Re: Boycotting Businesses on Holidays

[Anon001]

I can certainly understand where you are coming from. *However, I don't agree that it's an attack on family values. *I believe that every business has the right to be open on any day they wish. *If I don't agree, I don't have to trade with them. *If someone doesn't want to work holidays, they need to find a job that gives them the days off. *The employee has the right to work for that employer or another.

Also, there are things I needed to do in town today but couldn't because the businesses I needed to go to were closed.

Tryiing to tell a business how to operate their own business when they've done nothing illegal or unethical is just as bad as when the government interferes in our lives or interferes in private enterprise.

[Cil]

I agree with you, Paul. What the families before there were "legal" holidays? I've never heard them complaining. It was just another day for them. Geesh! What a silly reason to get upset about. With this economy, be very thankful your kids have jobs and quit your whining.

Family time is any time you chose to make it. I absolutely relished and cherished the times with my dad and my grandmother when we were at the horse races [she raised and raced thoroughbreds], Dodgers' game [we had season tickets], football games, or just relaxing at her ranch. There was no "special" holiday for those days, unless it was someone's birthday. I miss her. She died in 1984 and now I've learned that my dad will need dialysis soon. I'm losing the most important man in my life slowly but surely.

SO QUIT YER BITCHING!

[Anon001]

SO QUIT YER BITCHING!

Cil,

I think that may have been a little harsh. *I can understand wanting to spend holidays with family but, like you say anytime is special time and I can understand how you miss family members that are no longer here. *However, I don't have to spend the day with family to remember the soldiers that have fought for our freedoms. *To me, it is a personal thing. That is what the holiday is about. People use it as a day to "kick off summer" and cookout with friends and family.... that's not what this holiday is about. This holiday is about remembering the men and women that sacrifice for our freedoms....

I can't begrudge someone wanting to spend the day with family. ... my point was that the business was not the one to get upset with. *The one to get upset with is the family member that chooses to work for a company that requires holidays to be staffed. *In most companies, when a person is interviewed or hired, the paid holidays are spelled out clearly... So anyone that is required to work the holidays knew it when they took their job (most likely).

[Cil]

True. But I don't need a special holiday to remember the soldiers who have and had fought for my freedoms I adore so much. I remember them ever day in my prayers.

[Dawgus]

I can somewhat understand where you're coming from with this. When my wife worked retail for a large drugstore chain, they were open 365 days a year, not closed for a single holiday. I hated it when she got stuck working on some of them, but luckily she got out of retail and now that problem is gone.

I can sort-of understand grocery and drug stores being open, there are always the last minute shoppers that need something. Some places that are open though, just make me scratch my head and wonder. My stepson is a mechanic on bowling machines, and ends up working holidays, even Christmas. Seriously, who wants to go bowling at noon on christmas day???? When he gets stuck working christmas, we always take him a plate of dinner since he can never stay, and the bowling alley is always packed...I don't get it. ::)

[WileyCoyote]

You of course have the right to not go to any businesses on any day you choose, for whatever reason you choose.
Fact is, though, most businesses are open for a reason. I have rarely had holidays off throughout my whole working career; EMS and hospitals must run 24-7. People frequent restaurants on holidays because they would rather enjoy the food and talk instead of cooking and cleaning up. People seek entertainment as well when they are all together; most folks nowadays won't go camping or to the river even if they have access. As for laying carpet on Memorial Day; many people may have that day off instead of a Saturday or Sunday, and request that the carpet be installed when they are home and available.

Most places around here were closed; but McDonald's and the gas stations in the town 40 miles from here were doing a land-office business. Folks are either traveling, working or playing, and - they need things. A business that provides food or fuel or even entertainment on holidays can be swamped and make a good profit. Since that is why people are in business - to make a profit - then it stands to reason they will cater to their customers. A boycott of those places won't impact much. You won't get people to return to "The Blue Laws" - where everything was closed on Sunday, and people could be arrested for trade - any time soon.

[tufhelp]

Another view on the family angle, if people are working to support their family the need to work. I'm not sure exactly how things works these days, but every crap job I ever had had one thing in common - If you don't work, you don't get paid... I've even had crap jobs that "gave" you holidays off - but without remuneration of course. In my salad days, I couldn't afford the luxury of not working.

[mom2]

We all worked yesterday, here at our plant, and we and our families were all grateful for the extra hours.

[jebrown]

It has depended on my plans on whether I wanted to work or be off on holidays.
However, I have worked with many people who looked forward to working a holiday for the extra money. Time and one half to triple for working holidays. Everyone I know can always use more money on payday.

[onelook]

IMHO...If you have something against Sunday sales, plan ahead and don't go anywhere that you have to spend money. If enough folks stayed home and didn't eat out, shop, or whatever, those places wouldn't/couldn't be open. Just a thought.

[Cil]

*Cil- my aren't you hateful!

No. As an unemployed person who has spent a number of years! looking for work, I get rather pissy about people complaining about HAVING any kind of a job. When you take a job, it comes with certain responsibilities and commitments. If you don't want to agree with those things, then don't take the job. Suck it up, man/woman up and get over it. I'd kill for a any kind of a job.

[mtwildflower]

God, where's a "thumbs up" button when you need one? Good post Cil.

When I worked for a satelitte television company, we were open 24/7/365. My job was to take orders from customers and turn on their programing. I worked Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve one year. I tell you, for some people, television was all they had. The home bound, the old, the lonely. Sometimes I got calls from people who really just wanted to hear a friendly voice.

I've had circumstances where I've been alone on holidays and having a place to go, even if it was just a store, was a godsend.

Yes, it's great to have time to spend with your family, but there are those who don't have family close enough to visit, or who are homebound or just lonely and needing something away from that. Business that are open on holidays do serve a purpose that is beyond just a monetary gain.

[ArmySGT.]

No. As an unemployed person who has spent a number of years! looking for work, I get rather pissy about people complaining about HAVING any kind of a job. When you take a job, it comes with certain responsibilities and commitments. If you don't want agree with those things, then don't take the job. Suck it up, man/woman up and get over it. I'd kill for a any kind of a job.


Cil - Sign up now for a Heavy Equipment Operator course. I did the one year program at Trinidad State.

I finished May 7th and June 1st I Start my first job at 14 an hour. Could have made 18 an hour but, I don't have a CDL-A yet.

[Cil]

Cil - Sign up now for a Heavy Equipment Operator course. I did the one year program at Trinidad State.

I finished May 7th and June 1st I Start my first job at 14 an hour. Could have made 18 an hour but, I don't have a CDL-A yet.


That's IF I were a good driver. :D I quit driving in '92 because I suck at it. Thanks anyway! :)