and when United 93 went down in Pennsylvania.

I'll never forget that day.

Our teachers had the televisions on in the classrooms. Some were crying. Others stared straight ahead, too afraid to show emotion.

And we watched.

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We watched the planes crash into the towers over and over again.

At first, some of us thought we were watching debris fall from the sky.

Then we realized it wasn't debris.

It was people.

That was when the veil of innocence began to disappear.

a tall building

We watched the adults become afraid

What made it even more frightening was watching the adults who were supposed to make us feel safe suddenly have no answers.

Our parents.

Our teachers.

Our neighbors.

Our coaches.

They were scared, too.

For children, that realization is enormous.

Orlando Sentinel Today, our nation saw evil newspaper

For many of us, 9/11 was personal

Here in New Jersey, many of us watched family members, friends and neighbors who were first responders head toward Ground Zero in the days, weeks and months that followed.

We heard their stories.

We saw how it changed them.

Those memories are permanently imprinted on our brains.

So no, Gen Z, millennials aren't being “dramatic” about 9/11.

We were children when the world changed.

And for many of us, September 11 was the moment we realized the world wasn't nearly as safe as we had once believed.

That's not being dramatic.

That's remembering.