September 11

[Pueros]

Please forgive me for asking this question but I understand that the forthcoming dreadful anniversary (of 11.09.2001) is not a public holiday (for sake of a better word) in your country.

I know that there's nothing to celebrate but many such sad historical events have been remembered through time through days of quiet public reflection in other nations.

I'd be interested to learn the reasons why your country doesn't follow such a practice. Is it the thought that 'America continues despite....' or other reasons?

I know, for example, that the average American is a prime example in the western world of those that enjoy the fewest days off.

PUEROS

[Andrew (imported)]

I know that there's nothing to celebrate but many such sad historical events have been remembered through time through days of quiet public reflection in other nations.

I'd be interested to learn the reasons why your country doesn't follow such a practice. Is it the thought that 'America continues despite....' or other reasons?

Even if they are not formal holidays, Americans make a practice of noting and observing, with traditions, certain days. 7 December, Pearl Harbor day, is one such day. Many still celebrate 20 July, when we landed on the moon in 1969 and landed on Mars in 1976. The anniversary of the assasination of JFK. And recently celebrations for Marylin Monroe and Elvis Presley. And so on.

So even if 11 September is not and probably never will be a formal holiday, it will still be a date to note, and special activities and observances will take place.

[A-1 (imported)]

...the holiday will be when we hang binLauden and his ilk...

A-1

[Riverwind (imported)]

Thank you Andrew that is so true, also I would add that for a holiday to be created takes several years and must be ratified by a number of states. Case in point is Martin Luther King, it was several years after his death before it became a federal holiday. Of course we lost the Washington and Lincoln Birthday holidays to Presidents day. Yes Americans do have less time off then other country’s, not sure that is good or bad. Some times I wish we had more time off, yet I remember a couple years ago I did not take any time off, I was to busy and never got the chance but the next year I took 5 weeks. I think most Americans like to work, at least I do, always have.

[RavenWings (imported)]

Someone said "We Shall Not Forget September 11th"

Thing is, we will. Do any of you really rember exactly WHY we remember 11/11- Veterans Day? What about September 2nd? We don't mark Presedent Lincoln's assassination day, or the bombing of Hiroshima, the begining and ending of WWI, WWII, Korea, Vietnam, and the Persian Gulf War. How about celebrating the 'Battle' of Wounded Knee with a national holiday.

To be blunt, there is a very valid reason why we don't mark or make a holiday out of every single major event in history, and neither does any other country in the world. By the time you calculated every single even special to every single culture, every single day would be a holiday. Odds are, in the near future, the causalties from September 11th will be placed in with casualties of every war America's fought, whether they started or ended on Memorial Day. I know that most of you won't agree with that, but it will happen.

[A-1 (imported)]

...you know, you have to know that you are "baiting" me into this conversation, don't you?

Well, O.K.

You did a good job. You are a master at this...(Get it?)

At any rate, here goes.

November 11th was the day the Armistice was signed that ended the first world war.

Of course, most of the people that that held any significance for are now dead.

In my generation November 22, 1963 is indelibly etched in the minds of all who were alive and were old enough to remember that day.

I claim that the memory of September 11th 2001 will not fade away until this generation of Americans do.

Of course, I bet that is what you meant, isn't it?

If the date is taught in school to children in history class that will make the memory last longer.

Most of us remember the significance of December 7th 1941.

SO, you are right to some extent. But, then, you are not right.

your quote...

Thing is, we will. (forget)

May best be responded to by the punchline to the joke about the Lone Ranger and Tonto. You know, when they were surrounded by Indians and the Lone Ranger turns to Tonto and says, "Well, Tonto, I guess that we are surrounded"

Tonto looks at him and says...

WADDAYA MEAN 'WE', PALEFACE?"

So, WADDAYA MEAN 'WE' RavenWings? :realpisse

A-1

[RavenWings (imported)]

A-1,

You probably know that I mean a collective 'us' not an individual us. There is little that can erase the images of 9/11 from each person's mind. And collectively, we tend to forget fairly quickly about the past.

BTW 9/2, yesterday, was the anaversery of V-J Day, or the victory in the Pacific Theater.

There are so many events throughout history that we eventually forget. Yes, 9/11 will be remembered by our generation, but not by those too young to grasp what happened, and certainly not my generation's children.

Incidentally, I was in a very bad mood the day I wrote that, so some things aren't totally clear in my writing.