I Just Need to Say This:

I just have to get this off my chest.  Stores are going to open on Thanksgiving.  Get the fuck over it.  I've seen this thing circulating on Facebook over the last few days.

What disturbs me about this is the last statement.  Everyone Deserves a Holiday. 

It sounds nice, doesn't it?  Everyone deserves a holiday.  Sure they do.  What annoys me is the implication here that the families of retail workers are somehow different or more important than those of us who work in other service industries.  I speak here of those who work in Public Service as police, firefighters, and EMS workers.  For those of us who work in health care settings.  For people who serve the public working at TV stations, radio stations, power stations, and gas stations.  For retail workers at grocery stores and in restaurants. For the motherfucking football players that you watch as part of your family Thanksgiving tradition.

ALL OF THESE PEOPLE HAVE FUCKING FAMILIES.

You might say something like "Well, you chose to be a doctor/pharmacist/paramedic/power worker etc etc ad nauseum.".  Sure.  I did.  You, retail worker, chose to work at a store.  People shop in stores.  The money that the store rakes in by opening up at midnight on Black Friday, or at 8pm on Thanksgiving?  They use that to pay you.  Probably to pay you holiday pay. 

Have you ever run to the grocery store on Thanksgiving Day?  I'd wager you have, or a member of your family has.  Maybe you ran out of eggs, or forgot the whipped cream.  It sure was nice that they were open, wasn't it?  That year Grandma forgot to use a potholder and burned the shit out of her hand?  I bet you were glad the ER was open, and the 24 hour pharmacy down the street was able to fill her burn cream and pain pills.  When you were almost to Aunt Mary's place and realized the car was out of gas and that BP was open so little Jimmy could take a piss-sure was nice that cashier was there.  That nice old man that came into Jerry and Pat's every day was happy we were there on Thanksgiving, because we were his family-he didn't have anyone else. 

I'm on call this Thanksgiving.  My husband works a 24 hour shift.  We aren't making holiday pay, but I'm guessing if your TPN pump goes kablooey or your house catches fire you won't hesitate to call us.  Guess what?  WE HAVE A FUCKING FAMILY.

Sure, you don't NEED a discount sweater on Thanksgiving Day.  You don't need it at 2am the day after, either, but I don't hear anyone bitching about doorbusters. Do you really NEED to watch football/TV on the holiday?  Make a beer run?  Eat out?  No, you don't.  If you don't want to shop on Thanksgiving, then don't.  I won't be.  I never shop at all if I can help it, and certainly not anyplace that doesn't end in ".com".  But let's not pretend that it's because we value family so much or because "Everyone Deserves a Holiday".  That is total horseshit unless you're prepared to forgo all of the other conveniences of modern life so everyone else can stay at home, too.

Rant over.