Should we make September 11th a national holiday?

2016-01-21T18:33:41-05:00

Sad to say but we have had hundreds of Americans killed and wounded in terror attacks on our soil since 9/11/01. We have memorial day and Veterans day to honor our fallen and ones who served. Why not officially name 9/11 as a federal holiday to remember not just the victims of the 2001 attacks, but all others since.

It is sad to see how many references to how Memorial Day and Veterans day are just a day to BBQ and buy tv's. It saddens me every year. It should be our responsibility to remind people what the true meaning of those day is. We should teach our children and grand children. The world is getting so damn politically correct that one day 9/11 will just be another day. We cant let that happen.

Response by SGT Benjamin Lindsey made Jan 21 at 2016 6:53 PM

2016-01-21T18:53:07-05:00

That's the problem, everyone is so willing to forget these tragedies. To most it is just another day, but its not another day and in my life it will never be just a not her day. I wasn't even born during Dec. 7th but I always remember it. I don't need the federal government to tell me what days need to be remembered. Plus, if they decide to make it a federal holiday then it will get commercialized and lose its meaning just like Memorial day.

Response by Capt Mark Strobl made Jan 21 at 2016 7:04 PM

2016-01-21T19:04:56-05:00

Absolutely not. First, we already have enough Federal holidays. Shoot, I didn't even observe Martin Luther King Day... until I realized my kids weren't at school as I was heading out the door to work. December 7th formerly meant something to this nation. Over 3,000 people died in the attacks on Pearl Harbor <--No Federal holiday for that one! It is/was a tragedy. A very large tragedy. But to have our government shut down because of it? Well, that's exactly what the terrorist hoped for. I say we keep our government working to spite 'em!

Response by Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS made Jan 21 at 2016 7:06 PM

2016-01-21T19:06:28-05:00

It's already Patriots Day.

https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/PLAW-107publ89/html/PLAW-107publ89.htm

It's already a Law, and has been commemorated since Sept 11, 2002.

Response by PO3 David Fries made Jan 21 at 2016 7:43 PM

2016-01-21T19:43:00-05:00

Do I think it needs to be forgotten, no. Do I think it needs a Federal holiday, also no.

Response by SGM Billy Herrington made Jan 21 at 2016 8:29 PM

2016-01-21T20:29:52-05:00

Holiday? No. I refuse to change my way of life because of some POS terrorist. When they modify our daily lives; they have then won. A national day of observance or rembrerance? Certainly.

We will never forget the actions of that day. Nor will we ever forget how it forever altered our lives. Making it a federal holiday won't work to ease the pain of everyone affected by the attacks and those of us who were a part of the second and third order effects.

I personally reflect on how far we have came since that day as a nation, a military, and as an individual.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 21 at 2016 8:31 PM

2016-01-21T20:31:11-05:00

Is D-Day a National Holiday? How about the end of the Battle of Gettysburg?
I understand where people may be coming from, but everyone nor every day deserves a trophy or recognition.

Response by PV2 Scott Goodpasture made Jan 21 at 2016 8:55 PM

2016-01-21T20:55:39-05:00

Holidays are for celebrating

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 21 at 2016 9:29 PM

2016-01-21T21:29:14-05:00

Speaking for the 6 major holidays, all but one are days of celebration. Memorial day, has been turned into the "first day of summer" celebration rather then a more appropriately somber recognition. Is 9/11 a day we should be celebrating or recognizing?

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 22 at 2016 1:06 AM

2016-01-22T01:06:59-05:00

I think we've got it about right as it is. Pause, reflect, but don't let them win.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 22 at 2016 6:46 AM

2016-01-22T06:46:26-05:00

No, we can honor them by going to work and being great Americans just like they were that day.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Jan 22 at 2016 8:31 PM

2016-01-22T20:31:41-05:00

I will support it.

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 23 at 2016 12:04 AM

2016-01-23T00:04:02-05:00

No. We do not need another holiday. As you mention, Memorial Day and Veterans Day are just a day to BBQ and buy TV's. If we make 9/11 a holiday, it would be the same BBQ and TV's. I do not need a special day to think about our war dead. I often think about my father and uncle's who were in WWII, or my friends killed in Vietnam.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 23 at 2016 11:37 AM

2016-01-23T11:37:06-05:00

9 11 should be the same as 12 7 just my opinion.

Response by Sgt Jay Jones made Jan 28 at 2016 7:22 AM

2016-01-28T07:22:32-05:00

SSGT Dan Montague I have to respectfully vote no on your proposal. It's not that I don't feel we should honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice on September 11, 2001, but we also have thousands who lost their lives on December 7, 1941. We have not established a National Holiday for them.
Like you it also saddens me that National Holidays have become commercialized. Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Day has become another day to sleep in and lay around the house all day as well as President's Day. These two holidays are recognized to remember great men who have changed this country for the better. Memorial Day is a day we recognize those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedoms, instead it is becoming know as the day we can start wearing white attire. The 4th of July is one of the few days that still retains some of the spirit that led to it's being declared a national holiday, I guess because it's a big party day. Labor Day is to honor American workers is also the day we stop wearing white. Columbus Day is the day we celebrate the man who Discovered America, although the Indians were already here, isyet another day to sleep in and get some more rest. Veterans Day is to recognize US those who have ensured we remain a free country by putting our lives on the line. I actually think it's the day we celebrate a Belates Marine Corps Birthday, LOL. Thanksgiving comes close to it's purpose, but is more of a family gathering time with good football. Christmas is split between commercialism vs recognizing the birth of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, our Savior Jesus Christ. New Year also comes close to it intended celebration, while most of the celebrating actually occurs the night before. I have mentioned all of these holidays to say this, WE, parents and grandparents are the only ones responsible for keeping the true meaning of all of these National Holidays alive in the hearts and minds of our children. That is the only way we can truly fight the commercialization of any holiday.

Response by CSM Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 28 at 2016 3:41 PM

2016-01-28T15:41:24-05:00

My initial thought: why make a holiday celebrating the successful attack of an adversary with whom we are still fighting?

I also think it's a bit myopic to suggest that this one particular event is more worthy of a federal holiday than any the many others that have impacted the course of US history. How about the start of the American Revolution (which began long before the Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence, which Independence Day commemorates)? The start - or finish - of the War Between the States, in which so many more people were killed than in all of the terror attacks in US history? Or the surprise attack against the US that led to a Congressional declaration of war getting us involved in a World War? Or any of the almost innumerable other incidents and crises that mark our military history? Even if you want to look at numbers of innocents killed, we'd be better off having a holiday to commemorate automobile-related deaths than terror attacks: if a holiday can serve as an instructive guide for the future, even just cutting cutting those in half would save more than twice the lives preventing another 9/11 attack would save.

In terms of the crass commercialization of federal holidays, let's thank the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, passed in the late 1960s to standardize the three-day holiday weekend for Washington's Birthday, Memorial Day, Columbus Day, and Veteran's Day (though that one was eventually allowed to return to being celebrated on the eleventh day of the eleventh month)! It was politically popular and made both businesses and workers happy, and had the intended consequence of boosting retailers' ability to capitalize on holidays. Thanks Congress!