As for me, I'll celebrate Mark Twain's birth, life, & death today & every day, just as I have the past 20+ years. By a strange "coincidence" Mark Twain's death certificate & funeral records were united for the first time with his handwritten manuscript about his birthday & life on November 30th 1998 at the corner of Mark Twain Drive & Mark Twain Court. They shall remain together and I am honored to have been the one to unite these extraordinary documents by pure fate, as it wasn't orchestrated by anything except Providence. Of course, April 21st doesn't go by without thousands of people thinking of Twain, too. We all admire Mark Twain (hopefully, that is, this is mighty dangerous territory to make such a statement but I stick my neck out just the same). If we didn't, we wouldn't be here (unless we were here simply to stir up trouble for those who do, or had political views to spread on a popular site, etc.). I thought Kathy's idea to commemorate Mark Twain by making his birthday a national holiday was the very best idea I ever saw on this forum! (& liked her article, too). I spoke to other Twain enthusiasts on the phone and they unanimously thought it was also a superb idea. To celebrate his death and make April 21st a national holiday would be just as fine as celebrating his birth on November 30th. Both days are equally sacred. So long as we recognize our greatest literary celebrity (as a journalist, humorist, etc.), any day would be copasetic. The point is this planet is better off having had Mark Twain than not. Making one day a national holiday to celebrate it is a great idea. Period. Most people celebrate birthdays, and are sad at funerals, so it is infinitely more natural to celebrate the fact Sam Clemens was born, otherwise he couldn't have died in the first place. Those of you on this forum who agree a national holiday is a good idea please contact me personally at [log in to unmask] to move this idea forward. Those of you from Canada, France, Saudi Arabia, etc., need not apply as your vote does not count in this particular endeavor. When I said "can't we all get along" it was directed towards this specific ideal. Specifically, I thought "can't a body of Mark Twain enthusiasts be the nucleus of such a movement to commemorate the life of Mark Twain by having his birthday be a national holiday?...Can't this be ONE idea Mark Twain enthusiasts can agree upon?" Especially since it is clear we are an extraordinarily diverse group that never had/ will never agree upon anything else? The interpretation of my suggestion to encompass the whole forum to "get along" wasn't ever any effort to tame or censor this often belligerent & derogatory site. The statement to "get along" was made for one purpose--to at least agree Twain is worthy of a national holiday & to develop it. This blew a fuse in the heads of some who plainly have their own agenda that has nothing to do with Twain. The confusion was in part my fault, for I wished Twain a Happy Birthday. I Didn't wish him a Happy Death Day at the same time. Yes, Twain rejoiced at his death, and greatly envied the death of others. I am sure he treasured the death of his closest friends & family. He also wished he & all his friends would have died while in their teens to preserve happy & more innocent times. That is certain. But if he were alive in a human body right now he would want to be able to write & speak out regarding all the wonders & disasters facing humanity today. That is another certainty. The fact remains, however, that he is still very much alive in our culture & always will be. Reports of his death ARE greatly exaggerated! I for one am very glad he was born! Long Live Mark Twain!! Bob Slotta