What Do New Hampshire And Maine Residents Think About Making 9/11 A Federal Holiday?

September 11, 2001. A day that almost everyone can remember like yesterday. We remember where we were, what we were doing, and what we did in the moments after hearing the horrific news; a plane flew into the World Trade Center in New York City.

I was on the other side of the country at the time of the attacks. It was my second day on the air at Star 101 in Fresno, CA. I had just started a new job. I had a two year-old-son, and one on the way. As I recall, I was happy and excited about my future. And then I got a call from my traffic reporter to come in the next room. As I walked in I saw news and traffic reporters watching multiple TVs...all with the same horrific video. Someone, perhaps a pilot had suffered a heart attack, had flown a plane into the WTC. It had to be something like that. No one would do that on purpose. But then minutes later, a second plane did the same thing. And suddenly the world was a different place.

Yesterday, on the 17th anniversary of that horrific day, many people paused throughout the day to remember. Not only their own story, but remember those that were killed that day in New York City, Washington D.C., and aboard United Airlines flight 93 in Somerset County, Pennsylvania.

Over the years many have called for 9/11 to be made a federal holiday. I've never supported that movement. Not because it isn't worthy of national recognition. I'm mostly opposed to it because of the things I'm afraid it will eventually become; just another holiday to commercialize by selling mattresses, or BBQ grills, or back-to-school supplies.

Oh that's not what would happen the first few years. But over time...the further we get away from that tragic day...it would begin to lose it's meaning. And like Memorial Day, Veterans Day, and others...for many, it would be nothing more than just another three day weekend.

A lot of people disagree with me. I'm OK with that. The beautiful thing about this great nation is we all don't have to agree. I've always believed reasonable people can have a disagreement and still get along. So with that thought in mind, here's what listeners across New Hampshire and Maine think about declaring 9/11 a federal holiday.