Ahhh, Thanksgiving. The time of year when somehow the slaughter of a group of people is cause for us to sit down to a table full of food that is for the most part not good for us, and eat until we pass out in a turkey stupor. Did I mention that over 40 percent of African Americans are obese?
Thanksgiving. Where in your quest to give thanks you rush out to the store and buy hundreds of dollars of groceries, but when the homeless man in front of the grocery store asks you for a quarter, you don’t have any money.
Thanksgiving. When the President will pardon a turkey but won't pardon someone convicted on circumstantial evidence even after the people responsible for developing the system used to convict that person goes public and says it's flawed.
Thanksgiving. The time of year when even ordinarily good willed people will take leave of their senses when it comes to getting the latest toy for their child and there’s only one left in the entire store and the only thing standing between them and it is another parent with the same gleam in their eyes.
Thanksgiving. Where your sexual orientation becomes the topic of discussion around the dinner table year after year even though you have a job, your own place, and a car, while others in your family who are straight have multiple kids by different people, no job, still live at home in the basement, and ride the bus. Somehow though, something’s wrong with you.
Thanksgiving. When being single sucks and thank goodness for friends.
Thanksgiving. When you have to make a decision on whether or not to be with the family and leave the boyfriend/girlfriend behind because your family simply don’t get it. Or take a stand and hang with the boyfriend/girlfriend because they do get it.
Thanksgiving. When the media stories of how Americans are broker than ever, somehow disappear and are replaced with feel good reports of how American are going to spend more than ever on Christmas gifts and as an extra bonus, you get television and radio commercials designed to hammer that message home. So much so that Americans will find themselves going further into to debt to buy gifts that really, really, aren’t that necessary. You think it’s a coincidence that the big gay authority released their annual “Buying Equality” guide today, on the eve on what is claimed to be the biggest shopping day of the year? You’ve got to look at the big picture.
Thanksgiving. I don’t know about you, but the last time I looked gas was 3.43 a gallon, for 87!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanksgiving. A pre-planned calculated commercial holiday designed to drive us further into debt ensuring that in 2008 the man will get his share of our income. Not to mention the fact that after we gorge out on foods that we were tricked into believing were good for us that we’ll be hit with advertisements from gyms and health clubs that we’ll dutifully sign up for knowing good and damn well that we will never make use of the membership.
Thanksgiving. I don’t know about you, but I give thanks every day of the year. I do not need a day set aside for me to give thanks by eating until I pass out in a stupor followed by the need to wait outside of mall at 5 a.m. in a line that stretches for ten city blocks to spend money that I don’t have.
The days of me showing up with Tupperware and foil in tow are over!
No leftovers.
No eating until it hurts.
I will get up on Thanksgiving at 7 a.m. and go hiking. I will come home and catch up some work, clean my house, watch a movie, maybe even go to the movies. I may visit family and friends, but it will be to see them, and not to see the Honeybaked Ham, sweet potatoes, dressing, cranberries, green beans, and pies.
On Friday, while most Americans are duking it out in the aisles of toy stores and malls across the nation, I intend to go hiking…again. And believe me when I tell you that I will hike that canyon as many times as needed to avoid falling into the trap set forth by the same racist institutions that brought my people here in the first place.
I know I’m broke and no amount of feel good commercials and reports of increases in shopping are going to make my bank account look any differently, lol. I won’t be applying for the payday loans that are cleverly marketed towards poor Blacks and Latinos as viable solutions, all the while the joke is on them when they're paying back what they borrowed plus 25 percent.
And even if I weren't broke, I wouldn't participate in the foolishness.
But I guess, I won’t be completely negative about Thanksgiving. There are some up sides to it. To begin with, it’s a day off of work for most. And those don’t come around too often and are worth being celebrated. Also, it’s the time of year that you get to catch up with friends and family members that you haven’t seen a while. I do cherish time with my family and friends. And I guess if you have to buy gifts for people, here’s a suggestion, for Kwanzaa---or Christmas if that’s your thing, why not buy books for gifts. Take it a step further if you can and buy those books from a Black bookstore. If there’s no Black bookstore near you, at least by a book written by a Black author. It’s simple but has what it takes to be a very effective strategy.
Forget the video games, clothes, tennis shoes, and electronics. Buy a book, buy a book, buy a mutha$%^^ book.
As
for me, JasmyneCannick.com is on hiatus until Monday, November 26,
2007, unless something happens so big that I can't control the urge to
sit at my desk and write. Let's hope that's not the case, lol.
I need
a break too.
For all of my Angelino's interested in hiking on Thursday and Friday, send me an email and I'll send you the info on our meeting place. We'll definitely be doing our Sunday hike, but because of the added pressure this week with Thanksgiving and all, I felt it best to add a few extra days of hiking. And no worries if you're crazy, or don't know you're crazy, I don't hike alone and before I get pushed off of a cliff, you will.
And if you can't avoid the pressures of your favorite holiday foods on Thanksgiving, say it with me, M-O-D-E-R-A-T-I-O-N. I know, it's a relatively new concept to me too, but I will say it works. There's no excuse for eating so much that you just pass out afterwards. Have a serving and call it a day. Don't over do it. What works for me is chewing gum, sucking on mints, and brushing my teeth often. That minty taste for whatever reason makes me not want to eat.If all else fails and you do end up in a stupor, walk it out. If you're in L.A. you can walk it out with me on Thursday, Friday, and Sunday. Saturday I'll be in Sin City. Which one? Las Vegas of course. And you know what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas---unless it involves racial profiling at a show store.
In closing…here's my list of thanks for 2007. I hope your next four days are great!
Jasmyne is thankful for…
- [Insert the Name of the Higher Being of Your Choice]
- Family
- Friends
- Being born Black
- Community
- Having a roof over my head, clothes on my back, and food when I need it for my tummy.
- Having the skills to pay the bills
- Having the wherewithal to know when it's time to go
- Having the chance to wake up and do it all over again, including correcting the mistakes that I made yesterday
- The Ex---For without her, I wouldn't be 162 pounds today! Mwah!
- Term limits.
Singing Jaguar Wright's Self Love… "…You're still living in the same bullshit ass reality that was passed on down to you by your family, from generation to generation to generation…"
How will you be celebrating Thanksgiving and what are you thankful for?
I love this post thanks for sharing and be well, be safe, be blessed, be at peace today, tomorrow and everyday!
yasmin
www.apooo.org
Posted by: Yasmin | Wednesday, November 21, 2007 at 05:22 PM
Jasmyne, Jazzy Jazz
Gurl you are right on point and funny to boot. I love your list of things for which to be thankful - especially No. 10. LOL. Ok, okay, OK I also, dig your No. 4 reason to be thankful. Ain't it the truth. Happy to be black, proud and educated.
Thanks for your perspective.
Posted by: wordzbyche | Wednesday, November 21, 2007 at 10:50 AM