The weasly guy from “Mad Men” and
Demi Moore in drag?! Pass the cranberry sauce!
ThanksGIVing?
Here’s to my Mayflower descendants who
enslaved indigenous people.
Here’s to Wrong-Way Columbus, who
first allowed them to show how to grow food.
(Then he enslaved them.)
Here’s to Columbus Day, which
celebrates the schmuck above.
Of course, there’s always
another side of the Judas coin.
It’s a great day to spend with family,
gorging on food and getting tipsy.
It’s a great day to celebrate the
American version of football.
But this year, 2013, we have
a special treat in store:
Retail workers ripped from their
families to work on pre-Black Friday.
Come to think of it, just about
everything Thanksgiving is BS…
especially what they taught us in school,
that “the Pilgrims” (um, the Settlers)
and the “Indians” (who were here first)
dined together and had lots of fun.
Want to see fun? Take a trip to a local
reservation. And I don’t mean the casino…
© 2013 Amy Barlow Liberatore/Sharp Little Pencil
At this, the 11th hour, I implore you, DON’T GO SHOPPING ON THANKSGIVING! It’s not fair to the employees. Of course, Lex and I will boycott all the Big Box stores putting this hokum over on America… but at least let the stores be empty on a national holiday. How about it?
And take a moment to pray for “American Indians,” whatever the hell that means. Just because they have casinos doesn’t mean squat – the guys at the top make all the money, after they pay off their Malaysian bakers for funding the building. And that takes years!
For ABC Wednesday, “T,” and “in the margins” at Poets United and Imaginary Garden with Real Toads. With hope, Amy
brian miller
its pretty sick that there are stores opening tomorrow morning…ridiculous…i def dont buy into that mess…i will eat, enjoy family and be silly (not drunk, ha) probably play football in the back yard…and once it warms up take a walk….
po3tic
Amen Amy!!! This and Christmas are two of the holidays I detest the most simply because they are based on lies and total fiction and perpetuated in order keep the debt fueled economy illusion going. If people stopped buying “stuff” they would simply charge what most people pay for rent for a loaf of bread. The illusion is that you can save and save and eventually have a nest egg but the reality is that if enough people were saving they would simply charge you so much for necessities that you’d be back to the same income gap overnight.
Sherry Blue Sky
I’m glad you sign it with hope, Amy, in spite of it all. You know I hear you. My older daughter works in a big retail outlet one would never suspect of being a sweatshop, so oh yes, I hear you. Argh. But have a good Thanksgiving anyway – I’ll bet at church you will all raise the rafters with your joyful noise! We gotta sing, birds gotta fly…!!!
coalblack
I wouldn’t shop on Thanksgiving–or at some ungodly early hour on Friday–if they were giving stuff away for free. It’s absolutely insane. But i do love Thanksgiving.
Roger Green
Not shopping tomorrow, and Ill savoid Friday too, thank you.
lesliebc
We here in Canada are having “Black Friday” sales this year. We’re a bit worried that we’re becoming “Americanized.” lol\
Leslie
abcw team
Björn Rudberg (brudberg)
This is harder for me to relate to … The only thing I will admit to do is to light the first candle on sunday. Itäs a very nice tradition… and I will not go shopping I think… Our sales are on Boxing day 😦
Gabriella
I can only say that I hope people realize family is more important than shopping. Happy Thanksgiving to you!
a spirit of simplicity
I am amazed that anyone would even want to go shopping on Thanksgiving. I won’t even go out on Black Friday. That’s the day I stay home and recover and watch Christmas Vacation in my pajamas.
jae rose
Well said Amy..i was wondering what Black Friday was – it has been on TV here..seems it is heading for UK shores.. Hoping you are all well love Jae x
Mary
Amy, hope you had a Happy Thanksgiving. It is the so called ‘black Friday’ and I am home playing games with my grandchildren. Have no interest in going out amidst the crowds.
Sharp Little Pencil
Good for you, Mary!
leesis
love ya spirit Amy xx
The Transcanada Poet
the great quest to consume hits another high water mark… history gets lost in the flash of neon…
Liz Rice-Sosne
I am late but so what? Wow spot on! Poetry with a very important message! Hi kiddo how are you? Nice to see you.
dreamersteve
Enjoyed your comments I love America because you get a chance to be and say what you want to be and say without someone taking your head or other appendages off. Having fun with history the strange bedfellow that lies and tells the truth and we can take either side..LOL Loved the way you couched each phrase my friend of words..
kaykuala
Want to see fun? Take a trip to a local
reservation. And I don’t mean the casino…
Not had the opportunity to see but I can guess Amelita! Activities and wealth revolve within and around the casinos supporting their base existence. But at other parts of the reservations are the slums, the unemployed and down trodden craving for morsels. I don’t think I will see wigwams anymore but certainly their shelters are nothing better. I think I’m not far from wrong. Great to bring it out in the open, Ma’am!
Hank
grapeling
it’s learning, the rest of the days not so labeled, to give thanks. a good reminder, Amy ~
mybeautfulthings
Well said, Amy. I also despair of the shops opening on holidays – what holiday for the people who have to work there?
On our recent trip to your country, we were horrified by the ‘missing’ history all over New England. I suppose we should have known from the name of the state but we had not reckoned on there being nothing of the original peoples who lived there. Made us ashamed of what was done and how the ‘Pilgrims’ behaved.
The place was very beautiful though and we were very taken with the generosity of all the people we met.
All the best to you 🙂
stimmyabby
True, and funny… sharp indeed. 🙂