What is your first memory of terrorism? When if ever did your view of the world change?

Question

My first memory of terrorism was in 72 when the Israeli atheletes were killed. Later in 79 I saw all the Iranian students chanting death to America while Americans were being held hostage. Although this was one of the reasons why I joined the milirary I didn't really grasp the threat. My worldview changed in Sept. 11, 2001. I was at work and kept seeing people walking to the breakroom for long periods. I finally got curious about what was going on and walked into the breakroom just in time to see the 2nd tower fall. At that moment I knew terrorism could no longer continue unchallenged.

Please share your stories I am curious about how others have been effected.

Enlightened Man: Did you even read the question. This was a personal question concerning how terrorism has effected you. Not an open invitation to rant against Israel. Israel is a state and has the right to protect her citizens and sovreignty against those who have sworn to destory it. I assume you latched onto my Israeli Athlete memory, and I must take from your rant that you agree with terrorists killing innocent athletes.

Titus: I totally agree with you and some of the other posters. We do indeed have domestic terrorism, and it cannot be tolerated anymore than international terrorism. Terrorism is terrorism no matter what label you put on it.

Jillybeansmommy: Unfortunately there are many people who believe that we bring terrorism upon ourselves. I do not now, nor have ever agreed with that justification. The killing of innocents in the absence of defense or war is simply wrong.

Theforce51: You really need to get out the basement more. Mr. Kennedy would never stand idle in the face of terrorism. His actions

His actions in the Cuban blockade taking the world to the brink of nuclear war is evidencde of that. As GB Sr. if you have some evidence he killed Kennedy I am sure the world would love to see it.

Easyboy; Trust me when I tell you that you are preaching to the choir. :)

symetry48228: You get it, definitely cannot expand on that. I will say I hope that we end racism in all forms though, because it is the ugliest of all human vices.

Debbie: I am like you so many of these events just leave me dumbfounded and wondering why. My personal opinion with things like Columbine is that we have done our best to eliminate personal responsibily for actions in this country. This is a distasterous precedent for any society to set as it is personal responsibily that guides our actions.

Robin: I can only imagine how terrible that must have been for you. I live in Texas, but my wife is from the Bronx, and still has family and friends in NYC. It was very tense in our house waiting for confirmation that everyone was ok.

texas1970: I absolutely remember those events, and many more that are just too numerous to list. As for the UT Bell Tower incident I also remember that well (Charles Whitman). My family lived in Austin at the time when it occurred.

Answer 1

My first memory was the first World Trade Center bombing back in what was it, the late 80's early 90's? We lived in upstate NY and my parents were going to take me to NYC for the first time that weekend... until the first bombing. I didn't understand what was going on, or what terrorism was, but only that bad people had tried to do bad things.

Of course, I didn't fully understand terrorism until 9/11 like many others. I was at work, in the "Happiest Place on Earth" (down in Orlando) and I was having breakfast with a co-worker when we watched the first plane hit live. We stayed there and watched the whole thing unfold. We had the horrible jobs of breaking the news to our employees, several who were from NY and one who's father worked in the 2nd tower. Telling her what had happened, and bringing her to my office to call her family was the hardest thing I've ever had to do.

Answer 2

My first memory is the same as yours, the Israeli athletes at the Olympics. In 1979 when the hostages were taken, I was in high school. One of my teachers asked for a show of hands as to how many of us would consider entering the armed service. Mine was the only hand that went up. I think that my view of the world (at least my own little world) changed quite a bit that day.

The day of the Oklahoma City bombings, and the subsequent trials of those involved made me realize that there are threats in our own country.

Then the Columbine school shootings really scared me, because this was children killing children. What was our world coming to?

However, Sept. 11, 2001 was definitely the big day my views changed. Like many people, I will never forget where I was and how I felt on that day.

It has made me more cautious and suspicious of others.

Answer 3

I think that Sept. 11, was my first real vivid memory of terrorism. I was too young to pay attention to any of the others there were. I personally was in my living room on my day off flipping through channels and I thought it was a movie promo at first until I realized it was for real. I was in shock for a very long time. Then I became very fearful for the people in this country of any kind of Middle Eastern decent.

Having been discriminated against myself, I realized that a lot of innocent people would get lopped in with the terrorists that caused the horror that we saw on TV. Because the one physically responsible were dead and couldn't be put on trial or put to death. I was also very angry because it seemed as though the world cheered and clapped at our misfortune. I couldn't understand why it was that countries that less than a year ago had their hands out asking us for help would now be joyous because thousands of non military people, who aren't a threat to world domination and who were simply working in a financial institution (who were just trying to provide for their families and working jobs they probably didn't even want to be at anyway) had just been blown up and crushed! My view of the world before had been pretty tolerable I think but after that, I don't think I want to visit any of those countries to "enlighten or broaden" my view. Because if the display they showed and have of us today is enlightened or broad then I will stay in the dark and narrow!

Answer 4

Mi friend, its really gonna take much of mi memory for there are so many of them.
I have started wondering about the World when I was a child. Terrorism did not exist then...what a beautiful World did we inherit from our elders! Then there were plenty of them, i think starting end '60s when assasinations started taking front page of the print media, then hijackings all over the World, then kidnappings, threats to blow up Embassies, and did they. Oh mi God! It continued in my youth and still continue after 20 years. Sets me wonder what and how unsafe World are we giving to our children to live and play on ? Believe me their toys have been replaced by toy bombs and pistols that they point at me when I come home from work and wife is talking about thefts in the neighbourhood, the newspaper..every page has at least one such incident and the visual media...news...full of them on every hour. When i am thinking of the gory details, i am already picturising about the 20-odd pix of limbs and heads or half-torsoes strewn on the tracks in the recent Mumbai train blasts. Why is it that humanity is suffering like this? Do'nt we all deserve a peaceful World to stay happily? My heart says we still have a long way to go. But one thing is very clear which is that all these acts of violence only goes to show the human resolve and with each passing hour it becomes stronger and stronger..till such time that we wipe it finally from our planet.

Answer 5

I guess my first memory of a terrorist attack was from the 16th Street Babtist Church bombing in Birmingham Alabama back in 1963.

They did not call it terrorism then, but it is considered that today.

It is all about fear. Those that are afraid are doing things to spread fear. Now that does seem odd, but it is true.

When you think your culture or your lifestyle are threatened some think it is OK to go bomb something. Now that just does not make sense.

These same people probably were not registered voters or they did not vote regularly.

If you don't like something register to vote then do that - go vote. Write your lawmakers. Let them know what you want. If that fails use the court system to make change. It might be slow, but it works.

Answer 6

My first memory was 9/11, i don't know what I thought about the bombings earlier in history...maybe I didn't think anything of them because I was to young, but when 9/11 happened I had just had a baby so I think I was starting to be more aware of what was going on around me becasue I had to protect her, I don't know. But the one thing that changed my perception of the US was when I saw people (not sure where they were from) holding big banners saying, "Don't you ever wonder why everyboday hates Americans", and things similar to that. Could that be true? Why would people say that?

Answer 7

My first experience with terrorists was when George Bush senior was instrumental in assassinating John F. Kennedy and thus the chance for world peace was diminished.

Answer 8

for me it was the bombing of the khobar towers and the Cole. that's when I discovered islam. EVERYONE DOES REMEMBER THOSE ARE THE SAME F-ERS (Hezbollah) THAT KILLED AMERICAN TROOPS in SAUDI ARABIA!

my first memory of domestic terrorism was learning of the bell tower sniper in austin texas in the mid 60's before i was born. I still think about it when I go to austin.

Answer 9

My first memory was of the truck bomb in the world trade center.
but like you said, 9/11 was the defining moment for terrorists.

Answer 10

1st grade , by a girl named mary beth *********she terrorized everybody in class , because she was bigger and older than everybody else