The War on Thanksgiving

[S&WForty]

[quote name='RevScottie' timestamp='1353446125' post='848872']

Not everone else can. Not everyone has the same mental or physical ability to get work done. Many people find themselves at the mercy of an employer no matter how hard they work due to circumstances beyond their control. Some just dont have what it takes to compete in todays job market.I know plenty of people who have made hard choices and worked hard for 40+ years and still have to work retail in their twilight years because its all they can find. That's not discounting anyones hard work thats just stating facts.[/quote]

This. And That (TGO David's post).

Until I can go door to door and assess every person's individual predicament, I'll give people the benefit of the doubt. Obviously, both sides of this argument have valid points. I just can't paint with a broad brush one statement on/against all. I know plenty of slackers that don't get a lick of sympathy from me, and I know a lot of people that really burden me when I see what face.

I will say that typically those that bring attention to themselves to garner sympathy are the ones that least deserve it.

[TMF]

[quote name='RevScottie' timestamp='1353446125' post='848872']

Not everone else can. Not everyone has the same mental or physical ability to get work done. Many people find themselves at the mercy of an employer no matter how hard they work due to circumstances beyond their control. Some just dont have what it takes to compete in todays job market.I know plenty of people who have made hard choices and worked hard for 40+ years and still have to work retail in their twilight years because its all they can find. That's not discounting anyones hard work thats just stating facts.[/quote]

I don't think anyone is equating work ethic with having a less than stellar job. Plenty of hard working folks make a career in fields that don't pay well, have crappy hours and require back breaking work. That is not to say they are lazy or stupid, that's just the path they chose. I come from a very blue collar family of not much means. It isn't because they were lazy, it is because the choices they made set the path for their life. They don't bitch or expect sympathy for the lifestyle they chose.

The point is, folks like to attribute circumstance to all the good and bad in the world. That mentality IS lazy and is a cop out. You make your own choices. Rich or poor opportunity doesn't change that. If that choice is to work menial jobs your whole life, then great! That isn't shameful or lazy. But if you look to others with envy and blame circumstance for your station in life, then you most certainly never, ever improve your station.... not so long as you can shirk responsibility for your choices.

[Daniel]

[quote name='TMF' timestamp='1353356558' post='848318']
Meh. If your employer requires you to work in Thanksgiving, find a different job. I agree that family is important, and Thanksgiving serves as a day for the family to get together, but I've missed birthdays and every holiday there is when I served in the military. It sucked, but it was the profession I chose and I knew that it came with sacrifices such as that.
[/quote]agree. I have missed any and everything. Not a big deal anymore.

[Chucktshoes]

Meh. I volunteer for turkey day so I can be off on Christmas. For all of the bad points of my employer, they at least attempt to be equitable in the dispensing of misery amongst the employees.

[Guest 6.8 AR]

I won't be doing anything on Thanksgiving except eating, and then probably taking a nap.

[Mike.357]

a holiday is just another day of the week that ends in Y. Work it, don't work it, I don't much care either way.

And wasn't Thanksgiving made an official holiday pretty much for the sole purpose of signaling the beginning of shopping season?

[strickj]

[quote name='Chucktshoes' timestamp='1353456430' post='848954']
Meh. I volunteer for turkey day so I can be off on Christmas. For all of the bad points of my employer, they at least attempt to be equitable in the dispensing of misery amongst the employees.
[/quote]
It's a mind trick!!!

[leroy]

Thanksgiving is a time to be thankful for family and God's blessing. I always try to be thankful on the other 364 days in the year too. Sometimes i have trouble and whine a bit; but im tryin to quit.

All that bein said; ive worked every "holiday" or "family event" there is; except Christmas; and i may have worked one Christmas day (...cant remember....). Most of the time it wuz away from home. My employer payed me for everyone of them. For that i am thankful.

I know what it means to be away from home and family on special days. My job required it; and that's what i did. All that is part of bein an adult. As Mike said above, it's another day of the week. Celebrate when you are off.

Lots of people will be workin on Thanksgiving. They keep the water, electricity, tv, and internet on. They will move the freight by rail, truck, air, and sea. They keep you safe from monsters both at home and abroad. If ya get sick, they will care for you. The list goes on and on. The point is that in this country, we all need to be thankful.

We may not like everything thats goin on; but most everyone of us has more than they need to eat, a place to live, a job to go to (....some or most...), and no one is commin to kick our door down and take what they want. More than that, we are armed.

I say: "....Happy Thanksgiving to all. It dont matter when ya celebrate it...!! We are all very blessed!!!....".

leroy

[Guest uofmeet]

[quote name='6.8 AR' timestamp='1353458167' post='848965']
I won't be doing anything on Thanksgiving except eating, and then probably taking a nap.
[/quote]

And watching football.

[RobertNashville]

[quote name='leroy' timestamp='1353503866' post='849073']
Thanksgiving is a time to be thankful for family and God's blessing. I always try to be thankful on the other 364 days in the year too. Sometimes i have trouble and whine a bit; but im tryin to quit.

All that bein said; ive worked every "holiday" or "family event" there is; except Christmas; and i may have worked one Christmas day (...cant remember....). Most of the time it wuz away from home. My employer payed me for everyone of them. For that i am thankful.

I know what it means to be away from home and family on special days. My job required it; and that's what i did. All that is part of bein an adult. As Mike said above, it's another day of the week. Celebrate when you are off.

Lots of people will be workin on Thanksgiving. They keep the water, electricity, tv, and internet on. They will move the freight by rail, truck, air, and sea. They keep you safe from monsters both at home and abroad. If ya get sick, they will care for you. The list goes on and on. The point is that in this country, we all need to be thankful.

We may not like everything thats goin on; but most everyone of us has more than they need to eat, a place to live, a job to go to (....some or most...), and no one is commin to kick our door down and take what they want. More than that, we are armed.

I say: "....Happy Thanksgiving to all. It dont matter when ya celebrate it...!! We are all very blessed!!!....".

leroy
[/quote]Very well said, thank you!

[Guest 6.8 AR]

[quote name='uofmeet' timestamp='1353506091' post='849083']
And watching football.
[/quote]If I stay awake, maybe that, too.

[Guest MilitiaMan]

Meh. Too many people put far too much stock into holidays and their religious beginnings or meanings. And I am a Christian. As a general rule of thumb for me and mine, we praise the Lord and thank Him everyday. We don't thnk him any more or any less on some calendar "holiday". We attend church on a semi regular basis, no need to shove religion down anyone's throats each and every calendar holiday.

In our household we celebrate the following holidays, followed by how we view them. Most holidays are for our 5 and 4 year olds, not us.

Birthdays - celebrating our children turning a year older. Cake and presents and their friends.

Easter - a day of painting eggs, egg hunts, dinner and the look on the kids faces when they wake to an awesome basket full of candy (1/2 from mommy and daddy and 1/2 from Easter Bunny). No major religious overtones.

Halloween - a day for the kids to dress up in whatever fantasical costume they want that year and go trick - or - trunking at several churches. No trick or treating door to door anymore. Our kids barely eat a fraction of what they collect, thankfully. No religious or secular overtones.

Thanksgiving - a day to prepare dinner together, eat a great meal together (like we do most any other night) and to watch some football. No major religious overtone.

Christmas - we mostly enjoy the decorating. Put up our tree and stockings. The kids "mail off" their lists to Santa right after Thanksgiving. We love our kids excitement Xmas morning. That's that. No religious overtones.

[Guest HvyMtl]

Look, I am glad for those who have worked hard and been successful. And most had someone showing them a path, or making a suggestion, or even reaching out a hand to guide them into being successful.

Please be thankful, and help others to be successful, too. Particularly those who haven't had the guidance, education, or opportunites to advance. Least you can do, to show others how to succeed.


Also, the holiday was created to specifically celebrate the U.S. and family. Yet, we toss that away, to consume and spend, at rates similar to Congress. This is what makes me angry.

I have worked on holidays. It was voluntary. They also paid me more. In many of these cases, it is not voluntary, needlessly takes people away from their families, to sell stuff that won't increase the bottom line by 1%.

[vontar]

Where I work, it is a 24x7 support operation. When I hired in, their was no promise of shift, which was bad after quiting a job to get hired. However they took volunteers for shifts and I got day shift. Over the years they have ask for volunteers to work holidays and I have volunteered for many of them. However, they used to pay 2.5 hourly to work on a holiday. Last year that was reduced to 2x. suddenly people stopped volunteering. This year, we are closed on most holidays. (I did not volunteer to work Friday, normal rate. I took a vacation day to cover it).

[frankmako]

before we know it all things that is american will be gone. they are doing their best to push american things out and bring in crap as the normal way of like. teach your children the american way so there will be someone to carry on.

[mcurrier]

[img]http://cdn.conservativebyte.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Thanksgiving.jpg[/img]

[Guest CCI]

[quote name='mcurrier' timestamp='1353601907' post='849471']
[img]http://cdn.conservativebyte.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Thanksgiving.jpg[/img]
[/quote]That picture made my mouth fall open! It's truly a picture of a thousand words!

[Guest HvyMtl]

That pic sums it up, what I was trying to get across. Thanks for finding it mcurrier.

Happy Thanksgiving to all.

May you remember what you are thankful for, and be with family. For those that cannot, I wish you well, and hope for you to be with family soon. Celebrate this nation.

[vontar]

to answer the question who should be blamed for all the stores doing black friday sales on Thursday. I don't blame the stock holders or the stores. I blame the people that are out shopping more. From an undisclosed location, I just heard of a traffic back up of about 2 miles to a walmart of shoppers for the 8pm sale. really do the people 1 or 2 miles back really believe they have a shot at getting the speical one time price?

[Guest HvyMtl]

[quote name='vontar' timestamp='1353630854' post='849571']
to answer the question who should be blamed for all the stores doing black friday sales on Thursday. I don't blame the stock holders or the stores. I blame the people that are out shopping more. From an undisclosed location, I just heard of a traffic back up of about 2 miles to a walmart of shoppers for the 8pm sale. really do the people 1 or 2 miles back really believe they have a shot at getting the speical one time price?
[/quote]
Sigh. Consume. Spend.

I dread the expected deaths from people getting crushed by crowds, and the assaults, and the pepperspraying. All in the name of getting the best deal. Working my first Black Friday in retail in more than a decade tomorrow. I expect it to not be fun.

[Daniel]

I'm out shopping.