"Turkey Day"

[Dhalin]

So, it is almost Thanksgiving, yet again.

Yay. *sarcasm*

I swear, Thanksgiving is almost as bad as Christmas as far as Holidays go. Yes, I'm one of THOSE people who dislike Holidays, mainly because I work in retail and I hate having to deal with that crap.

Either way...

Since Thanksgiving is almost here, I guess it is Thanksgiving's turn to get the "Holiday Rant". lol.

Anyways, here goes...

What exactly _are_ we celebrating here?

For those of you who do not live in the USA and/or are not familiar with USA Holidays/Culture/etc, I'll explain what Thanksgiving is Supposed to be.

The Pilgrims came to North American, and the Native Americans (which Columbus incorrectly labeled, 'Indians' because he thought he was in India) decided to help him out, seeing that his hapless party was tired from the long voyage and very ill-prepared for what they knew was coming -- a hard, long and cold winter.

So they taught him and his crew how to grow corn, how to hunt turkey and deer, and other such things. With the Native Americans' help, they survived the winter after their landing.

So, every year to this day, we cook up a huge turkey, stuff ourselves on food to give thanks and to celebrate a good harvest. Heck, even in games such as Istaria, we have a similar celebration (though we didn't this year, because of the devs being taxed, which is OK).

So, where's the rant in all of this?

Well, remember the Pilgrims?

Fast-forward about 100-200 years.

Native Americans are being slaughtered left and right, and sent off to Prison Ca.... errr... they called them Reservations, my bad. The US Army at the time was killing Native Americans in droves, and sweeping across the land, wiping out an entire race of people (gee, wasn't someone ELSE doing the SAME thing a hundred or so years later? I'll get to that later). What a nice way to say "Thanks for saving our Ancestors' Lives! Here, have a bullet in the face!".

I happen to be one-quarter Native American myself, so maybe that makes me a little biased on the subject, but I can't help but to have a lack of enthusiasm over the one Holiday in the year that (for me) represents one of the largest betrayals of recent human history.

Remember when I mentioned 'Someone ELSE doing the SAME thing'?

Here's an analogy for you...

The US Army, led by a singular person, sweeps across the land wiping out a whole race of people, killing thousands, and sending survivors off to Reservations. Said race of people were there first, so it was their land really.

Compare that to...

The Nazis, led by a singular person, sweeps across Europe, wiping out a whole group of people of a particular religion, killing thousands, and sending survivors off to death camps.

Everyone thinks the Holocaust is so horrible (hey, I agree. It WAS horrible), but yet so few people even blink an eye at the wholesale slaughter of the Native Americans... I'm willing to bet more Native Americans died at the hands of the US Army, than Jews died at the hands of the Nazis. But yet, somehow, the killing of "Indians" goes unnoticed by most, while the Holocaust is still talked about, and remembered?

I'm not quite getting it. Is it because the Holocaust was for a religious reason while the events in the USA were not?

Anyways, this is not meant to be a Religious debate, nor a Political one... this is meant to remind everyone what Thanksgiving is Truly about, and to remind everyone what _else_ happened after 1492 that they should think about the next time they sit down to eat a huge turkey on Turkey Day, remember that there are still "Indian Resevations" to this day out in the middle of the desert where Native Americans continue to half-starve to this very day.

Edit/Disclaimer: There are more than just 1 nation that celebrates Thanksgiving. I'm referring to the common USA/American one, especially in Northeastern America. Most people in said NE America, will tell you that Thanksgiving is a celebration of the Pilgrims' harvest during their first winter after landing, in which the Native Americans helped them.

[LOVWYRM]

Thank you Dhalin for sharing your thoughts.
I embrace your post. It is thought provoking.
Especially at this time of the year.

Let me correct you in one point: Nazi Holocaust had no religious reasons.
It was racism. This is only for the records- a reason or excuse for what happened does not exsist and never will.
And its not important when or where more people had to die.
More important is if we have learned from that.
We did not.
And that is why its asking too much, that we think of others, (who are not well fed, who do not live warm and safe aso) at our high days and holydays.

[Sounjah]

I am going to add something else to the list no one can get over...slavery

my theory why slavery and the holocost are such hot topics is because the races that were victims in these events wont let the world forget about them

...and thats why no one mentions the Natives Americans because they arent making a bunch of noise about it. If they did make more noise about it more people would be aware and ashamed of how they were and ARE being treated today.

I too am 1/4 indian and it bugs me all the time when Thanksgiving comes around. Christopher Columbus wasnt the first European to find America, He helped get a foot hold here to enable the slaughtering of the Indians...yet we still celebrate thanksgiving? what is it based on anymore? Shopping?

So I usually sit at home, eat some food, watch some football...its just another day to me.

[Dhalin]

Christopher Columbus wasnt the first European to find America, He helped get a foot hold here to enable the slaughtering of the Indians...yet we still celebrate thanksgiving? what is it based on anymore? Shopping?

ALL Holidays, bar none, are excuses for excessive capitalism. Money.

But, for a little clarification, Thanksgiving has nothing to do with Christopher Columbus (you're thinking "Columbus Day", which is celebrated a bit earlier in the year, in October).

Thanksgiving is about the Pilgrims who came later, and set up shop in North America (Columbus landed, if I recall, in the Bahamas).

[awdz]

on thanksgiving i think about how much i have and how grateful i am for all of it.
maybe i'm silly, but it has nothing to do with shopping and i certainly do not think of mass slaughters (well maybe of turkeys, but not people).
i really do not think about the history behind it, other than it's a family tradition to get together.
for me, thanksgiving is simply a day to count my blessings give thanks - both to God and to those who make an effort to share it with me, either directly or long distance via technology.

[Tcei]

Honestly I only celebrate Thanksgiving and Christmas for the fact that its a time to be with family. I could do without the big giftgiving and stress, especially as I always have to work black friday, and have to deal with the hatefulness of seemingly all shoppers at this time of the year.
Seriously, if you've never worked retail during the holiday season its horrible, between all the people who yell at you for not giving them the appropriate holliday greeting (I dont even give a greeting anymore its just hello and goodbye), the people who yell at you for not making item x appear instantly out of thin air, the bosses who yell at you because they're stressed out about how overful the backroom is and then the people who just yell at you cause they can. Its no wonder I start stressing out in September...

Honestly the only actual good thing about this time of the year is that its an excuse to have a nicer than usual dinner with the family. Beyond that I wouldnt celebrate it at all, and once my youngest brothers are grown wont.

[AmonGwareth]

Thanksgiving is about celebrating what YOU want to celebrate. If you don't want to celebrate commercialism, then don't. If you don't want to celebrate the pilgrims and native americans, then don't.

For me, Thanksgiving is about family and about spending time with them away from a busy schedule of work and everything. Its about giving thanks for the things we normally take for granted, the folks who love us unconditionally throughout the year, and for the things we have - great prosperity, health and security, even in a time of eceonomic recession, partisan bickering, and two wars.

[Dhalin]

Honestly I only celebrate Thanksgiving and Christmas for the fact that its a time to be with family. I could do without the big giftgiving and stress, especially as I always have to work black friday, and have to deal with the hatefulness of seemingly all shoppers at this time of the year.
Seriously, if you've never worked retail during the holiday season its horrible, between all the people who yell at you for not giving them the appropriate holliday greeting (I dont even give a greeting anymore its just hello and goodbye), the people who yell at you for not making item x appear instantly out of thin air, the bosses who yell at you because they're stressed out about how overful the backroom is and then the people who just yell at you cause they can. Its no wonder I start stressing out in September...

Honestly the only actual good thing about this time of the year is that its an excuse to have a nicer than usual dinner with the family. Beyond that I wouldnt celebrate it at all, and once my youngest brothers are grown wont.

I work retail, and I will confirm that much (if not all?) of this is pure truth.

Holidays are Hell on the poor cashiers, stock, managers and other positions who work department and grocery stores.

So while you (non-retail) people are all nice and cheery, try to remember that we are working our butts off for you.

The least you could do, is be a little more understanding that we are tired, exhausted, and nearly at the end of our rope on Patience. Not to mention, a lot of us have to work on days like Thanksgiving Eve, Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve while you have your days off (especially Banks and Gov't Offices).

Whether it is the screaming brats (leave your kids at home for the Love of All That's Holy if at all possible!), the people who want the best deals and the coupon-clippers, or the people whose credit cards are maxed out, or the people who are in an eternal hurry who tap their feet and strum their fingers while waiting in line, please try to remember that we have to deal with all of that, and then some every Holiday.

Try to remember that we are So Sick of Christmas Music, Easter Candy, etc, that by the time the Holiday comes around, we don't want anything to do with it.

So, next time you're shopping on, or near a Holiday, try to give the poor souls who are working in those stores a break, try to be patient, courteous, and give us some leeway if we don't sound so chipper.

We'd greatly appreciate it.

[Veruliyam]

Been there, done that...

Got the polo shirt...

Black Thursday defines all the bad of some costumers.

"No. You are not always right."

[Veya]

Seriously, if you've never worked retail during the holiday season its horrible, between all the people who yell at you for not giving them the appropriate holliday greeting (I dont even give a greeting anymore its just hello and goodbye), the people who yell at you for not making item x appear instantly out of thin air, the bosses who yell at you because they're stressed out about how overful the backroom is and then the people who just yell at you cause they can.

'Why won't THIS coupon go with THIS one!?'
'NOW you tell me my card won't stack with my 10 million coupons!!'
'This item is supposed to be on SALE! Me me me, whine whine!'

D: D: D:

I worked at Macy's last year. Never again.
I never got why people would shop at such an expensive store if the coupons were that much of an issue. :|

[velveeta]

i have worked retail - from midnite gas station cashier to upscale clothing store to card/novelty shop -
yes it is horrible at the holidays, but working with the public in any capacity is a huge pain in the neck.....
i believe that once you have been on the wrong side of the public, you learn to be more polite and patient.
i know i am always so at the register and on the phone, because i have been on the recieving end of the capitalistic vitriol peeps with money can spew......

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nkXZzD4vWU

[C`gan]

Personally, when I do my annual Christmas shopping, I do it all in one fell swoop and I try to pick out the most flustered cashier. Why you ask? Simple. For so much of my Christmas, I'm limited to $5 or less. The tradition is "Cheap and Funny". How that translates is usually in some of the oddest assortment of things. When I get to the register, the first thing I tell the cashier is, "Relax, take a moment, take your time. This IS going to take a while." Long about the third or fourth item through, especially on gift card years, I can possibly get them to crack a smile. Sometimes by number 15, I can even get a giggle out of them. And, if I do the Gladware-style year (where everyone got a set of Gladware wrapped up in a dozen plastic bags each), and start explaining it, it gets them in a better mood. I'll admit, though, nothing gets wierder than my years of "Let's Make a Deal" where everything is under $5, but that could mean anything from cake mix to push pins, to a roll of paper towels, to kitchen utensils. to paper clips, to pretzel sticks, etc. You get the idea.

Needless to say, the store is richer, I'm broke, and the cashier usually has a brighter smile on their face by the time my checking out is done.

[Sigi]

i have worked retail - from midnite gas station cashier to upscale clothing store to card/novelty shop -
yes it is horrible at the holidays, but working with the public in any capacity is a huge pain in the neck.....
i believe that once you have been on the wrong side of the public, you learn to be more polite and patient.
i know i am always so at the register and on the phone, because i have been on the recieving end of the capitalistic vitriol peeps with money can spew......

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nkXZzD4vWU

I totally agree with that!