Forum Post: Occupy Christmas/Boycott Black Friday!
Posted 12 years ago on Nov. 20, 2011, 6:18 p.m. EST by aaronwayneodonahue
(48)
This content is user submitted and not an official statement
http://churchofatheism.webs.com
There are a lot of seasonal labor jobs in my city of Eau Claire, WI. Many of these jobs depend on the 4th quarter for work as much giant corporations depend on it for profit. However, for all the commies and the greenies and the true-meaning-of-the-holidays-ies you might want to consider ways in which you can construct or re-invent cultural practices in your own life from the various political, economic, and social justice views that you have. So, what cool things do you plan to do with this opportunity? Buy local? Buy nothing? Adopt an illegal alien named Roger? Donate? Occupy random things around the neighborhood? Protest black Friday at the stores? Anyone have any really fun or creative ideas?
http://churchofatheism.webs.com
Personally, I'm going to be "re-nailing" an effigy of Jesus to a cross again on the court house lawn. (Kidding!) If you're a religious Christian, I've heard of cute practices where people will make Jesus a Birthday cake and for some (liars) that's all they will do. Sort of sweet, I suppose. Ideas, Ideas, Festivus is always fashionable, too. Kwanzaa has already given the holiday season a lot of serious thought, and it can be adapted to a broader audience. Channukah is nice, I suppose, but some worry about getting trapped into 8 days of gift giving. Epiphany, Boxing Day, Yule, Saturnalia, etc. Occupy it all. Take from each what you want and discard the rest.
Get these bastards!
http://occupywallst.org/forum/make-a-stand-join-the-clan/
Kwanzaa has given the holiday season a lot of serious thought? ROFLMAO. It's a lunatic political holiday invented by a convicted kidnapper in 1966, basically a black separatist alternative to Christmas. Anyway, it's soooo 1997; after several years of attempts to legitimize it It seems to have all but disappeared.
Yes, they've given it serious thought. They have a systematized value system. As I said, it can be broadened to be more inclusive, and you can take what you want and leave what you want. You pointing out that you don't happen to like the holiday does not undermine the message here. In actuality, you're taking the advice by taking what you like and discarding what you don't.
Sorry, you're wrong; Kwanzaa really is crazy. It's not a coincidence that the loony Symbionese Liberation Army of Patty Hearst fame adopted "the seven principles of Kwanzaa" as their official symbol (a seven headed cobra). It was created by Ron Karenga, who at the time was a seriously disturbed and violent fanatic, convicted of kidnapping and brutally torturing some of his followers. He was also involved in several violent altercations with the Black Panthers, which his group ("United Slaves") regarded as rivals. It's serious thought alright - seriously nutty thought.
Fine, Kwanzaa is really crazy. We'll call that a fact. You taking the time to point that out and avoiding using the holiday is....wait for it....EXACTLY WHAT I AM SUGGESTING PEOPLE DO! I am suggesting people take their current value systems and political beliefs and see how they apply to existing holiday practices. I don't actually care if you love Christmas and hate Yule, or love Channukah and hate Saturnalia, or love Festivus and hate Kwanzaa. That's not the point. You don't get the point. I am suggesting you discover, as you are doing, what holidays you like and/or various aspects of many holidays in this season, and make the holiday your own. Get it? This isn't complicated.
I get your point; it's much ado about nothing, as most people already do what your advocating anyway. Even with the large number of religious fanatics in the US, Christmas is largely a defacto secular holiday, more about elves and reindeer then any Bronze Age myths. Chanukah was never a significant Jewish holiday; it's been made into a big deal in the US primarily due to the fact that it occurs around Christmas (i.e. both holidays have been remade to suit contemporary preferences). Kwanzaa was never celebrated by any but a handful of kooks and doesn't really warrant a mention.
You'll complain about Kwanzaa not deserving mention, but not Saurnalia or Festivus? Neither Saturnali nor Festivus are acknowledged by the White House. http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/statement-president-and-first-lady-kwanzaa
I think Festivus and Saturnalia are way more deserving of recognition than Kwanzaa. I prefer holidays that, you know, weren't invented in the late 60s by crazies. I'm weird like that.
All religious holidays have been made up in part or in whole by cult leaders and crazy people. That doesn't mean that the holiday in whole, or individual aspects of those holidays are not good in some way.
Kwanzaa isn't a religious holiday, it's a racial holiday. I never said there weren't good aspects of some holidays, though Kwanzaa certainly isn't one of them. For exampe, some elves are cool.
Semantics. I see any ritual as being religious.
Woot what a GREAT Idea. Lets Occupy the North Pole :)
Santa wont be able to take off if we block the reindeer and we can bring the world to its knees
ok, lets start making arrangements to get up there, I don't know about you but I'm going to start walking north NOW.
Well, I think changing the world is a bit beyond one's reach. Or at least the average 'one' like you or I, but we can change our own lives. That's something.
amen
Ramen