28 November 2013

My answer to retailers who want to open on Thanksgiving Day

As I reported in a previous blog entry not too long ago Thanksgiving as we know it today is slowly becoming extinct, thanks to Corporate America who wants to make a quick buck by opening on Thanksgiving Day.  To me, opening on Thanksgiving is not right.
 
When a retailer opens their doors on Thanksgiving Day, their workers cannot even be with their families enjoying quality time.  Instead, a retailer's workers whose stores are open on Thanksgiving Day have to work like any other day.  As such, Thanksgiving related activities are disrupted thanks to Corporate America's desire to make a quick buck on a major holiday where traditionally almost everyone is closed save for the neighborhood convenience store.
 
In fact, I signed a petition on MoveOn.org that was started by Mike Lux pledging that I will not shop at a retailer that is open on Thanksgiving Day.  I would like to share the petition with you (if you would like to add your name to the petition, you can do so by clicking on the MoveOn.org link shown below):
 
In retail, Thanksgiving and Christmas Day are the only two holidays that workers traditionally receive. Now that many stores are choosing to open on Thanksgiving, that break is being taken away, denying retail workers the rare opportunity to spend a holiday with their families. And most of these workers are only being paid minimum wage for their trouble.

A holiday should not be a luxury for the rich; we believe all workers deserve time to spend with loved ones.

That's why I signed a petition to Retail CEOs, which says:

"Thanksgiving is one of the only holidays that retail workers receive. By opening stores on Thanksgiving, stores rob thousands of men and women the opportunity to spend time with their families.

A holiday with family should not be a luxury for the rich; we believe that all workers deserve the chance to relax and give thanks with loved ones.

We, as consumers, have the power to tell stores not to open on Thanksgiving by staying home. We hereby pledge not to shop on Thanksgiving Day, to show the retail industry that everyone deserves a holiday."

Will you sign the petition too? Click here to add your name:

http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/pledge-to-not-shop-on?source=s.fwd&r_by=32908
 
And I do agree with Mike Lux.  We as consumers need to show Corporate America that everyone, especially the retail industry, deserves a holiday such as Thanksgiving as well as Christmas.
 
Moreover, in three states - Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Maine - opening on Thanksgiving Day is illegal due to their respective state laws on the books that forbid retailers from opening their doors on a major holiday such as Thanksgiving, according to this ABC Action News article (WFTS-TV, the ABC affiliate here in the Tampa/St. Petersburg area).  Perhaps Florida needs to join Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Maine in getting a law passed that would prohibit retailers from opening their doors on Thanksgiving Day.
 
And it can be done.  All we Floridians - especially hard working Floridians who look forward to Thanksgiving to be with family and friends instead of work - need to do is to exert pressure on Tallahassee by writing or emailing our legislators.  We Floridians need to make our voices heard and heard loudly.
 
After all, Thanksgiving is part of a time honored tradition rooted in the foundation of the American republic, back when the Pilgrims landed in Plymouth Rock in Massachusetts and when Ponce De Leon landed in St. Augustine right here in our State of Florida in 1513.  It is a time to give thanks and a time for relationships with family and friends.  Back in my younger years I remember when practically everyone was closed on Thanksgiving Day - even the local McDonald's Restaurant and the statement below the store hours sticker:  We rest on Thanksgiving and Christmas.  That's the way it should be.
 
Sadly, I have seen McDonald's open on Thanksgiving to a certain extent:  Some McDonald's only open for breakfast on Thanksgiving morning, while I have seen McDonald's open all day on Thanksgiving.  However, I do not mind the better restaurants (NOT the fast food chains) opening only for Thanksgiving dinner for those people who would rather not cook a Thanksgiving dinner at home.
 
My answer to retailers who want to open on Thanksgiving Day, as the title of this blog entry states, is this:  I will refuse to patronize any retailer that shows disrespect of the values and traditions of the Thanksgiving holiday by not spending my hard earned money at a retailer that is open on Thanksgiving Day.  At least Corporate America will not get a Dollar of my hard earned money on Thanksgiving Day - if you believe in the values and traditions of Thanksgiving, you need to do the same.
 
I would like to wish all of my website and blog viewers both at EdwardRingwald.com and The Edward Ringwald Blog a very happy and blessed Thanksgiving Day.  Besides, Thanksgiving is the start of the Christmas holiday season, and onward with the holiday season!
 


No comments: