Now it's President's day, a day when we are to celebrate the history of those who have led this great nation through good and bad, through prosperity and hardship. We celebrate the combined birthdays of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, each born in the month of February, as one day. Only because our government decided that federal employees needed more 3 day weekends. But who knew that both of these historical statesmen could get you a great Low Interest auto loan for the Nissan Altima so many years later?
Now here's some historical fact, depending on which calendar you look at, George Washington was born on two different days. Washington was actually born on Feb 11, 1732 under the Juliun Calendar, which was the calendar of choice then. But in 1752, everything was switched to the Gregorian calendar whiched moved his birthday back to Feb 22, 1732. NOw how many people can say that they were born twice, 11 days apart?
I feel sorry for Abraham Lincoln, for everyone who invokes his name in politics forgot his birthday this year. The wide spectrum from President Obama to every talk show conservative, all those that lay claim to Lincoln's political thought and spoken word, to use his name in vain for their own good, simply did not wish our 16th president a Happy 202 Birthday. Why?
Well, espacially those on the Right, they were to involved with the 100th birthday of our 40th president, Ronald Reagan. Now I am not in any way taking anything away from Reagan's legacy, I just find it disgusting to profit from someone's legacy. By profit I mean politically and monetarily by commercializing themselves in the mold of Reagan to win a popularity contest in today's American society.
The Republican National Committee is underwater by $23 million thanks to Michael Steele and their overspending to win the 2010 elections,yet they want us to believe they are the right choice to cut federal spending. The RNC is hawking Ronald Reagan bobbleheads and jellybeans for $25/each in an attempt to raise money. I heard the hired the Merchandise Manager from Elvis' Graceland to help peddle viles of "Reagan's sweat" and have a "special" strainds of Reagan's hair to sell on July 4th.
But for all the holidays in February, poor Abe was forgotten this year. I mean I'm sure I'll see some 6th rate actor portraying him on some cheap car commercial, but is this how we treat someone who had such a huge impact on our history. Is this how we treat our history?
In America, no matter the holiday, it always has a "$" attached to it. No matter if you celebrate Easter, you can always get a great deal on Chocolate bunnies. Columbus Day, you know the guy that actually landed in the Bahamas, he can save you a boatload of money on a towel set at Bed Bath and Beyond.
How patriotic do you feel after signing your life away for the five years on that Chevy Tahoe Hybrid for $45k? It was probably built in Canada anyway.
I've heard people complain about businesses being open on Thanksgiving. That Thanksgiving is a sacred American holiday and we should return to the "Blue Laws" of yesteryear when everything was closed on Holidays and Sundays. What? No professional football on Sundays? Now that is unpatriotic!
But in the same breathe, these people will talk nonstop about the savings they got waiting till the last second on Christmas Eve while shopping at Walmart.
Labor Day was created by the Unions to celebrate blue collar jobs, but even those that hate Unions with demonic breathe are happy for the day off, regardless of its historical beginning. I wonder how some of these folks that hate Unions so much can sit back and watch Major League Baseball, National Football Leagues, National Basketball League and the National Hockey League events, while drinking their Pepsi or Budweiser and snacking on Frito Lay? All have union representation of some sort, should they be watching Golf? I'd say NASCAR, but some of the sponsors are Unionized in one form or another as well.
I think every two weeks or so, there is some sort of holiday that can be commercialized. I believe that Sept 11 should be a holiday of some sort, but is it patriotic to commercialize this day? One year after Sept 11, US Flag sales skyrocketed to over $51 million, more because of an increased moment of patriotism or we are led to believe. Many of those sales came from Europe, Australia, Japan and other foreign lands.
Can one call movies such as "United 93," Oliver Stone's "World Trade Center" or maybe Toby Keith's "Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue" be considered commercializing Sept 11? The again, Toby Keith says the song is more about his father than anything representing Sept 11, people just interpret it as a Sept 11 anthem.
Even historical lands are not alone. Do we really need a Casino next to the Gettysburg battlefield were so many Americans lost their lives fighting over what the believed to be a right cause during the Civil War?
At least Walmart finally gave up their two year battle in Virginia to put a 140,000+ square foot Supercenter next to the Civil War "Battle of the Wilderness" battlefield where over 185,000 Americans lost their lives. Yet, people are clamoring about the loss of employment and sales opportunities.
Poor Abe, his birthday on February 12 was forgotten this year, overshadowed by that of another president 102 years younger in Ronald Reagan. Both men, names used in vain for ones own political selfishness. Too bad their offsprings cannot "trademark" their good names so we do not have to inudated by cheesy actors trying to sell us some sort of item more than likely made in Taiwan or China.
Commercialism at its best, prostituting our Presidential history with cheesy bobbleheads and half-priced sales mainly built by Taiwanese sweatshops.
Happy Birthday George, Abe, and Ronnie.
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