Family Matters
I guess I don't have to worry about Uncle David not being at the Thanksgiving dinner table. Kidding. He's not related (but it is the same last name).
But as long as we're on the topic: (a) Yes, Armenians do celebrate Thanksgiving. What kind of a retarded question is that? Do you celebrate the Fourth of July? WTF? (b) Why the hell are people saying "holiday" instead of Thanksgiving? Who takes offense to Thanksgiving? (Armenians?)
But as long as we're on the topic: (a) Yes, Armenians do celebrate Thanksgiving. What kind of a retarded question is that? Do you celebrate the Fourth of July? WTF? (b) Why the hell are people saying "holiday" instead of Thanksgiving? Who takes offense to Thanksgiving? (Armenians?)
posted by Armen Adzhemyan at 3:40 PM
10 Comments:
I think that people say holiday because no matter what holiday it is, someone gets mad that you celebrate it and/or talk about it in public. It just isn't worth the bother anymore.
Happy holiday/thursday/ASU kicks the crap out of USC day (5pm pacific).
and Happy Thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving is a secular American holiday that should be palatable--if not appreciated--by everyone in this country. Or you're with the terrorists.
'Christmas,' by contrast, while generally innocuous, nonetheless evinces some of the religious stratification that this country was founded to avoid (see, e.g., Thanksgiving).
Thus, if you're offended by "Merry Christmas," you may just be of a different faith and don't appreciate being reminded of your outsider status. If you're offended by "Happy Thanksgiving," you've got some deep-seated hatred of America.
None of which is to say that "Happy Thanksgiving" might not stand to you for more deeper injustices: say, the genocide of the Indians, or the lingering poverty in America such that not everyone has a 'happy Thanksgiving.'
That said, for you misanthropic folks, the phrase "Happy Thanksgiving" should then at the LEAST also evoke the fact that, in America, we slowly but steadily progress toward enlightenment on those and other issues (we have since 1650, after all), and, furthermore, that this is one of the few countries where working to right injustice is welcomed and encouraged.
If you still disagree with even THAT sentiment -- and are not currently incapacitated by the U.S. government -- it begs the question: what are you still doing here?
After the sh*& I got for some completely innocuous statement I once made at Boalt, I learned to keep my mouth shut when it comes to mentioning anything about any holiday. We have a great love for finding ways to be offended at Boalt.
5:44: I'm with you. But in what sense is there question begging?
5:44, I generally get what you're saying and agree*, but is Thanksgiving really more secular (in origins, anyway) than Christmas? I mean, who do you think the Pilgrims were giving thanks to?
OK, so it's not on the level with the whole "birth of JC" thing, but it's not exactly secular...
*especially when a anonymous poster in an internet forum says his/her imaginary debating adversaries either agree or are "with the terrorists." That's awesome stuff. (I'm joking, and I assume you're joking, anonymous, but it had to be pointed out.)
**Also love the use of the word "incapacitated". In more innocent times, you might have said incarcerated, but incapacitated, given our newfound national embrace of the acceptibility of torture, might in fact be more apt. Well played, 5:44, well played.
I would argue that Thanksgiving is, historically, quite definitely a Christian holiday. George Washington made a declaration to the American people way back in the day asking them to spend Thanksgiving giving thanks to God (and no, he wasn't using God in the "whatever God you believe in" sense). So, yeah, secular? Not so much...
Modern day Thanksgiving is about as religious as Veterans Day.
mcwho, the same could be said for most of the pageantry around Christmas...
True, except neither Veterans Day nor Thanksgiving are Holy Days for ANY religion.
Fall harvest festivals are nearly universal in temperate climates. So it's a humanist party if you want it to be.
Post a Comment
<< Home