Guest columnist Garrett Weir: Sept. 11 felt by students

Friday, Dec. 28, 2001 | 9:12 a.m.

Editor's note: More than 900 Clark County high school students participated in the 46th annual Sun Youth Forum Nov. 20 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The students were divided into groups to discuss selected topics. A spokesperson was chosen from each discussion group to write a column about the students' findings. Garrett Weir of Bishop Gorman High School tells of the students' opinions in the session entitled "Home in Nevada."

I FELT VERY PRIVILEGED to be able to spend a day at the Las Vegas Sun Youth Forum. The Youth Forum has a long history of bringing together some of Nevada's most prominent leaders and creating an environment in which they interact with local high school students by moderating discussion groups.

The moderators, who this year included Mayor Oscar Goodman, Judge Phillip Pro and Brian Greenspun, are placed in particular topic groups according to their areas of expertise. They can provide valuable insights within the discussion. However, they are limited to providing only occasional insights. The Youth Forum is unique in that the students do the majority of the speaking, while the moderators simply keep the meetings under control. It isn't often that people my age are provided with such a platform to express their views, and this rare opportunity attracted more than 900 of the valley's most intelligent and outspoken students.

As Nevadans, students in our group, "Home in Nevada," felt passionately about the subjects that were discussed because they directly affect our lives. The group was comprised of an exceptional assortment of young men and women. The majority of the students were very articulate, and their convincing statements caused me to rethink my own opinions several times throughout the day.

The first topic dealt with terrorism and the Sept. 11 attacks. Everyone agreed that our lives have changed since the tragedy. The attacks impacted Nevadans, as well as all Americans, in many ways. Some people knew victims, others were financially affected, but all of us were emotionally affected. Several students said they feel more appreciative of what they have, and that Sept. 11 put into perspective what is truly important in their lives.

The group was unified that we still feel safe. Perhaps America is not as invulnerable as we had thought, but this event only served to strengthen our methods for preventing another such disaster. We felt that the entire nation's response has been similar, and that most people are continuing their lives, strengthened by this travesty rather than hindered by it.

We drifted from how terrorism has affected us into discussions about the manner in which the government and the media are handling the conflict. Though these international issues sparked debate, our group moved on to Nevada issues. Only a few of the topics created as much widespread debate as the Yucca Mountain project. The discussion became a matter of whether nuclear waste should be stored here. Many students believed that it should not, and a few said it should. However, the general consensus was that since it is coming to Nevada, instead of fighting against it the state should accept the reality of the situation and lobby for compensation. Once the waste is here, how credible will we sound trying to convince tourists of its safeness, when only a short time earlier we had made such a fuss about how unsafe it is.

Another issue that stirred debate was the reform of marijuana laws. Unlike the Yucca Mountain debate, there was no clear, majority opinion. The discussion was by far the most volatile of the day, resulting in complete chaos on more than one occasion. Most students accepted the use of marijuana for medical purposes, and I was surprised to see that more than half of the students supported outright legalization. The idealism behind this view focused on individual freedom and financial efficiency. Many students believed people should have the right to treat their bodies however they want, as long as it is done responsibly and doesn't harm others. Supporters of legalization cited the billions of dollars that have been spent on the unsuccessful war against marijuana. They felt strongly about this, as did students who believed marijuana should remain illegal. The se students claimed that legalizing marijuana would diminish society by creating a mass of drug addicts. They also pointed ! out that marijuana often leads to the use of more dangerous drugs. Each side maintained its views throughout the discussion, and the arguing continued until we were all exhausted with the topic.

My experience at the Sun Youth Forum was a very positive one. I had a great time expressing my views, and it provided me with an excellent opportunity to learn from distinguished leaders in my community. My experience at the forum also left me quite impressed with my peers. Even when I did not agree with what they were saying, which was often, I usually respected their opinions as a result of the intelligent manner in which they were presented.

Contrary to popular belief, today's young people are extremely talented and well informed. It's reassuring to know that Las Vegas' future is secure with these students as its next leaders.