Veteran's Day: Land of Shoppers, Home of Debt.

[glowing]

The Star Spangled Banner came on the radio as I was driving to work. Of course it would, being Veteran's Day and all. I sat parked in the space at work to finish listening. Suffice to say, when I hear the song, I have this visual of a man sitting in his holding cell, having lost everything, only to see and feel hope re-surge and pride run through his body and idea of freedom holding true. The last lines, land of the free, home of the brave, resonate and transcend through time and ages of The People gaining an ideal.

Today, I don't feel brave and I certainly don't feel free. I want to cry, and did so in the car because I have not lived up to the words and the ideal that is America. I have not fought hard enough or sacrificed enough to make this land truly the home of the brave and the land of the free. I have not worked hard enough to bring this war to an end. I have gone to a few protests and I vote (not that seems to matter much these days) and I have prayed with all my might for this tyranny to end. These things are not working.

We have been shown what people's will do to protect their freedoms and the sacrifice they are willing to endure to ensure their freedom. Just this week in Pakistan when Martial Law was imposed, people took to the streets, knowing that they would possibly die to gain freedom for their country. Buddhist monks took to the streets to protest their tyranny, knowing they would be violently attacked. What do we do? We go shopping... Did you see the sale papers today? Loaded with Holiday savings like it is Black Friday. Veteran's Day, a day to solemnly and respectfully appreciate the men and women who have sacrificed with their lives throughout the entirety of America's history to protect and ideal.

Well, when are we, Brave Americans, going to protect the men and women in the service? When are we finally going to stand up and say enough is enough. No more blood or money for corporate profiteering! When are we going to end our tyranny? When are we going to stop this madness?

On the other hand, there's a great sale at mall, so I guess I'll see you there, my fellow Shopping Americans, in the Land of Debt.

[knitter4democracy]

1. I felt the same way when I was out and about on Friday.

I had to pick up my new glasses (prescription changed) at the mall, and I saw signs for Veterans Day sales. Since when should that be celebrated with sales? Has it always been that way? I don't remember Veterans' Day sales when I was a kid. You'd think this would be the time for remembrance, not shopping.

Then again, maybe it's a sign of how bad sales really are for the retail sector if they have to make up new sales just to get their Christmas numbers up.

[glowing]

3. This is def. a holiday that shouldn't be exploited with sales... There

should be huge parades and picnics and Veteran's being praised.... It frankly disgusts me.

[izquierdista]

2. Capitalist holidays

In most countries I have visited, when there is a national holiday, EVERYTHING shuts down. More stores are closed on holidays than on Sundays, because holidays are times to spend with family celebrating the reason for the holiday. Even the 24 hour stores shut down, or are only open for a few hours in the middle of the day.

But not in America, time off from work means more consumers with time on their hands to buy stuff. The only day that comes close in America is Christmas Day, and even then, restaurants are angling for the market segment that don't want to cook, and movie theaters are likely to do a brisk business in the late afternoon and evening. All the other holidays are staged as marketing opportunities, ways to make a buck selling cars, washing machines, furniture, whether in a big tent or by having some hyped up 'Blowout!' And to make it more convenient to plan the marketing, holidays are moved from the actual date of their anniversary to the nearest Monday to allow for the "3-day sale".

But what can you expect? When crass materialism is the only value that is promoted in a culture, all else is sure to vanish into oblivion. :shrug:

[AlCzervik]

4. my Sunday paper is filled with "Buy a new flat screen this veterans day weekend!"

i guess if we don't we hurt the troops, past, present and future.

[glowing]

5. Patriotism = Credit Card debt doncha know