Posted on 11/27/2013 10:03:14 PM PST by grundle
I had a lot of jobs in a somewhat knockabout youth—waitress, clerk, temporary secretary, counter girl in a bakery and in a flower shop.
One thing all these jobs had in common was something so common, so expected, that it was unremarked upon. You got holidays off.
About a million Wal-Mart workers will have to be in by 5 p.m. for a 6 p.m. opening, so I guess they'll have to eat quickly with family, then bolt. Kmart will open on Thanksgiving too, along with Target, Sears, Best Buy and Macy's, among others.
It's not right. The idea that Thanksgiving doesn't demand special honor marks another erosion of tradition, of ceremony, of a national sense. And this country doesn't really need more erosion in those areas, does it?
People deserve a day off if what they do is nonessential. Selling a toy, a jacket, even a rose is nonessential.
Black Friday—that creepy sales bacchanal in which the lost, the lonely, the stupid and the compulsive line up before midnight Friday to crash through the doors, trampling children and frightening clerks along the way—is bad enough, enough of a blight on the holiday.
But Thanksgiving itself? It is the day the Pilgrims invented to thank God to live in such a place as this, the day Abe Lincoln formally put aside as a national time of gratitude for the sheer fact of our continuance. It's more important than anyone's bottom line. That's a hopelessly corny thing to say, isn't it? Too bad. It's true.
Oh, I hope people don't go. I hope it's a big flop.
Stay home, America.
And happy Thanksgiving to our beloved country, the great and fabled nation that is still, this day, the hope of the world.
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
I’ve owned my own business and it never would of occurred to me to make my employees work on Thanksgiving.
Peggy Noonan knows what’s best for you America.
I refuse to go to the grocery store or shop anywhere on Thanksgiving or Christmas Day. These people need, if they realize it or not, a day off to be with their families.
No way will I shop today.
But it might be fun to show up at Walmarts and take a few pictures of the shoppers, before dinner.
Peggy Noonan knows what’s best for you America.
Even she can get it right every now and then.
Heh. I talked to a cashier at WalMart today. He was GLAD to be working the extra day. He needs the money.
Imagine that.
And whether you go to the store or not, he will be there stocking shelves or washing floors or whatever needs being done, because he’s glad to be working.
Imagine that.
The torpid self-adoring-self-described muse of Ronald Reagan turns her gimlet eye to Thanksgiving.
Is she over Obama yet?
My daughter has to work at Macys tomorrow from 7:30 PM to 5:00 AM.
I’ m planning on taking her a honey-glazed ham sandwich and piece of her favorite chocolate pie about 10:30. You do what you gotta do.
The stores don’t open until 8PM. It’s too late to shop!
I hope all you hypocrites skip all the football game since all the workers who have to work at the stadium that day just to entertain you. I am sure the bathroom attendees just love working Thanksgiving. You guys make me laugh at your poor worker BS. I can’t wait for your ridiculous excuses about how that is different.....lol. I know it is coming. Bring it on. You cannot change the fact that you all are hypocrites in the worst ways.
They would make great union negotiators.
Ditto.
Because of Obama’s war on the economy there’s now 20 grown men lined up to bag groceries. Yeah if you’re a mean SOB of a boss you can tell your employees to work on Thanksgiving or get fired cuz there’s l0 other poor souls willing to take your place. That’s not the America we grew up in.
I used to beg for overtime or work on holidays because it was double-time.
I thought I was a good, eager worker. There are still some around. Let ‘em work.
It served me well.
I feel like FR has turned liberal big time. The businesses have the right to make money. That is part of having a capitalistic society. Oh sure you would love for the government to insist that the business have to close on Thanksgiving. Wouldn’t that just perk you right up. I love that the businesses are making their own decisions. What a dang concept.
Where I used to work - we never closed - not even for Christmas, and I volunteered to work every holiday when available. Why? Because I needed the money and they paid time and a half for working holidays. I just worked my family schedule around my work schedule. Did it for years - and still had time to be with family. So, I guess you can kill 2 birds with one stone. Its just a matter of how one feels about it. There were some employees who would never work the holidays, but that too, was their choice. It worked out well for all of us.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.