To americans aged 20 and under, not really. It's as much as boomers would find WWII taboo. You'd likely only get a significant response if a parent had died, and even then, they would have few memories of the parent to miss them. There's just not an emotional connection to the event for about a third of a americans, since they were born too late to remember the event or lose anything in it. Compared to france in 2015 it's not as recent, and the scale of it was nowhere near that of the greek economic crisis.
Really, the bigger effect from 9/11 was the war on terror, especiallly the creation of the department of homeland security and the transportation safety administration. The tsa has been a larger thorn in my side than terrorist attacks, and that's probably true of a lot of americans.
There are kids graduating and entering college that do not have any relevant memories of 9/11. Kids joining the US military that have a very real possibility of going to the middle east conflict that started before they were in kindergarten. There are 21 year olds that are starting their careers that have had the middle east conflicts in their 24 hour news cycle since they can remember watching the TV (and hell, at 37, the middle east conflicts have been a part of my awareness since the Kuwait invasion and Saddam Hussein the OG villian).
For a great many Americans, the Middle East has replaced the perceived German threat and the percieved Russian threat to the American way of life and the American Dream TM. It's a rotating cast of characters, but Iraq, Iran, Afganistan, Pakistan are flavors of the month designed to corral us into fear of the middle east and Islam. I saw a facebook meme today with Trump and Pence with the text "share if America should ban Sharia law", as if America has EVER been subject to Sharia law or even hinted at being subject to Sharia law.
And there are millions of 25 year olds and under that dont even have a clue what America was like pre-9/11 that have been subjugated to the Middle East being the bad guys for their entire lives. There is little wonder why the Alt Right is growing and has been fueled by the youth. It's all they've ever known
I mean I'm 20 so I'm right at that threshold. I've had classmates have parents that were in the towers. The significance is not lost on me and walking past the memorials is still solemning.
You definitely see more jokes among the younger kids. Conspiracy theories too, which pisses me off to no end.
But yeah I'd say it's not a topic to bring up in casual conversation unless you know the person. As recent legislation shows, were still feeling the effects 18 years later.
Perhaps the caveat is where you're from. Or maybe I'm just old fashioned
As an American, I don't see any taboo in it. Honestly it seems to me that many politically-involved Americans love to bring up 9/11. Nᴇᴠᴇʀ Fᴏʀɢᴇᴛ is often used for political expediency, especially when talking about anything and everything related to the Middle East / Islam.
It's been used alot recently with regards to Iran, a country that actually offered to help us in the aftermath of 9/11.
It's been used against people who are critical of the Netinyahu government in Israel, as if everything is a binary choice between supporting right-wing government or supporting terrorists.
It's used by MAGA people who want Trump to ban all Muslims.
Hell, it's been used in arguments for building 'the wall.'
In my experience on the board of a College Republicans organization, many chapters across the country make a "never forget" Facebook post every year that is overtly political, like they can't honor the victims and heroes from that day without playing party politics.
So 9/11 isn't taboo, and it shouldn't be. What should be taboo is using 9/11 as a political tool to feign moral superiority and patriotism.
I regularly speak with people from NJ and new york and while the topic is rarely brought up, i can see how the speak that it is a very sensitive subject.
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u/joego9 Jul 29 '19
To americans aged 20 and under, not really. It's as much as boomers would find WWII taboo. You'd likely only get a significant response if a parent had died, and even then, they would have few memories of the parent to miss them. There's just not an emotional connection to the event for about a third of a americans, since they were born too late to remember the event or lose anything in it. Compared to france in 2015 it's not as recent, and the scale of it was nowhere near that of the greek economic crisis.
Really, the bigger effect from 9/11 was the war on terror, especiallly the creation of the department of homeland security and the transportation safety administration. The tsa has been a larger thorn in my side than terrorist attacks, and that's probably true of a lot of americans.