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Here in Toronto, the impact on New Yorkers seems to hit just a little bit harder, a little bit deeper. You see, we have always viewed ourselves as the Canadian New York. New York is the business capital of the United States, Toronto is the business capital of Canada. Toronto has the largest concentrated population of any other Canadian city, New York's population rivals that of most American cities, as well. The "northern sophistication" affects much of the each city's character, not to mention the huge multi-culturalism that both cities pride themselves on.
When the planes crashed into the World Trade Center, a shock hit Toronto. Thousands, perhaps millions, of Torontonians watched the twin towers fall on live television. In my own Chemistry class, all teaching was stopped and a TV was brought in to watch what was happening. I saw the second tower fall. I still can't process the fact that I literally saw hundreds upon hundreds of people dying within two minutes.
It's hard to explain, but in the back of our subconscious, it felt like it could have been us. Don't misunderstand, we were quite sure we weren't a target, it was more like someone had smashed the mirror we had been lovingly admiring ourselves in. Despite the knowledge of our relative security, the downtown core of my city was evacuated, with special attention paid to the CN Tower. I'm sure you all know the CN Tower, we Canadians (or at least we Torontonians) are very proud of it, it's the tallest free-standing building in the world, a communications tower, tourist attraction, restaurant, et cetera. Many of my friends excused themselves from class to go call parents who work in downtown Toronto, not to mention check on relatives in the United States. Many Torontonians have friends and family who worked in the W.T.C. One of my own friends had a relative who lost an eye and another who was missing for a day (they both worked in the W.T.C.). Now you see how close the terrorist attacks on New York (and Washington, DC to a lesser extent) hit home here in Toronto. This place has many lifelines leading to New York, more than any other city in the world, I believe.
Therefore, it is interesting to listen to some of the responses and feelings of Toronto teens:
"September 11, 2001, this day will go down in history as the day the world stopped. There is an eerie, almost drug-induced lull hanging over everyone’s' head. In all this tragedy, there is a certain beauty found in the resourcefulness of the human spirit. Through all of the negativity of the past week, the courage of the police, fire, and emergency services speaks volumes for humanity. It is very easy to destroy but much more symbolic to rebuild and create."
- Zach, 18.
"September 11th was a horrible day. It hit so many thousands of people and their families. I, personally, am scared and I know many of my friends are scared, as well. It affected the whole world and people of different countries. I hope that in the future, people can be more respectful to America and Canada."
- Alisia, 17
"While we watched, live, thousands of people lost their lives. This wasn't about the little losses, all the people who lost brothers, sisters, fathers, cousins...[it was about]the sheer mass of those [losses]. Of worry. Of grief."
- Peter, 16
These are just a few opinions and thoughts from teens I've spoken with. Many also feel guilty for their indifference. They say they feel too "cut off," too unconnected to the events to truly feel sorrowful. Others think the many lost lives are a travesty, but that we must also look at the greater picture. There have been thousands of lives lost that, individually, never received one sentence worth of coverage, or even recognition of any sort. We also must think of the repercussions. What is the United States going to do, or more specifically, what is President Bush going to do? Canada has a very solid history of backing the US with every military action or foreign policy. However, if not backing it, our politicians shut their mouths and refuse to involve themselves or try to help the victims. The greater good is not always on Canada's agenda, though we are renowned for our peacekeeping efforts around the world (notice how they never intruded on the United State's foreign affairs). Teenagers in Toronto have many valid thoughts that are decidedly anti-war or ANY* kind of military action.
Teenagers around the world need to think about this, as they probably are. We are the next generation, and we are nearing our turn to take the "reins of this world" into our own hands. How are we going to handle this? We must remember that the consequences of any present actions will be felt decades after, when WE are adults, when we are RESPONSIBLE. Torontonians share many of the same feelings as their peers around the rest of this small planet. Hopefully, our tidings of peace will ring loudest and a change can be made for the BETTER.
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Karis
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