Birthday today.

Never realized we shared a birthday.

Well, Happy Birthday!

flashguy

There was a news story yesterday about the large number of pet owners that celebrate their dogs' birthday, which struck me as a strange and foolish practice, but celebrating or commemorating the birthdays of the deceased strikes me as even stranger.

I have the utmost respect for Chris Kyle and his family's service and sacrifice, and what they have accomplished. If his family chooses to quietly remember him on his birthday I could certainly understand, and would respect that...but I prefer to remember what he, and they, have accomplished while he was alive and the time since he passed.

quote:

Originally posted by Modern Day Savage:
There was a news story yesterday about the large number of pet owners that celebrate their dogs' birthday, which struck me as a strange and foolish practice, but celebrating or commemorating the birthdays of the deceased strikes me as even stranger.

You mean like Washington, Lincoln, MLK...

quote:

Originally posted by 1967Goat:

You mean like Washington, Lincoln, MLK...

Actually, yes. I'm grateful those men lived and for their service and accomplishments, and I choose to remember them for that... especially, considering that none of the national holidays commemorating them are held on their actual birthdates, but are held on a specific Monday so that many government workers can have a long weekend.

quote:

Originally posted by Modern Day Savage:

quote:

Originally posted by 1967Goat:

You mean like Washington, Lincoln, MLK...

Actually, yes. I'm grateful those men lived and for their service and accomplishments, and I choose to remember them for that... especially, considering that none of the national holidays commemorating them are held on their actual birthdates, but are held on a specific Monday so that many government workers can have a long weekend.

I agree. I can't believe so many people gush over such childish things.
As George Carlin said, "Those are "symbols" and I leave symbols to the symbol-minded.

I believe that some people deserve to be remembered, and if they don’t have an arbitrary date holiday for that purpose, remembering them on their birthday is as good as anything.

As a kid I was always disappointed that Washington’s birthday (22 February) was a no-school holiday, but Lincoln’s (12 Feb) wasn’t. A friend today believes that Lincoln was the country’s worst ever President*, but all I was concerned about was having another day off from school.

And of course few Americans these days think of any of our national holidays in reference to their original intent, other than Christmas for some; they’re just days they might not have to work or vendors offer special sales.

* I never agreed with him, and especially not in recent times, but he did make some valid points about his administration.

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Originally posted by Ryanp225:
...

I agree. I can't believe so many people gush over such childish things.
As George Carlin said, "Those are "symbols" and I leave symbols to the symbol-minded.

To be clear, I'm not opposed to symbols, at least not the symbols that represent things worth being reminded of. For example, I'm opposed to commemorating symbols used by Antifa, BLM, the KKK, or NAZIs... but I fully support symbols such as the US flag or saying the Pledge of Allegiance, our nation's symbol of the Bald Eagle, our National Anthem, etc...

Rest in peace sir and thank you for your service.

quote:

Originally posted by sigfreund:
I believe that some people deserve to be remembered, and if they don’t have an arbitrary date holiday for that purpose, remembering them on their birthday is as good as anything.

As a kid I was always disappointed that Washington’s birthday (22 February) was a no-school holiday, but Lincoln’s (12 Feb) wasn’t. A friend today believes that Lincoln was the country’s worst ever President*, but all I was concerned about was having another day off from school.

And of course few Americans these days think of any of our national holidays in reference to their original intent, other than Christmas for some; they’re just days they might not have to work or vendors offer special sales.

* I never agreed with him, and especially not in recent times, but he did make some valid points about his administration.

I completely agree that they, their service, their accomplishments, and their sacrifices should be remembered through commemoration like a holiday. I would just prefer that, instead of their birthday, that a holiday be dedicated to them in rememberance of specific dates of accomplishment.

For instance, instead of celebrating Washington's birthday, a national holiday on the date of his crossing of the Delaware, or perhaps his first inauguration. Instead of Lincoln's birthday as a holiday, a national holiday for when he gave the Gettysburg address or the Emancipation Proclamation. For MLK, a national holiday for his "I have a Dream" speech, instead of his birthday.

I'm bothered that these national holidays have been trivialized by sales and days off from work and school and, perhaps I am wrong, but I believe that if we celebrated their accomplishments instead of their birthdays, it would be easier and clearer to remember why we are actually celebrating a national holiday.

It still irks me that Constitution Day still hasn't been made a national holiday, after this many years, when so many other holidays have been created. I'd gladly trade Labor Day for Constitution Day.

...and yeah, as a kid in school I wanted every day to be a holiday day off. In fact, I got in trouble several times for 'creating' my own holiday days off

Edited: to correct spelling mistake.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Modern Day Savage,

Surviving a successful trip around the sun is a legitimate cause for celebration but not a big deal to me. As far as remembering the birthday of someone no longer with us, I get it and don't get it. There should be more recognition give to "Jerome Lester Horwitz was born on this day in 1903."

Today is my younger son's 49th birthday.

Never knew that it was Chris Kyle's birthday as well. I wish all the best for his family.

Happy Birthday, Chris.

Pay no attention to the birthday police trying to dictate how your birthday should be celebrated, and who can celebrate it. I ran Fran in celebration of your birthday today in 8:14.

quote:

Originally posted by mikeyspizza:
There should be more recognition give to "Jerome Lester Horwitz was born on this day in 1903."

I follow Jack Carr on social media. Several times per week he does a bit on “born this day.....” with some interesting facts of personalities past and present. Plus some events. I think a lot of it is fascinating reminders on terror attacks, military history and personalities.

I mentioned him this day because I feel he as well as a lot of others who chose to serve ,
Should very well be remembered for the lives they left.

Seems like there could be an entire website full of honorable citizens.

quote:

Originally posted by Modern Day Savage:
I believe that if we celebrated their accomplishments instead of their birthdays, it would be easier and clearer to remember why we are actually celebrating a national holiday.

That’s an interesting idea, but I believe it would lead to even more controversies than those that already surround historical figures and events.

To cite an example that struck me just recently is National Vietnam War Veterans Day. My feelings and beliefs about the war are much different than many people’s, including many veterans’, and I’m therefore probably in the minority, but the official description of the day isn’t anything I take pride in as either a veteran or even as an American:
“March 29, 1973 was the day United States Military Assistance Command, Vietnam was disestablished and also the day the last U.S. combat troops departed Vietnam.”

To me that would be like the British marking 19 October as the day in 1781 that Cornwallis surrendered to Washington at Yorktown.
Would there be a better day to honor Vietnam vets? Perhaps, but I don’t know what it would be, and therefore it’s probably best no one asked me.

As for other events and figures, last year my county commissioners decided that Columbus Day wouldn’t be a local holiday, and substituted a day the week before in honor of someone I’d never heard of and whose name escapes me at present. I don’t believe any of the county employees cared very much as long as they got a paid holiday off, and being an obscure figure probably helped ensure that no one would have enough information about him to object on the grounds that, for possible example, he was a war monger or didn’t respect the environment enough.

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To me that would be like the British marking 19 October as the day in 1781 that Cornwallis surrendered to Washington.

Coincidentally, October 19 is my birthday.
When I was a child, we used to get the free calendars from the local drugstore and October 19 showed "British surrender at Yorktown" as a notable event.
I have remembered this event since then.

/drift