For some reason, we Americans have this deep need to shop, to buy, to find the best deal. Like an addiction, this need has to be satisfied whenever the urge strikes. Take Thanksgiving, for example. Stuffed with turkey and gravy and green bean casserole and pumpkin pie, the urge strikes us, and we leave our family and friends for the mall or department store. When we arrive, we are greeted by clerks and managers who have had to leave their families and friends in order to serve us.
Why do we do this to ourselves and to each other?
Aren’t holidays supposed to be a celebration, a time shared with the people most important to us?
One can certainly question the humanity, or lack of the same, of those corporations whose upper managements have made the decision to force their employees to sacrifice their holidays to go to work to sell, sell, sell. I am certain that all these corporate types who made the decision to put sales and profits over the well-being of their employees are not out working but instead are home with their families and friends, or on vacation somewhere enjoying their holidays.
But really, shouldn’t we question our own humanity first? Is our need for stuff so great that we have no feelings for what we make others do to satisfy our addiction? Are we really that selfish?
There are a few services related to our collective health, safety and security that need to be provided on a 24/7 basis. Policemen, firemen, medical personnel, the military, etc. need to work or be on call at all times. This is an accepted part of their jobs, something that many of us probably take for granted.
I am sure that there are those among us who see shopping on Thanksgiving or Christmas or New Year’s Day as their God-given right as Americans. Apparently spending time with family and friends is down on their priority list, or maybe shopping is considered to be a family activity, up there with going to church, just a new way to pray.
I would suggest, however, that holidays should be respected and all of us given the opportunity to enjoy them as a shared celebration.
Therefore, Congress must extend all federal holidays to all Americans, with exceptions only for the services mentioned above. All businesses must remain closed so that their employees can enjoy their holidays. In addition, normal opening times must be followed on the day after a holiday. No more of this 12:01 am Black Friday nonsense.
This should be Federal law. The “Holiday Protection Act” or something like that.
Moreover, in the interest of religious fairness, if the Christians can have Christmas designated as a Federal holiday, then the Jews,the Muslims, and the Hindus should be able to have one of their religious days designated as Federal holidays as well. We would all benefit from more holidays anyway, and perhaps in this way we would become a bit more tolerant and understanding of each other.
We can always go shopping another day.