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November 16, 2014 10:30 am - NewsBehavingBadly.com

Big Business’ outrageous attempt to destroy America’s only universal holiday. Family values take second place to corporate greed. Message to America – money is more important than your family.

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In virtually all cases, retailers explain their decisions to open on Thanksgiving by pointing back at consumers—saying that shopping time on the holiday and “flexible” store hours are what today’s consumers demand. After all, the stores have a choice to not open on Thanksgiving, and that’s just what a couple dozen retailers have said they’ll do, often proudly proclaiming that they’re staying closed to allow their employees to spend the day relaxing with their families.

Yet at least in one case, a group of stores doesn’t really have much choice in the matter. Walden Galleria, a mall near Buffalo, N.Y., decided that this year, it would open at 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day. That’s six hours earlier than last year, but still, other malls in the area are also opening at the earlier time.

What’s bound to bring Walden Galleria plenty of grief, however, is the heavy-handed way it is prodding tenant retailers into opening at 6 p.m.: They’re being threatened with fines if they don’t go along with the plan. It’s unclear how much the fine would be for failing to open by the assigned hour, but apparently the amount is substantial enough to compel some reluctant shop managers into coming to work that day…

The Boycott Shopping on Thanksgiving Day Facebook page took note of Walden Galleria’s nasty tactics and immediately placed the mall on its “Naughty” List—reserved for shopping outlets opening on Thanksgiving.[su_csky_ad]

D.B. Hirsch
D.B. Hirsch is a political activist, news junkie, and retired ad copy writer and spin doctor. He lives in Brooklyn, New York.

25 responses to The War on Thanksgiving 2014.

  1. OldLefty November 16th, 2014 at 10:37 am

    Perhaps the problem IS with the values of Americans.
    If they did not shop on Thanksgiving…

  2. eyelashviper November 16th, 2014 at 11:02 am

    It is very significant that people cannot manage to vote, but can find the time to stand in line for hours, days even, to buy some new trinket or rampage through a store in search of a great buy….all on one of the few holidays left in the calendar, and one known for family togetherness, and hopefully, a little thankfulness for what they already have.

    • Hirightnow November 16th, 2014 at 11:37 am

      This.

  3. Carla Akins November 16th, 2014 at 11:22 am

    I don’t work in retail but in customer support for a retail product – and they are fabulous about holidays. In fact, we are given both Thursday and Friday off for Thanksgiving in order to extend the holiday for those needing to travel to be with family. Yep, just a paid holiday. Love it.

    • Larry Schmitt November 16th, 2014 at 11:55 am

      The problem is, the employees of the stores that open on Thanksgiving, Walmart, Target, etc., don’t have a choice. The ones at the bottom of the pay scale don’t get paid if they don’t show up. When I worked for a book store chain almost 20 years ago, they were closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas, but we didn’t get paid.

      • Carla Akins November 16th, 2014 at 1:27 pm

        Oh, I understand, I’ve been that employee. I just can’t enjoy my holiday if I’m ruining someone else’s. I don’t shop on Thanksgiving.

        • Larry Schmitt November 16th, 2014 at 1:49 pm

          I agree. And even if I’ve got nothing better to do than watch football, that’s better than shopping in a horde of people.

      • Robert M. Snyder November 16th, 2014 at 4:58 pm

        “…the employees of the stores that open on Thanksgiving, Walmart, Target, etc., don’t have a choice”

        Yes they do. They can notify their supervisor that they will be staying home on that day. That choice may (or may not) have consequences, but it is still a choice.

        Suppose that a truck driver is ordered by management to drive 20 mph over the speed limit. The truck driver has a choice, and let’s hope they have the courage to do the right thing, even if it means a temporary loss of income.

        Nobody is forced to work on Thanksgiving. Those who do are doing it by choice. People need to start taking responsibility for their actions and stop blaming others. If you work on Thanksgiving or if you shop on Thanksgiving, then you are implicitly condoning the practice.

        Full disclosure: I am a hypocrite. I complain when my relatives have to work in retail stores on Sundays, yet I sometimes shop in retail stores on Sundays. I need to clean up my own act.

        • Kick Frenzy November 16th, 2014 at 5:05 pm

          Generally speaking, your truck driver example would be impossible… most trucks have governors on them that don’t allow them to go over the speed limit.

          But I get your point. 🙂

        • Larry Schmitt November 16th, 2014 at 5:18 pm

          If they’re scheduled to work that day, they don’t have a choice if they want to get paid. That’s what I meant. When your employer offers paid time off, you get paid even if you don’t work the holiday. And if your employer is, say Costco, it’s not an issue. They don’t open on Thanksgiving.

  4. KB723 November 16th, 2014 at 12:08 pm

    Tamales and Green Chili for me this year, don’t have to go shopping for anybody and don’t have to play the Yearly Holiday BS of pretending to like relatives I do not like… I will get paid for the holiday as well…. =)

    • tracey marie November 16th, 2014 at 3:34 pm

      herb crusted fresh wild caught tuna and turkey breast rolled around wild mushroom/garlic fill. Yum!

      • KB723 November 16th, 2014 at 3:35 pm

        Sounds Yummy Indeed…. =)

  5. mrsgunka November 16th, 2014 at 12:09 pm

    Silly me, after working from early morning to prepare a traditional dinner, I was too tired to go out and shop after midnight and fight people in the cold. I didn’t even go out on the weekend. Waited for Monday when everyone had gone back to work and the parking lots were empty and no people pushing or shoving. For some strange reason, they always had what the kids wanted on the shelves on Monday. Christmas morning “that” item was played with, but they usually liked something else just as much. I made most of their gifts and they were just as excited opening those. Too bad the Christmas “Wish Book” went out of fashion, we could order it early and it arrived when the kids were in school to be hidden until Christmas eve! We waited until they made their final choice, as it would change from page to page and the book was hard to read by Christmas. Thanksgiving was that special day with friends and family and wonderful food for memories the rest of your life. Like separation of church and state, I prefer separation of turkey and Jingle Bells!

    • Larry Schmitt November 16th, 2014 at 12:16 pm

      There’s a new wish book. It’s called the internet.

  6. rg9rts November 16th, 2014 at 12:30 pm

    Stay home

  7. Mainah November 16th, 2014 at 12:42 pm

    Wow. So a mall is forcing the stores that pay for space to open? But yet there’s a war on family traditions like Christmas and white Santa? Here’s a tradition that is about being grateful, which Jesus would approve of but hey … let’s start the season off with some trampling and angry people. Ho-Ho-Ho.

  8. Jake November 16th, 2014 at 1:57 pm

    Seems an appropriate tome to remind readers here of the link to Amazon which directly benefits this site – http://www.amazon.com/?tag=alancom08-20 (hope it is still up to date – mods feel free to update if not).

  9. Spirit of America November 16th, 2014 at 2:15 pm

    This is a takes-2-to-dance…. if enough people really were outraged about this, the stores wouldn’t make the money and wouldn’t open.
    I’m as dissappointed that stores are open, some even having before Tday so called pre-black friday sales as I am in the folks that are going out to do the shopping.

    • Larry Schmitt November 16th, 2014 at 2:24 pm

      I think too many people have bought the hype that there are perishable bargains available only on Thursday and Friday. It’s not true. You can take your time, shop around, compare prices in stores and online, and still save money and find everything you need. Or, save even more money and cut back. How many electronic toys do you really need?

      • Spirit of America November 16th, 2014 at 2:30 pm

        here here!
        Besides, I’ve noticed stores don’t carry anywhere near the variety of stock they used to, I usually have to order from the net any how.

        • Larry Schmitt November 16th, 2014 at 2:33 pm

          You mean hear, hear.

          • Spirit of America November 17th, 2014 at 1:54 am

            ok that’ll work to!
            (I mean too)
            🙂

  10. tracey marie November 16th, 2014 at 3:31 pm

    you mean the same corporations that ruined a national holiday(s) and started the real war on christmas and made the day into 3 months of avarice, greed, gluttony and many more “sins”