With both Labor Day and the anniversary of the attack on the Twin
Towers in New York and the Pentagon in Washington D.C., I've been
brainstorming some ideas on how to best commemorate what happened on
September 11th, 2001. It was a day that affected every one of us as
Americans and I believe it should be commemorated as such. A permanent
holiday seemed like a good idea, but Labor Day is way too close to it
right now. Then this morning I came up with an idea that I'm not sure
has been brought up before. I'm not sure how feasible it is, but I'll
throw it out there anyway: why don't we switch around Labor Day and
Memorial Day, with Labor Day falling on the last Friday in May and
Memorial Day permanently and statically established on September 11?
I
think switching these two around may prove to be a boost to what each
holiday represents. For Labor Day, it is close enough to the end of
many states' school years that it could also be a symbolic end to
workers' years as well, a holiday that celebrates all that workers have
accomplished in the previous year, before they take their individual
vacations during the most common of seasons for them: the summer. For
Memorial Day, it would still be a way to honor those fallen who had
fallen in previous conflicts but also add the significance of the event
from September 11, 2001, which unarguably have led to other conflicts
where Americans currently endure sacrifice. Since many school years
now begin within the last two weeks of August, it would give school
districts at least a few days to a week more to let teachers establish a
teaching rhythm and tone for students before encountering their first
holiday.
Now, I don't know how feasible this idea really is. There are probably
some traditionalists out there that want to keep everything the same,
more likely for convenience sake. I say to them this could create more
convenience and a deeper, richer meaning that modernizes what each
holiday represents. If there are similar notions or rationalizations
out there from anybody else out there on the implementation of this
idea, put 'em out there. I'd love to see them and probably others as
well. Later and God Bless.
