We’ve all seen those festive, special edition logos on Google’s homepage, to commemorate certain events. These include holidays and celebrations, as well as historically significant dates. Some over the years have been somewhat obscure, and leave people wondering what day it is. Half the time, I’m not even familiar with the event being commemorated. For example, last year Google commemorated the 50th anniversary of the LEGO brick, worldwide on January 28th with this logo:
I mean, come on! It’s not like ANYONE outside of LEGO Corporate has that marked on their calendar. 2009 has also seen some contrived Google commemorations. Just this summer, there have been several puzzling Google logos. Here’s a recap of some seen in the US: 
Some of these are amusing and some are just downright silly. I can’t believe that someone actually got paid to design the “Unexplained Phenomenon” logo. That doesn’t seem incredibly pressing to me. Or how about the “09/09/09″ logo from two days ago? Could that have been any easier? It looks like a cut and paste job, straight out of the Microsoft calendar! Regardless, Google is a private company and it’s their prerogative. But I do think they shoulder some responsibility, in remembering important events… like today. Here’s what Google’s 9/11 commemoration logo looks like:
Huh… that looks like the same logo they had up yesterday. Oh wait, IT IS! Google has been doing this for several years now and I have yet to figure out why. In fact, they have never shown a 9/11 commemoration logo, even though they’ve been commemorating since 1998! How hard would it be to replace the “o”s with the twin towers? Ask.com and 
Bing.com both changed their homepage for the day, why can’t Google? This month alone, they paid someone to design a logo in commemoration of Ivan Kostoylevsky’s birthday, which ran only in the Ukraine. Who the hell is that? Seriously, Google that name, ironically NOTHING comes up! They also changed their logo in Japan, to commemorate “Doraemon,” a popular Japanese cartoon. What?! Now, I’m not trying to be insensitive here. I’m sure these dates are very special to the people of those countries. My point is, 9/11 is very special to us. If they can commission the design of those logos, why can’t they do one more?
Many people have speculated that too much controversy surrounds 9/11, for Google to commemorate its anniversary. To some degree, that is true. Although, I have no idea why. In recent years, it’s almost become cool among those who despise President Bush, to scoff at the notion of 9/11. I think they are just bitter that it will always be a reminder of his legacy. But 9/11 isn’t about “Dubya” at all. It’s about innocent people, whose lives were stolen! It’s about volunteer rescue workers who could have gone home to be with their families, but instead answered the call to help their community! And still, it goes deeper. 9/11 was more than an attack on people, buildings, or even America. It was an attack on ideas like freedom, private enterprise, and individual liberty. It was an attack on the founding fathers and every person who has died for this country, past, present, and future. It was an attack on everything we hold dear. In reality, there’s nothing at all controversial about today. There’s nothing even political about today. Today is about remembering dashed hopes and slaughtered dreams. I’m not calling for a government mandate, but come on Google! Show some decency and pay your respect, the same way you did for Pablo Neruda’s birthday.
In observation of 9/11, I will be changing my homepage from Google to Bing, for the rest of the day. I suggest all my readers do the same. Only then, will they get the point.
UPDATE: I have also pulled all Google ads from my site for the day. I can do without Google money on 9/11. I encourage all webmasters and those around the blogosphere to do the same. Who knows? Maybe dismal ad numbers will force advertisers to suspend their Google accounts on this day in the future. As we’ve seen with healthcare, our voices DO make a difference.
The only question you didn’t ask was why Google doesn’t have a special logo to commemorate all the civilian casualties that have occurred at the hands of America as a result of the two wars they have waged since 9/11.
Then again you could consider that Google didn’t use a special 9/11 logo because it is a politically sensitive issue (more then just the “Dubya” haters, I am talking international politics here) and wouldn’t be appropriate due to the war on terror still being running.
As a non-American I feel the event was tragic and hugely significant but to be honest for someone who does feel genuine sympathy for America over 9/11 your article above did little to move me because of this simple statement “This month alone, they paid someone to design a logo in commemoration of Ivan Kostoylevsky’s birthday, which ran only in the Ukraine. Who the hell is that?”
In answer to the above question that would be Ivan Kotlyarevsky, and as wiki put it “regarded as the pioneer of modern Ukrainian literature”. Hard to find any information on the guy due to a spelling error on the behalf of the person in charge of writing the English explanation to the logo, but it is academic really as the logo only ran in Ukraine.
I do acknowledge your statement “Now, I’m not trying to be insensitive here. Now, I’m not trying to be insensitive here. I’m sure these dates are very special to the people of those countries.” Which to be honest is rather facetious when it follows the comments “What?!” and “Who the hell is that?”.
The point that you seem to miss when comparing Ivan Kotlyarevsky’s birthday and Doraemon to 9/11 is that the aforementioned logos are things that are not a political hot topic for not just America but a large portion of the world. Don’t forget that for every one American killed on 9/11 10 civilians have been killed in Afghanistan (and yes these are innocent non terrorist people).
The TLCR version: Yes 9/11 was a disgusting, horrendous attack and hit at the heart of what America is and holds dear, the eye for an eye reaction resulting in a loss of innocent life 10x that of the initial attack, a multi-national corporation like Google can not simply place a logo commemorating 9/11. Just for the record I wish for you and your fellow citizens sakes that one day Google is able to use such a logo.
This kind of “Who the hell is that? Seriously…” attitude made US one of the most hated countries in the world and is part of the reasons whe 9/11 happened. I’m sorry for your nation
because of the tragedy and because I cannot imagine how you will be able to fix your attitude problems, so this will not happen again…
Ok so I totally agree with Bing for a day and I’m proud to say I did boycott Google on 9/11/09!
Like he said it’s not about the politics…it has NOTHING TO DO WITH POLITICS. It’s about honoring all the innocent victims of that day. Google can honor Lego, DC Comics and Michael Jackson but they can’t honor all the men and women who lost their lives that morning? I’m sure with as HUGE a company Google is there has got to be at least 1 person working for Google that was personally touched on that day, so if not for the love of country why not for the morale of your employees?
Honestly half the time when I do see the “commemorative” logos I am left thinking what or who the hell is that? Why in America do I need to know about or be forced to commemorate some Ukrainian guy? Which brings me to think everyone around the world criticizes America for being an “imperialistic country” and for “medaling in the business of other countries” but when it comes to commemorating things and people its ok that we are involved in foreign affairs? Wait is that a double standard I smell? Why is it America needs to honor every other countries Joe Schmo but we (according to you two geniuses) aren’t allowed to honor the men and women who died that day? Which might I remind you were not all American. People from around the world and from several countries were affected on that day and that alone should be reason enough for Google to do something!
Bing and just about every other media outlet in America did something to honor this but for whatever reason Google couldn’t find it within their design dept to create something to commemorate this day? So basically Legos are more important than lives lost according to Google,I get it. This is NOT a Left/Right issue this is a Right/Wrong issue and hands down Google was WRONG.
And I resent the “America deserved it” sentiment of both comments by “Anger” and “Meg” You BOTH should be ashamed of yourselves. I PRAY you and your countries never experience a tragedy like 9/11.
God Bless America!
Firstly, Jessica I did not implied nor suggested that America deserved the attacks of September 11.
Quote: “Why in America do I need to know about or be forced to commemorate some Ukrainian guy?”
You in America aren’t being forced to commemorate anyone, you should do yourself a favour and actually familiarise yourself with the topic of your argument as that logo was shown in the Ukraine only. Google might change their logo and represent something but there is no forcing of commemoration. The attitude “Why do I need to know” would suggest to me that you are someone with a VERY limited understanding of cultures outside the USA which to me would explain why you fail to see the politics involved.
Quote: “… the world criticizes America for being an “imperialistic country” and for “medaling in the business of other countries” …”
Yes the world criticizes America for doing things like invading Iraq which sorry to break it to you is something you cannot quite compare to, say, google’s choice of logo for the day.
Quote: “Why is it America needs to honor every other countries Joe Schmo but we (according to you two geniuses) aren’t allowed to honor the men and women who died that day?”
I wouldn’t call anyone’s intelligence into question in the same argument as we aren’t allowed to honor our dead because google didn’t do a commemorative logo. Jessica if you think that google not having a 9/11 logo is stopping you from honoring your dead well I think you can see where this is going….
Quote: “Which might I remind you were not all American.”
No they were not, my country lost 11 people in 9/11 then again we have lost 11 more fighting in the subsequent Afghanistan war.
Meg,
First of all, do you see anything wrong with this sentence?:
“I did not implied nor suggested that America deserved the attacks of September 11.”
This grammar is absolutely terrible. If you’re going to post on YSP, at least give us the same courtesy of proof-reading that we give you. Second of all, you missed my entire point. I would advise you to at least understand and comprehend my point before you attack it. This goes back to the issue of clarity, which you can read more about here:
http://www.youngsexypolitics.com/what-is-indie-mod/
I’m not going to apologize for not knowing and not caring who Ivan Kotlyarevsky is. You claim you’re not from this country. If that’s true, you probably don’t know who Roger Staubach is. But that’s all beside the point. I never once said that Google shouldn’t have commemorated someone who is so important to the Ukraine. In fact, I think it’s great that they did it. That man is obviously culturally significant to those people. Plus, it ONLY ran in the Ukraine. So, it’s not like it inconvenienced me in any way. But did you read this line?:
My point is, 9/11 is very special to us. If they can commission the design of those logos, why can’t they do one more?
This entire post is simply a request that Google design one more special logo and ONLY run it in the US. I simply want 9/11 commemorated in OUR country, the same way Doraemon was commemorated in Japan. That’s it. I’m not asking the whole World to remember 9/11. In fact, I would rather they didn’t. You or anyone else who’s not from this country will NEVER understand. The same way I will NEVER understand how important Kotlyarevsky is the the Ukraine. And again… THAT’S OK.
Since all I was asking for is a logo that runs in the US, the “politics” of 9/11 are a non issue. I even addressed that in my post! Here in America, 9/11 is not a “political hot topic” (by the way, I believe you meant to say ‘political hot button issue’). To us, it’s simply about remembering the people who died that day, as Jessica said.
Again, since I simply want a logo to run here in the US, it would not offend you or any other foreigners’ delicate sensibilities, with regard to Iraq and Afghanistan. If you don’t live here, I don’t know why you’re bothered by my request anyway.
On another note, if you don’t like what’s going on in Afghanistan… complain to Obama, the President of the World. The guy just won a Nobel Peace Prize during a time of war. Doesn’t that piss you off more than my request to Google?
[...] is disgusting. Especially when it was sold to the American People, by preying on residual fear from 9/11. The PATRIOT act stripped us of our privacy and much, much [...]
Sorry I arrived late for this one!
Meg, what civilians casualties are you talking about? We either kill terrorists, future terrorists, ex-terrorists, or terrorist supporters.
Joe, spell and grammar check is the last bastion of the terminally boring. It’s as easy as ‘kicking the cat’. Sorry, bro. English is not Meg’s first language.