Friday, November 14, 2014

Family Values, Shmamily Values!

The Party that always screams about family values and the Pastors and Preachers that scream about family values have to take a step back and look at what is going on in our country.  On one of our most cherished holidays, Thanksgiving, many companies, stores, and malls have been eroding the holiday to line their own pockets.  Instead of Black Friday, many stores are opening around 6pm on Thanksgiving. Some malls are fining stores that refuse to open as much as $200/hr. On so many levels, this is so crass and disgusting.  This is all about consumers saving money and stockholders making more money.  It's about dangling carrots in front of the most vulnerable so that the rich can get richer.  

It's not the 1% who are leaving their families to work or shop.  You do realize that, don't you?  It really turns my stomach.  There are so few days that families have and, God knows, the uproar if companies tried to do this on Christmas.  Why is Thanksgiving being slighted?  It is a holiday to give thanks for all we have, not for what we will save at the mall.  I can't bear how disgustingly commercialized Christmas has become.  Many stores put their Christmas displays up in October.  Remember when we were kids?  October was all about Halloween?  November was all about Thanksgiving?  AND the day after Thanksgiving, Christmas started in full swing.  Now, we don't get to enjoy or appreciate any holiday.  By the time we get to December 25th, we are thoroughly sick of all of it.  

Why do we stand for this?  All of this commercialization has nothing to do with peace on earth good will towards men.  It's how much can I save, how much can I sell, how much, how much????  It's a true disgrace and like gerbils, if the stores open, people come.  We don't stand up to cling to our valuable family time.  So, I ask of you all to stand firm, stand tall and have another piece of pie, sing songs, snuggle up with your family.  Don't support this madness.  Don't support the hypocrisy.  Families must be your first priority, not the bargains.

Show more support for these twelve stores that are valuing their employees over their bottom-line:  Costco, Marshall's, Barnes and Noble, Game Stop, T.J. Maxx, Neiman-Marcus, Nordstrom's, Burlington Coat Factory, Dillard's, R.E.I., American Girl, and Patagonia. These stores are all choosing to be closed Thanksgiving Day!  We should spread this list around to everyone. 

And, by the way...many analysts have said the sales aren't even their lowest on Thanksgiving/Black Friday.  Before you rush from the table to shop, look around at what you are leaving behind.  I will never think it's okay to marginalize this holiday.

Sidebars: The Polar Vortex is back.  It is so cold throughout much of the Country.  More than 10 degrees colder than last year at this time.  Many inches of snow in some parts.  It's Friday.  Time to go out, see friends, go to movies, and shop.  I tried to go see Foxcatcher today and it was sold out for the 12:15pm showing on the first day out.  I will get there.  Happy weekend wherever you are and whatever you do.  

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@DianaPodolsky

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