America: The Nation Whose Turned It's Back On Thankfulness

WARNING: RANT AHEAD!

 I am not one who likes to rant because I believe it should be reserved for things that are truly outrageous. Well, here comes a rant because I've come across something truly outrageous. There is a very good possibility that, this thanksgiving, I won't be able to eat thanksgiving dinner with my wife. She is employed by Sephora, a makeup and beauty chain. The location she works at is in the JC Penny's of our local mall. Unfortunately, this year, JC Penny's has decided to open it's doors at 5pm on thanksgiving. Which means my wife may very well have to go to work as early as 4pm to open the store. Here's the problem, retailers, who open earlier and earlier on a day set aside from thanksgiving, have decided that their wealth and prosperity is more important than their employees time with their families. They are not opening to fuel the joy and holiday spirit that comes about that time of year. 

 Black friday used to be somewhat innocent. It used to be the opening of christmas shopping. I used to enjoy getting good deals on tires for my car or a good price on some gift for so and so. But, now it has become a celebration of greed, envy and materialism. People rush to stores, while they should be at their homes celebrating all that they are blessed with. 

NOTE: Whether you believe in God or not, being blessed is something we all experience therefore all people should find something to be thankful for.

 Every year the events of black friday become the laughing stock of the world. People rushing into a walmart to buy televisions, trampling over anyone who gets in their way. People getting into fights over $5 blue rays. Retail employees being stabbed because they would not open the store sooner that instructed. Every year the events of black friday amount to breaking news as the death rate and number of injured people climb higher every year. Thats right, death rate. http://blackfridaydeathcount.com Can you imagine the families of the 7 people whose lives have been lost because of people who are too greedy to act like humans. 7 families will, for the rest of their lives, have someone missing from the dinner table. All in the name of "a good deal." 

 Well, I've had it with "good deals" if it means people aren't safe and my daughter doesn't know thanksgiving dinner with her mother at home. I won't be going shopping on black friday. I will probably go out and check on my wife. But, shopping on thanksgiving, no thanks. As to black friday, I'm staging some formal protest, because I know as well as anyone it won't do any good. I will however not take part in humans acting like animals. 

 America. Please think about what we're doing. We're not after good deals anymore. We're going after things and forcing people to give up honorable traditions. Stay home, hug your family, shop on amazon or ebay if you have to (they have black friday prices everyday). Let's not be the laughing stock of the world anymore, act like honorable people. Do whats right.

END RANT.