There has been an interesting thing cropping up lately . There is this  controversy about people having to work holidays. The idea is not to shop on Thanksgiving  in response .

Of course it is aimed at the large box stores. And while Walmart for instance , ( this is not a research paper)  certainly engages in nasty strong arm anti- union behavior,  the argument is very problematic.

People in agricultural jobs have to work these holidays. It isn't always because its all they know or  it's a family thing, its because thats the job, and the boss may be a good one or a miserable one. When you do it year after year, you adjust. It also doesn't mean you are at subsistence level - but maybe that an extra income is not optional.
     
Who should we boycott here?  The scale doesn't make Walmart more evil than the local  horse facility owner . The intent from the owners point of view is EXACTLY the same. Horses, like profits, dont care about tradition.
   
 And if a Jewish family has a tradition of eating out Chinese Food on Xmas eve, who should get boycotted?

Ive worked every New Years since 1973. I  don't truly have a choice. Some retail folks do, and some don't. Ill venture a guess that some folks alone on the holiday who have a job at Walmart would rather be there.

 Various traditions in play. Who's to say which one gets to be the sacred cow?


I (foolishly) chimed in on a Facebook post-with a large logo and was absolutely crucified by a number of people. One  choose to belittle what I wrote by saying "Oy Vey" and then paraphrasing me ( and getting it completely wrong). EVERY one said "I just think its wrong"

            Is that an argument?

This was a very liberal group.
None  took any time to actually consider my arguments which were respectfully and cogently stated.
I found that to be the most interesting point of all.
This group, including  one former teacher at least, didnt read carefully.

I have been a lifelong Dem/Independant. I am not at all right leaning.
I have never been comfortable with the utra-left either though,
and since watching a lot of "agitations" in the 70s, have felt that ultra left and ultra right would eventully meet up behind the barn and kick the shit out of each other. Or start making out.

   
 I have always felt that no one would define me for me, and I certainly dont want to hand any freebies to the Tea Party. But Im getting closer to ditching the Liberal label , not because Ive changed my views, but because much like the Tea Party has absconded with anything approaching reason in the Republican Party, a certain group is destroying the usefulness of the Liberal label through sheer ick factor, and a lack of detached reasoning .

I am aware that the danger there is of opening up oneself to being viewed as disingenuous, which of course doesnt help if you are trying to make political arguments.

Which I will no longer be doing on Facebook.