I’m on a rant.
A few years ago a friend of mine told me that his band was playing a charity gig and he wanted to let me know, so I could attend. It coincided with a carnival which had rides, games of chance, etc, etc… The problem was that the charity was for something I didn’t support, so I declined to attend.
He didn’t understand. To him it was just a carnival and a gig. (A non-paying gig because they supported the cause.) But I told him that directly or indirectly I don’t support causes I don’t believe in. He told me, hey, it’s just a carnival. Come out and enjoy a good time. Don’t worry about the beneficiaries. (Paraphrased, but that was his thought.)
So I said, well what if this was a cause you weren’t involved in. Would you still go? Him: yes. Me: what if it was to raise money for a racist skinhead hate group. Him: it’s just a carnival.
Bo, The Kale Dude
Okay I just don’t get this reasoning. But the reason for my post today is that the only way businesses get a message is if you don’t support them. If you want to go a step further and picket a business, well go ahead, but that just caused publicity for that business and like minded assholes will sometimes go out of their way to support a business if they hear about a protest.
So here’s the bottom line. Okay. If Walmart gets Christmas ornaments by exploiting child labor in other countries, stop shopping there. Not just for the ornaments, but altogether.
If Chick Fil A goes out of their way to obstruct gay marriage, and also to shove their religion down your throat with their choice of kids meal toys and in-store music, and also goes after the small businessman trying to make a living selling Eat More Kale t-shirts, don’t eat there. I don’t.
I would never think of denying Chick Fil A their right to do business any way they want, or to dictate their religious rights either, but I choose not to support them. The whole copyright infringement thing, like they own the phrase “Eat More ___” is plain ridiculous. But I can’t eat there less than not at all, so I continue to drive past them. Oh, and they didn’t invent the chicken sandwich either.
And of course, I will support the Kale dude..
I guess this can just be a rant, but gay marriage only affects gay people, really. It doesn’t make my hetero marriage any weaker or stronger. Gay marriage and divorce would probably help out the economy supporting wedding planners, bakers, banquet facilities, lawyers and stuff, but you know, being hetero doesn’t make you a better person. Being gay doesn’t either. It’s just how we are born. You can’t fault a gay couple for “living together” if you don’t give them the option to marry.
Of course lots of straight couples never get married either. But gay marriage doesn’t mean your church will be forced to hold gay marriage ceremonies. Let’s face it, if it was a problem, why would a gay couple want to get married in your church? There are plenty of places to get married that welcome the business. And let’s face it, marriage is a business. A big business. If you want to argue with that, google marriage counselors, marriage brokers, wedding planners, honeymoon packages, etc. and then talk to the hand.
And lastly, if I want to say Happy Holidays, I’m going to say it. Don’t assume I know you are a Christian, and don’t assume I’m one either. Happy Holidays covers Christmas, Chanukah, Kwanzaa, Winter Solstice, and probably any other celebration in that time frame. The winter solstice is the reason for the holiday being in that time frame anyhow, so how about all of us changing it to Happy Solstice? Huh?
It’s documented fact that Christ was born in the fall if at all. (Look up when the nearest Roman census happened, go ahead, I’ll wait. While you are at it, check out when shepherds would have been out in the boonies with their sheep. Not at the end of December.) Okay, now you’re back. The birth celebration was moved to match Saturnalia, which was a celebration in Rome, which was basically about the midway point of Winter. Hooray we are halfway to spring. Lets put up a tree and a yule log. (Both part of pagan tradition. You may look that up too.) So the date is wrong, the accoutrements are acquired, yet you still want me to think I am downgrading “your” tradition by saying Happy Holidays? c’mon.
