Post by Lifeguard on Oct 31, 2009 3:42:24 GMT
(October 3, 1995)
The 2000 U.S. Presidential Election Results
(November 7, 2000 - December 12, 2000)
9/11 Terrorist Attacks
(September 11, 2001)
Figure Skater Nancy Kerrigan Being Attacked
(January 6, 1994)
Mark McGuire's 70th Home Run
(September 27, 1998)
Princess Diana's Death
(August 31, 1997)
The Bill Clinton-Monica Lewinsky "Situation"
(January 17, 1998)
The Columbine High School Massacre
(April 20, 1999)
The Oklahoma City Bombing
(April 19, 1995)
Unabomber's Arrest
(April 3, 1996)
The 2008 U.S. Presidential Election Results
(November 4, 2008)
The O.J. Simpson "Not Guilty" Verdict
(October 3, 1995)
(October 3, 1995)
I was 9 years old and in the 3rd Grade. The entire school was pretty tense that day, including the teachers and especially the students. The verdict was coming in and every class, including my Social Studies one, stopped and turned on their televisions for what seemed to be an eternity...
Finally, the verdict of "not guilty" came. Then the class just exploded, as did the rest of the school. Some were crying, some were beating their desks and the walls, and others were just shocked and cursing. Me? Well, I was sort of quiet and glad it was over, the trial coverage kept cutting into my Tiny Toon Adventures and Mighty Morphin Power Rangers!
The 2000 U.S. Presidential Election Results
(November 7, 2000 - December 12, 2000)
(November 7, 2000 - December 12, 2000)
8th Grade, I was 15. I watched the election on television, and it is the only one I can remember clearly. Sure I recall (and voted) 2004's U.S. Presidential Election, but this was the first I can remember earliest watching. I do remember Clinton's runs, but only vaguely and we did have little school votes to see who won... I voted for Clinton. =P
Anyway, I began to fall asleep and before I went to bed, Gore was ahead. I believed he would win, it seemed logical due to him being Bill Clinton's Vice-President. To my surprise Bush had taken the lead when I woke up for school, and of course everyone was talking about the close results. I remember people getting into some intense arguments about who should win, and it was pretty ugly for Middle Schoolers!
In the end, I felt then as I still do, that Bush had an unfair advantage and Gore was cheated. I was in Earth Science when the election was decided in favor of Bush, and a few people cheered but many, myself included, were either ticked or just felt betrayed. I think this was my first awakening to the corruption behind politics, lol.
9/11 Terrorist Attacks
(September 11, 2001)
(September 11, 2001)
I was a Freshman (9th Grade) in high school at the age of 16. I was in World Civilization, we were studying Ancient Egypt until all the teachers were called to the front office. The class just talked and acted like fools during their absences, then when they came back they turned on the televisions and our teacher said nothing.
Everyone was pretty quiet until they showed the planes hitting the buildings, at which point some people said things like, "Daaaaaaamn!" and "Holy sh*t!". Me? I watched and, at first, thought it was some kind of accident until CNN said it was an attack. To this some people said "America is about to KICK SOME ASS!". I didn't know what exactly happened until I got home, and on the bus ride home that is all anyone was talking about.
Upon arriving home, I saw one of the towers collapse. Back then I noticed it look remarkably similar to a demolition project, to which I thought it was until CNN said it had been brought down due to the intense flames. I accepted it, but - and I'm not meaning to divert from the point of this topic - I've since gone back and again believe those buildings were brought down by something else.
Anyway, the rest of the week everyone was either quiet, unsure of what to do, or very obedient in their classes. I think disciplinary problems dropped by about 70-80%.
Figure Skater Nancy Kerrigan Being Attacked
(January 6, 1994)
(January 6, 1994)
7 years old, 1st Grade. I do not remember this too much, but when I first heard about it, I was laying on the couch watching my brother get pissed about some Mathematics homework. CNN was on on the background.
Sorry, not super detailed story for this one.
Mark McGuire's 70th Home Run
(September 27, 1998)
(September 27, 1998)
I was 13 and in 6th Grade. My father was having some friends over to watch the game, and he got so wasted that he began to sing Journey. His friends laughed and egged him on, so McGuire hitting his 70th Home Run was overshadowed by my father's intoxicated antics.
Princess Diana's Death
(August 31, 1997)
(August 31, 1997)
12 years old and going into the 5th Grade. Surprisingly this did not seem to bother people as much as it did the news media, so I only heard Princess Diana had died in a car accident. It was not until I got home that I saw everyone's reactions to it, and I was bombarded with non-stop Princess Diana news coverage, documentaries, interviews, and everything.
The Bill Clinton-Monica Lewinsky "Situation"
(January 17, 1998)
(January 17, 1998)
5th Grade, 12 years old. I saw this on CNN and, well, I didn't really care. My father said he ran the country well, and world leaders liked him, so why did it matter? I thought it was ridiculous to even go into the extreme details they did, but thinking back it saddens me that the press doesn't press as hard with current leaders as they once did. I guess until Obama has an affair, we won't get the power of the press behind us.
The Columbine High School Massacre
(April 20, 1999)
(April 20, 1999)
13, 6th Grade. I woke up late this morning, so I had to walk to school in the rain. I have a black trench coat I wear, it is my father's and he told me to wear it to keep warm and dry. The first shots were fired while I was walking to school, so when I arrived people were freaking out or glued to their televisions. Me? I got some weird stares, and one kid saying, "OH GOD! THEY'VE GOT OTHER SCHOOLS ON THEIR LIST!"
Fortunately nothing went beyond that, but it was an amusing little incident to a tragic day. I probably should not have gone to school at all, all anyone did was watch the live coverage on television and talk about it.
The Oklahoma City Bombing
(April 19, 1995)
(April 19, 1995)
8 years old in the 2nd Grade. I remember seeing this on CNN all day, my father said it was kind of ironic that a federal building got attacked like that. I can remember them having a massive manhunt and constantly mentioning the 1993 attack on the World Trade Center.
Nothing else to really elaborate on.
Unabomber's Arrest
(April 3, 1996)
(April 3, 1996)
3rd Grade, 9 years old. My father was more into this than me, and he watched it. I would sit next to him and absorb a lot of what was being said, and remember the news networks making the Unabomber seem like he was the Anti-Christ. It was pretty ridiculous, even if he did kill people, a lot of the news programs were acting like scorned children. I vaguely recall Fox News saying something along the lines of, "Patriotism ALWAYS defeats evil!"
Anyway, after seeing all the news coverage on him. I went to the public library and asked if they had any books on the Unabomber, at which point the librarian had a horrified look on her face. I had to wait almost two years before I got a book on the Unabomber, but I never read it until I was 16.
The 2008 U.S. Presidential Election Results
(November 4, 2008)
(November 4, 2008)
22, College. I was at my home, with my family as we watched the results come in. Our entire family (of legal voting age) had went out and voted for Ron Paul, but wanted Obama to prevail over McCain if one of those two had to win.
When Obama took Ohio and Virginia, we knew he had it. But how close it came was still up in the air.
Following Obama's victory, I didn't really feel anything. If no one knows I'm black myself, and within the black community Obama reaching this level of power was unthinkable, but to me it felt like anybody else. I guess I just don't make race as much an issue as most, and instead view people by their trade as opposed to their looks.
In the town a lot of people were excited and celebrating, so lots of partying and drinking, as well as yelling and people honking their horns down the road. It went on all night, not stopping until Noon the next day.
Regardless, it was exciting to be a part of history. Still, it'd only be truly historical if Obama does what he said he would.[/font][/ul]
