What are the Federal holidays?
- New Year's Day
- Inauguration Day
- Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.
- Washington's Birthday
- Memorial Day
- Juneteenth
- Independence Day
- Labor Day
- Columbus Day
- Veterans Day
- Thanksgiving Day
- Christmas Day
I wasn't aware Inauguration Day was a Federal holiday. That seems like a straightforward patriotic holiday, like Independence Day, Washington's birthday, Memorial Day, and Veteran's Day. Although at least in theory, and probably in the past, days like Independence Day or Memorial Day might include "a bas the Brits and other enemies", but I don't recall ever seeing any of that--and I've been around a few years. Parades might have an honor guard with flags from bygone wars, but we just took off our hats. We didn't yell "Remember the Maine!" The holiday wasn't against anybody.
Christmas is Christian, of course, and fewer of us are--but it isn't "against" anybody. Thanksgiving is generically religious, but even a non-religious man can (and should) spend some time being grateful.
New Year's Day is generic generic--neither for nor against anyone.
Columbus Day was pushed for by Italians who quite reasonably felt not-quite-part of the culture--they figured everybody could rally around the famous Italian. Unity was the point.
Labor Day was not unlike it--labor unions pushed for a celebration of the working man. In theory this could be "against the big capitalists," but I've not heard that. Maybe back in the 1800's it was there.
Martin Luther King Jr's birthday was established recently enough that a lot of us remember--peaceful change was his signature. And it offered to blacks, who quite reasonably felt not-part of the society, an honored proxy. I remember hearing quite a few people who were unhappy with the choice--who thought MLK a communist, or disengenuous about his goals. On the whole, people seemed to be fine with the choice, and it wasn't commemorated as being against anybody--somehow or another everybody seemed to retcon their personal history into one of support.
I'm not sure yet what exactly Juneteenth will be. Will it be a celebration by Republicans and blacks against the history of the Southern Democrats? (There's that "against".) Will it be a blacks and politicians only event? (There's that "against" again.) Unless somebody other than the usual suspects takes the lead, I fear this won't be a uniting holiday. Or will (as with Labor Day), most people just not care about the details, only whether there are enough buns for the hot dogs? And enough watermelon. On a hot June day, watermelon is wonderful.
(*) Where did those foods come from? Chicken--Southeast Asia, Watermelon--Africa, mac&cheese--MidEast for pasta & Europe/CentralAsia/MidEast for cheese; potato--South America; collard--Mediteranian; yams--Africa/Asia/Caribbean
2 comments:
If I understand correctly, frying chicken was a Scots thing, but the seasonings were an African thing. Such a perfect blend of cultures. Mustard, turnip, collard greens were known to Scots as "sallet, salet, or salad" and how we eat them now is also influenced by African seasonings.
Though I didn't know that the color red had a Juneteenth connection, I did know that BBQ and a Big Red soda were connected with the holiday. Add in the red of watermelon which just might be ripe on that date...
However, I lived in or near Texas for 50+ years. Juneteenth is specifically Texan. It has nothing to do with the Emancipation Proclamation. I don't have a problem with it being celebrated by the whole nation, but it's meaning is lost in this "national" holiday declaration.
My mother learned to cook from her sharecropper mother and most everything that is called "soul food" is what I grew up eating.
I'm in the distinct minority as I absolutely loathe Juneteenth. To me, it's a sign of decadence and degeneracy. More here: https://ktcatspost.blogspot.com/2021/06/juneteenth.html
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