Teen seeks to make 9/11 federal holiday

Cory Pinkerman was in fifth grade when terrorists launched the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

He remembers running from the media center to tell the principal what he’d seen on television, and he remembers school being dismissed for the day.

“I went home and I sat with my mom and watched CNN and cried ‘cause it was so crazy,” said Pinkerman recently. “She was awestruck and scared.”

Years later he wrote about that day, suggesting that the federal government create a national day of remembrance. Last year, after sending that essay to the Atlanta-based National Museum of Patriotism and winning an award, Pinkerman found himself engaged in a project that would keep him busy for 40 hours a week, sending him to Washington and into the offices of presidential candidates.

All told, Pinkerman’s quest has become a profound lesson in civics — and perseverance.

A junior at South Gwinnett High School, the 16-year-old took time out from his U.S. history class this week to talk about his quixotic effort to turn Sept. 11 into national holiday.

The Loganville teen has pitched his idea to Sen. Johnny Isakson, he’s met with Sen. Saxby Chambliss on the Capitol steps, and he’s even received encouragement from vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin in a surprise phone conversation last week.

Pinkerman will speak about his effort again at a Patriots Day Breakfast this morning at the museum’s future headquarters in the Hilton Garden Inn downtown.

The biggest obstacle:

“A federal holiday costs approximately a trillion dollars. That’s a lot of money. But the way I look at it, it was over 3,000 lives and there’s no way you can put a price on those lives. I hope to make Americans realize that that’s a small price to pay.”

Talking to the hockey mom in chief:

“[Palin] came on the phone for about a minute and a half — not too long — and she reassured me she liked my idea, and mentioned the possibility she might say something about it in a future speech.”

About his motivation:

“This is not for me. The whole thing is for the victims and the families of victims. I want to do everything I can for them to have their families remembered.”

Membership in his group, the 9/11 Remembrance Alliance:

Right now I’m the founder of the group. I do all the writing, all the letters, everything that pushes the alliance; I travel to D.C. and meet with the people.”

Other members: “My parents and the museum — and I get legal representation from my brother. It’s mostly a family and friends-run thing.”

His best experiences:

“Actually meeting Saxby Chambliss was big for me. I’d always heard his name. I met him on steps of the Capitol; they were voting on the farm bill that day. It was surreal.”

Other high points:

Visiting the offices of the Democratic presidential candidates: “You don’t think of too many 15-year-olds being in Sen. Hillary Clinton’s office and Sen. Barack Obama’s office.”

How long he plans to keep trying:

“The way I look at it, the only thing that can stop a dream is the dreamer himself. My dreams are big. George Santayana once said, ‘Those who cannot remember history are condemned to repeat it.’ Without remembrance, there’s a chance it could happen again.”