Happy Holiday

I won't say Happy Thanksgiving, for a number of reasons.
One, I think the concept of Thanksgiving, while good, is wrapped in a bunch of things no one ever tells our children.

We say "We celebrate Thanksgiving because the Indians helped the Settlers survive the harsh winters and thus we are thankful."

We never tell them about shooting Indians, or giving them small pox invested blankets to intentionally infect and kill them off so we can take the land. We never mention the progressive drive to make them homeless, corral them like cattle in reservations or the fact that we called them "Red Devils". Now, at Thanksgiving, we dip everything in honey, then sugar coat it and call it candy.

I'm opposed to the hiding of information from young minds. Let them have all the information and then make informed decissions as to how fucked up our ancestors were. Why try to hide it? It only makes us look guilty, and we're only covering up for people who have been dead for how many centuries? Seriously.

Anyways, I do agree the concept is fantastic. I think it's great we have one day in the year where we stop, and tell people how much they mean to us. One day a year where we stop and thank people for doing things, like serving their country, being a cop or firefighter, for being a good person. One day a year where we gather together with family and friends, eat good food and laugh and joke, enjoy each other's company and have a great time.

Because apparently we're too busy/stuck up/elitist bastards/ etc to do it for the rest of the damn year.

Why thank someone for being a good person on November 15th or April 20th? Why tell someone 'Thank you for being a firefighter and keeping us safe' on May 3rd or October 30th? Why tell your family and friends how much they mean to you on Jan 19th or Sept 10th? After all, that's what Thanksgiving is for. Be a dick the rest of the year. It's okay.

((I feel I should point out the sarcasim in that, since apparently it doesn't translate well over the net. ))

The concept is valid. I just think it sucks we only do it once a year. We only allow ourselves to do this one day out of 365 (plus one on leap years). No wonder people are such venomous bastards the rest of the year. We've told ourselves it's okay to be an ass, so long as we're nice come Thanksgiving.

Happy Holidays! Then the next day they try to run you off the roads.
Happy Thanksgiving! Then the next week they're yelling at you over the phone for something.
Happy Turkey Day! :) Then then next month they're punching you out over the last Hannah Montana doll in Toys R Us.

But it's okay, because we're all super nice on Thanksgiving.
How about, we start a novel idea? You know.. once of those wacky, crazy, it will never work but why not give it the old college try ideas?
Here it is.. that idea:
Let's try being nice to each other all year round.
Let's not forget about the homeless guy on the street corner who probably hasn't eatten well since last thanksgiving.
Let's not wait to call up that friend and say 'hey, how are you doing?'
Let's not put off that trip to the family because it's not the holiday and why would you go see them if it's not the holiday, and then come next thanksgiving you've had four funerals and never took the toddler to see their great grandparents.
Let's stop being a society which says 'it can wait until next year' and start being one that says we care year round.

Yeah, it will never work.

Happy Holidays!