Why can't 9/11 just be a National Day of Rememberance?

Why must everything become an occasion to press the population into "service"? Here's a press release from the Pennsylvania Department of Education:

The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) is pleased to recognize September 11, 2009, as The National Day of Service and Remembrance. On April 21, 2009, President Barack Obama signed legislation that officially established September 11th as the federally recognized National Day of Service and Remembrance.

PDE joins in support of the National Day of Service and Remembrance and celebrates this great opportunity to showcase Pennsylvania and emphasize the importance of service learning. School districts and community partners are encouraged to host an event during the week of September 7 to 11, 2009 to help focus attention on volunteerism, charitable actions and service to the community. Rekindle the remarkable spirit of unity, service and compassion shared by so many Pennsylvanians in the immediate aftermath of the attack. Join PDE and many volunteers across the Commonwealth and the Nation in building an enduring and historic legacy.

Here's the website for the 911 Day of Service website, where we are all encouraged to

post your personal plan to perform a good deed, volunteer or engage in another charitable activity in observance of the newly established September 11 National Day of Service and Remembrance. Help create a wonderful legacy that honors the victims and those who rose to service in response to the attacks on America.

Ok, I hate to always play the role of curmudgeon in the face of such touchy-feely good deed doing, but why must we have a day of Service (and, as an afterthought, Rememberance) to honor the memories of those who perished on that day eight years ago? Why can we not just honor the memories of the fallen without some AmeriCorps-type forced volunteerism? Considering that the shackles of politcal correctness prevent our government and most of our citizens from acknowledging that the War on Terror is really a War on Muslim Extremism, I think it's a little too soon to be "celebrating" anything about 9/11.

I understand the desire to make something good come of something bad (and I think that the MLK "Day of Service" is an appropriate venue for this kind of thing.) But I also think that it is not only disrespectful of the victims, but dangerous to America to gloss over what happened on that day eight years ago. That glossing over this event over seems to have been the singular intent of the media and parts of our government in the eight intervening years is disturbing, to say the least. Do the children who are participating in this "Day of Service and Remembrance" even understand fully what happened that day? If they have not learned it at home, I doubt very sincerely they are getting a true picture from our schools.

Just before it happened, the Nation was consumed with domestic issues: Prescription drugs for seniors and the Chandra Levy disappearance. And here we are not eight years later, once again consumed with domestic issues and governemnt handouts. Not two days before 9/11 this year, the President of a nation at war on two fronts called a joint session of congress to talk about health care. Following the World Apology Tour this past spring, and now the investigation into the CIA, a very clear message is going out to the world and those who wish to tear down our way of life.

Make no mistake: that we have not experienced another 9/11 is not because our enemies have not been trying. 9/11 should be about remembering that awful day and the victims, not trying to make something good come from something bad. It is too soon for that and the motivations behind the attacks remains unresolved to this day.

Just remember.