Each year on Sept. 11th, Americans honor the victims of the terror attacks in ways both big and small. Like Memorial Day and Independence Day, it is a rare day of national remembrance and commemoration.
After ten years, though, it begs the question: Should Sept. 11 be made a national holiday?
National holidays have been borne out of tremendous loss before. Memorial Day’s initial purpose was to commemorate the fallen Union soldiers in the American Civil War, ending in 1865. Yet it was not declared "Memorial Day" by federal law until 1967.
And take the case of Thanksgiving Day. Though its roots date back to the 1600s and the early colonial settlers, Thanksgiving was proclaimed a federal holiday by President Lincoln in 1863—in direct response to the bloody Battle of Gettysburg. According to historical accounts, Lincoln’s purpose was to invoke prayer, thanks, and humility while a civil war still raged.
While some may not be ready to make a holiday out of the 9/11 anniversary, others no doubt feel it is time to commemorate the day nationally.
What do you think? Should Sept. 11 be made a national holiday?