Terrorist attacks dominate discussions by teenagers

Wednesday, Nov. 21, 2001 | 9:39 a.m.

Bishop Gorman High School senior Mark Ross paraphrased Thomas Jefferson, saying "We have to give up a little bit of our freedom for the security our government provides."

Green Valley High School student Zachary Dziedziak quoted Benjamin Franklin: "He who gives up freedom for the sake of security deserves neither -- it sets a dangerous precedent."

Others of the 900 high school students gathered Tuesday for the Sun Youth Forum, in the tradition of the founding fathers, expressed their views passionately during spirited debates.

The issues of the daylong forum at the Las Vegas Convention Center would have sounded familiar to the authors of America's democracy: freedom, security, due process and justice.

The official topics for the 21 groups were American issues, world issues, law and crime, school days, teen issues, Nevada issues and potpourri.

But the discussions often returned to the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11 and how the United States should respond.

The teens wrangled over giving up some freedoms for greater government protection and whether multimillionaire terrorist Osama bin Laden should be killed on sight or captured to stand trial.

"To preserve democracy, we have to temporarily give up some of our rights for security," Patrick Vincent, a senior at Green Valley High, said of heavily armed National Guardsmen patrolling airports.

They argued about whether bin Laden deserved the same right of due process, an issue Americans have fought and died for since the Revolutionary War. Some thought not.

"If we find him we should just kill him. I'm against the death penalty, but some people need to be dead," said Hollee Tobler, a Virgin Valley High senior.

"It would be too easy for him to just die -- he should have to suffer," said Christina Trotter, a Clark High senior.

"What about innocent until proven guilty?" said Silverado High junior Breanne Miller. "We should uphold our American ideals and give him a trial, because that's what we stand for -- even if the trial takes two minutes and he has to be put in jail for the rest of his natural life."

Jeff McDonald, a student at Faith Lutheran High, warned against making a deity figure out of the Saudi Arabian outcast. "It's ridiculous to just kill him. His movement will advance and he will become the next Muhammad or Christ."

"We should put him on trial, because if he dies he will become a martyr," Kristine Brady, a Palo Verde High junior, agreed. "If we kill him, he gets what he wants."

"If we kill him or not, he will be replaced," Shawn Kirkbride, a Desert Pines High senior, warned.

Shanell Bagley, a senior at Clark High, said, "We should give him a trial, because that way we show the other nations that we are fair."

"If we kill him it will not bring back the 5,000 people who died in the World Trade Center," said Catherine Davis, a Coronado High junior.

Maria Parra, a Valley High student, said, "We should not want to lower ourselves by killing him just because he killed innocent people in the towers."

To assure a fair trial, Jordan Young, a Silverado student, suggested that the United Nations try bin Laden, not the United States. "We seem to forget that it is not just us he hurt -- it's the whole world."

One discussion group, by majority, supported secret tribunals to try alleged terrorists and war criminals. One student suggested it would be a good idea because those who eventually are found innocent will have been spared the publicity and stigma of having been accused and tried.

After four hours of discussion, each group selected a representative -- seven students will write a column for the Sun, seven will appear on a roundtable discussion on the University of Nevada, Las Vegas television channel and seven will write a column for CLASS!, a non-profit monthly magazine for, by and about local high school students.

Writing columns for the Sun will be Kenneth Bayless, Eldorado High; Foster Kamer, Silverado; Garrett Weir, Bishop Gorman; Chris Bishop, Trinity Christian High School; Heather Chang, Green Valley; LaShawna Ngadiuba, Las Vegas Academy; and Patrick Vincent, Green Valley.

Appearing on the UNLV-TV panel will be Eric Cheung, Green Valley High; Anna Rosenman, Advanced Technologies Academy; Elizabeth Young, Silverado; Lyle Celler, Foothill; Shanelle Henry, Cheyenne Community High School East; Heather Kydd, Silverado; and Isac Thomas, Bishop Gorman.

Writing columns for CLASS! will be: Sydney Venable, Green Valley High; Megan Proctor, Coronado; Yanne Givens, Valley; Mark Ross, Bishop Gorman; Tim Williams, Cimarron-Memorial; Gabrielle McGhie, Las Vegas Academy; and Brad Lawrence, Centennial.

Sun Editor and President Brian Greenspun, son of late Sun Publisher and Youth Forum founder Hank Greenspun, appreciated the lively debate.

"This is the only program of its kind that not only has lasted but has flourished," he said. "We started this for the expressed purpose to give a forum for young people to speak and for adults to listen."

Sun reporter Daniela Mohor contributed to this report.

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