Ten Years Later: Should 9/11 be a National Holiday?

[Hirsch]

I guess this is mostly for the Americans, but since people from all over the world were killed, anyone is free to weigh in.

Lets keep it civil, this is not intended to be a political thread.

We all remember where we were on September 11, 2001. We all have our own memories and I hope that no one on SW was effected by the attacks.

Ten years later, almost 4000 people killed, a generation of kids known as "9/11 babies" Should we make this tragic day in our nations history a national holiday?

What say you, SW?

[Shazam]

I don't want to come off as hard-ass or an anti-American or anything like that, but I have to say no.

People are out there fighting for our country, putting their lives on the line, and many of them die. Yes, they have Memorial day, but besides that you might... might hear about it on the nightly news.

(This is where I'll come off as a non-patriotic...) Most of the people that died in 9/11 were just going to work that day. They weren't willingly putting their lives on the line for something they believe in. They were going to work like nearly every other person. Yes they were innocent victims, the even was atrocious, and I feel horrible for those effected. But I feel more for the people that have put their lives on their line every day for our country (the heroes of 9/11 fall into this).

[Hirsch]

(This is where I'll come off as a non-patriotic...) Most of the people that died in 9/11 were just going to work that day. They weren't willingly putting their lives on the line for something they believe in. They were going to work like nearly every other person. Yes they were innocent victims, the even was atrocious, and I feel horrible for those effected. But I feel more for the people that have put their lives on their line every day for our country (the heroes of 9/11 fall into this).

See, this is why I think it should be a National Day of remembrance. People that join the army know what they are getting into and we have days to remember and honor them. The almost 4000 people, mostly civilian, killed in the attacks didn't sign up for that and they deserve some recognition as innocent victims.

Ya commie!

[Shazam]

they deserve some recognition as innocent victims.

Ya commie!

Arn't they getting that as a huge memorial and building at Ground Zero? Not to mention that on average, each family received somewhere short of $2 million in compensation.

[Dave T]

In Canada, November 11th is Remembrance Day. It is to remember the fallen soldiers, initially from World War I. Veterans Day in the US, could be renamed Remembrance Day in honor of veterans who died as well as the civilian deaths during the al-Qaeda attack on September 11th. There's a little problem in that Memorial Day is generally commemorates the dead and Veterans Day commemorates veterans, dead and alive. However, it could be redefined as many Americans probably don't know the distinction.

From a logistics point of view, September 11th comes very close to Labor Day. Since Easter Monday is not a holiday in the U.S., there is a long stretch of no holidays between February and May. Actually, I would be in favor of eliminating President's Day since the President is a mere politician and the holiday's name was changed from Washington's Birthday.

If President's Day were eliminated, there could be a generic public holiday called Bank Holiday in March and April or April and August. When there is a suitable reason, holidays could replace those two bank holidays.

Currently, US public holidays include:
January: New Year's Day
January: Martin Luther King's Birthday, the only birthday celebrated in the U.S. with the exception of Christmas
February: President's Day, an awful reason for a holiday, in my opinion (Washington's Birthday is better)
- long gap -
May: Memorial Day
July: Independence Day
September: Labor Day
October: Columbus Day (observed by banks and government, not businesses, not all schools)
November: Thanksgiving, day after Thanksgiving is often a holiday
December: Christmas (but not Boxing Day, December 26th)

One potential problem is the 9/11 could be celebrated as al-Qaeda Victory Day. December 7th is remembered but not a holiday. In Europe, May 8th is the VE Day holiday celebrating the defeat of Germany in 1945.

[SaabKen]

I'd say NO to nat'l holiday, but YES to an international day of remembrance.

While 9/11 was a tragic day of epic proportions for the US, Canada and many other nations whose citizens perished in the attacks in NYC, Arlington and Pennsylvania (United Flight 93), it was not a day of military battle. Hence it can't be compared to days like D-Day, VJ-Day. Remembrance of Pearl Harbor attacks on Dec. 7, 1941 would be kind of close, the commonality being military personnel (in peacetime, not in combat) were killed at both locations (on 9/11 that would be at the Pentagon).

Good question & poll, Hirsch !

[Hirsch]

Thank you Ken!

I should have worded this differently. This is not something we should celebrate.

Interesting comments. Now I remember why I come here. This forum has a much more mature feeling.

Dave, you forgot one holiday between Feb and May. Easter.

Arn't they getting that as a huge memorial and building at Ground Zero? Not to mention that on average, each family received somewhere short of $2 million in compensation.

Would a memorial and $2M seem fair if your father/brother/mother/child/wife were killed on 9/11?

[SaabBoon]

Since that day marks an ENORMOUS shift in American security policy, and has created changes which are visible in people's every day lives, I would say it carries enough significance to become a holiday. However, once a holiday, always a holiday.... And how many holidays can we have before it becomes obnoxious.

Most people do not know the meaning to several other "memorial" holidays we have. How long before this one disappears? I wonder what 2021 will feel like.

[SaabKen]

I wonder what 2021 will feel like.

Well, like Hirsch says in his every post, hopefully some form of:

[Shazam]

Would a memorial and $2M seem fair if your father/brother/mother/child/wife were killed on 9/11?

No, and I realize that. No amount of money can make up for one's loss. But how will a Holiday make up any more for that? There isn't a Holiday for the Oklahoma City bombing; most people don't even know what day it is (April 19). The World Trade Center truck bombing; no Holiday for that, yet over 1,000 people were injured and most people don't know the date of that (I didn't, but I guess it's February 26). What is the cut-off for a terrorist attack to become a Holiday? Sure, 9/11 was bigger than any other in the past, but more attacks are bound to happen. Hopefully not, but the truth is that there are going to be more. What happens if there are more, and they are bigger? Does that mean they'll be a Holiday too?

And most memorial Holidays that we have, aren't of a single event. They are of a collection of events. Memorial day is for all of the past fallen soldiers, and the MIA's and POW's.