It has been 14 years since the “day that changed everything,” and with each passing year, fewer and fewer young people can say where they were on September 11, or have any personal memory at all.
In 2003, only two years after the tragedy of 9/11, Young America’s Foundation (YAF) realized that “most college campuses were either completely ignoring the anniversary or holding a politically correct event instead” and created the “9/11: Never Forget Project.”
“Our country cannot depend on academic institutions to adequately educate students on the history of the 9/11 attacks,” YAF spokesperson Emily Jashinsky told Red Alert Politics. “In fact, universities are actively teaching students the United States was to blame for the tragedies of that day.”
The project provides college campuses (and high schools if they choose to participate) with 2,977 American flags representing those killed in the terrorist attacks of 9/11 to display in a central part of campus, along with posters, buttons and other materials to honor the anniversary. YAF’s project page also suggests having a moment of silence at 9:11 AM and offers to help bring in a speaker.
The 9/11: Never Forget Project, now over ten years old and a well-established memorial at many campuses, has “taken on a life of its own,” said Jashinsky.
“Many more schools do it without registering with us. It’s become an American tradition,” she added.
Last year, over 250 schools participated in the project, and this year’s number of participating high schools, colleges, and community organizations reached equally impressive numbers, proudly setting up the flag memorials in prominent places.
“We think it’s important that students talk about that day and how our country was impacted by it,” Pat Coyle, Vice President of YAF, told TribLive. “The individual flags serve as a visual reminder.”
Never forget. #911 #911neverforgetproject #NeverForget pic.twitter.com/ngXSfapvqG
— GWYAF (@GWYAF) September 11, 2015
2,977 flags to honor 2,977 innocent lives lost 14 years ago. @YAF_VT @virginia_tech #911neverforgetproject pic.twitter.com/x24cirD7ui
— Lauren McCue (@LMcCue26) September 11, 2015
@yaf we rounded up 30 kids to help set up our #NeverForget project?? pic.twitter.com/4vRC8FPZS9
— madison (@libertarian_xo) September 11, 2015
Putting up flags for @ClemsonYAF #911NeverForget @yaf @ClemsonUniv @ClemsonPrez pic.twitter.com/FImiHjrwBE
— William Turton (@TurtonWilliam) September 11, 2015
And a “visual reminder” is exactly what students need, particularly in light of the fact that this year’s college freshman don’t remember 9/11, as they were only three or four years old. And when asked about that day, student’s seem perplexed about why it happened, blaming President Bush or the economic situation.
In honoring those whose lives were lost and what the tragedy of 9/11 means for our country, the “Never Forget Project” is a small part of a larger effort to remember history.
