POTSDAM, New York (WWNY) – The events that took place on September 11th, 2001 are seared into the minds of many who remember that day.
At Clarkson University, members of the community and the ROTC paid their respects to those that fell that day.
While many know where they were on 9/11, this is the first year that some addressed that those in the audience were born after 2001.
“Today we find ourselves with a university filled mostly with people; students, that are too young to actually remember that day. And so its important that we gather and that we honor those that were harmed, killed, and chose to serve because of that moment,” said Clarkson University President Marc Christensen.
The people at the ceremony old enough to remember watching the Twin Towers fall know exactly where they were on 9/11 and the personal stories that affect them to this day. For those in the attendance that were younger, understanding the weight and legacy of that day lingers.
“I think ceremonies like this are important to understand. Reaching out to those who were there and do understand what happened that day. I think having those conversations, they can be hard sometimes, but I think that’s very important in understanding the importance of what happened that morning,” said Cameron Frost, a Potsdam Volunteer Firefighter.
For some Clarkson professors, it’s important telling those stories of what happened that morning to students who were not yet born.
“For the future generations to recognize that they, too, will be struggling; that there will be struggles in their life. There will be poignant moments that they need to remember those of the past, so that they can learn from them, they can appreciate that challenges that the generations that came before struggled with and use those as tools to engage in their struggles is really important and it really gives them I think a way to navigate the current troubles that they may encounter,” said Erik Backus.
Teaching the memories of the past, so those in the future may learn and respect all that was given and taken away 21 years ago.
Copyright 2022 WWNY. All rights reserved.
