Liberation? Think of the USA!

Tuesday 9th February 2010, 3:00PM GMT.

From Melanie Luce.
MAY I throw a thought into the Liberation Day debate?

I feel that we could loosely compare the celebrations of the United States’ liberation from Great Britain on 4 July 1776 (Independence Day) with Jersey’s celebration of freedom from German Occupation on 9 May 1945.

If this is a reasonable comparison, then it should be noted that when the fourth of July falls on a Sunday there is a federal holiday in the USA on Monday 5 July. So not only do our States Members appear to differ in opinion with Guernsey, but they also differ in opinion with the USA.

It may be argued that there is only a small percentage of the population of Jersey who personally remember Liberation Day in 1945, but I guarantee that there is no one alive in the USA who personally remembers Independence Day in 1776!

1
Michael

February 9, 2010 at 3:41 pm

Yes Melanie, perhaps we should take on more of the USA customs, such as gun crime, gangs, drugs, mass homelessness, no health service… shall I go on?

Cherry picking from other countries for your own benefit is very basic.

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2
Lucy

February 9, 2010 at 6:23 pm

The USA also get less holiday entitlement because of all their public holidays – Not sure about anyone else but I’d rather have more holiday that I can choose when to take rather than enforced days off.

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3
Yankeedoodle

February 10, 2010 at 3:21 am

Just to put the record straight, and speaking as a US resident, we actually get the same public holidays as the UK overall. For example, there is no Easter Monday or Boxing Day holiday in the US. We also get less vacation from work (15 days is typical).

What is really sad is how many people find their jobs so miserable they are willing to get this worked up over the loss of one days holiday.

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4
Runner Bean

February 10, 2010 at 6:55 pm

Whilst I don’t agree with Ms Luce I think she has highlighted an important point. Independance day was ages ago and no families are alive who remember it or have parents or grand-parents who remember it. Liberation day in relative terms wasn’t that long ago and whilst only a small percentage of the current population feel connected to it I feel it is too soon to start juggling it around. As long as it still sincerely means something to someone who was directly affected by it it is best left as it is.

In a few decades when it is celebrated but not remembered then we can start calling it a bank holiday.

RB

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5
Outsider

February 10, 2010 at 8:49 pm

Can we please please consider for one minute that the world has gone through, and much of it continues to go through one of the most turbulent periods in living memory?!

We need every day in work. I’d love a day off as much as the next person but at times we need some perspective.

I also imagine that our forefathers who actually fought in the war would be horrified to think we treat their bravery so lightly and simply use it as a cheap excuse to bunk off for the day.

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6
God's Mentor

February 13, 2010 at 4:51 pm

The best way Jersey could celebrate the sacrifice the UK made to ensure their liberty is to not treat us like 2nd class citizens.

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