After Sept. 11, 2001, he, like many, was angry. As a New Yorker, he admits he was a little scared too. But in the weeks following the attacks, he began thinking about what led to those planes slamming into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.
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He saw, at the heart of it, a familiar foe in world history. And with technological wonders at his fingertips, he decided he wanted to fight ignorance.
So the self-described activist dreamt up a Web site where teenagers all over the world can go to talk about whatever they want – from corruption and war to the pressures of being a teen to the new Sum 41 CD.
He envisioned a place where teens could teach one another about their religions and countries and views. He wanted a place where other teens like himself could reach out and stand out.
The result has surpassed even his lofty goals. News by Teens International has grown from little more than a dozen registered members to 215, with hundreds of other regular guests who have not yet signed up.
Anyone can access the site and post comments in the chat room, but registered members and those who submit essays are supposed to be 19 or younger.
Regular contributors come from across the United States, Canada, Australia, Germany, the Bahamas, Israel, Sweden, England, Mexico and Denmark, to name a few.
More importantly to Niamehr, the articles and discussions posted by these teen readers have touched on a full spectrum of issues from teens’ perspectives.
“Although I am only in grade 10, I have still felt the ripple effects of 9/11,” writes Reza H., from Canada. “I have to look no further than computer class where my peers and fellow classmates tease not only myself but my culture and way of life as well.”
They call him “Osama,” “Terrorist Hussein” and “mini bin Laden,” he says. “These words are constantly piercing my ears for an hour and fifteen minutes. Is this the kind of environment that you want your children growing up in?”
In another piece, a writer asks philosophically: “Is the concept of war only the remnant of our savage past, the unjustifiable curse of mankind, or is it a needed response to those who cannot follow rules?”
And one of the regular Australian contributors even faulted Steve Irwin, the popular television crocodile hunter. Many of the site’s readers followed up with criticism of the author for calling Irwin a “pathetic portrayal of a typical Aussie.”
But, hey, on News by Teens, everything’s up for debate, Niamehr says.
“The whole point is to demolish ignorance,” he said. “And we do that by educating each other to think differently. A lot of parents tend to program their beliefs into their children, like for instance, ‘Here’s your religion – this is the right way.’ “
But Niamehr believes teens are generally more open-minded. “And I think we should take advantage of that,” he added.
The small team that runs News by Teens is a snapshot of the cultural diversity woven through the site.
Niamehr’s parents are Iranian Jews who now live in New York City. He credits them with teaching him to be strong in his faith but still to question teachings if he disagrees. Kamran Ayub – the home-schooled Web whiz who designed, built and manages the site – is a 14-year-old Muslim from Minnesota. The site’s top editor is a 17-year-old Christian from Queens.
“The thing about religion is that I think a lot of adults really don’t understand that religion and culture play a really big role among teens,” said Grace Shin, the News by Teens editor in chief. “It’s in our face a lot. But we’re teenagers. We’re curious. We want to know about other cultures too.”
Shin’s involvement has sparked an interest in news that she hopes will extend into a career, perhaps in journalism.
As for Niamehr, he hopes the site will blossom into a stronger voice for teens. He wants to start a lobbying group to bend the ear of Congress and the president on issues such as education.
“We are the future,” he said. “We’re almost in college and it all depends on us now. The future of the world rests on our shoulders.”
http://www.newsbyteens.com/
By Ryan Alessi, Scripps Howard News Service
