August 17, 2021
I wasn’t born when 9/11 happened. I, like so many of my generation, Gen Z, have learned about that day from stories from our parents, grandparents, and those older than us. Most of the stories share a similar narrative about where they were that morning and how horrific and sad that day was for them. My parents shared a story with me that 9/11 made them rethink their own marriage timeline and how they went from planning a big wedding to having a very small and private ceremony that they moved up to January of 2002.
In our schools, we are taught about the horrors of that day and how it changed so much in our society. We hear stories of how it used to be so much easier to navigate the airport and traveling. No security lines and taking off your shoes. In fact, people share how they used to walk with their loved ones to the gate and wave goodbye as they left on their trip.
As a third-year law student, I am also exposed to the serious legal changes that happened in our nation after 9/11. There are discussions in my classes about privacy rights and the adoption of the Patriot Act. Sometimes we even have a short discussion about the changes in law right after 9/11 through the adoption of the Authorization for Use of Military Force that gave the office of the president new powers to use military force whenever and for however long they desired.
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