A writer's Random ramblings
Each year, retailers and shoppers alike debate whether stores need to open on Thanksgiving and other major holidays. Before leaning into the big decision, all people ought to consider a few key thoughts. Is it necessary to spend money on the day set aside for giving thanks for what we already have? Why do we have the wonders of the Internet and its shopping portals? Do corporate entities consider other solutions besides requiring folks to work?
First of all, holidays, whether religious, national, or both in nature, have sacred status among many people. They may want to gather with friends and family to celebrate. Being told one has to work or be fired precludes this, causing dissension and bad morale in the workplace. In such situations, shoppers and employees alike can become cross with one another. In retail and food service settings, this leads to bad feelings, customers not returning, and possibly bad reviews of the company on review sites online. These cases of fallout can even hurt future business by driving shoppers and diners to other places. How can bosses combat these possible problems? In the case of retail, rely on online options on major holidays, both at store and shopping center levels. If the company has this option, place ads saying customers can order online on the holiday and pick up items the day after it. Have customer service representatives in nations that celebrate different holidays but speak the same language fluently to provide assistance. Allow more e-mails and online comments or questions on those days only, and have more staff report in to answer them the day after a holiday. Offering specials available only online during that holiday can also boost sales to those comfortable with computers and bring families together over learning to run the machines. After all, what is the point of online retailing if a shop uses it only to send people to the physical store? Food service and public safety workers need an option of whether to work or be with those they cherish. In many cases, offering an incentive to the workers will entice them to give up part of a holiday. Where this is not economically feasible, the workers should be allowed to specify to management when they can work. For example, a Jewish worker may volunteer for Christmas Eve work, while the Christian may trade a few shifts during Hanukkah for the time on Christmas. Bosses can add to company morale by permitting this shift swapping among people. Perhaps one worker isn’t able to see out of town loved ones for Thanksgiving and would happily trade a shift then for one on New Year’s. Holding several company meetings each year to find out these nuances can bring a group of workers together as a team. What company wouldn’t want a sense of team? As in education and other sectors, retail and public service can all come together to help society flourish. Creating a feeling of how people in these areas work as a team can eventually filter out as folks learn to understand each other’s values and priorities. The almighty dollar and holiday celebrations can peacefully coexist when people know how to act with simply human kindness.
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Thanks, oh Lord, we come now to give
Homes we have, places to live Arts to practice and share Nearby and faraway folks who for us care Lids who entertain and give us lessons to learn Stuffing, turkey, and other food we care not to burn Good times to be had by all In hearts, home, and those on the phone we call Victory won in sport, battlefield and school Intelligence shown with numbers, the pen, or any other tool Nothing on its own does humanity achieve Giving all honor and glory to the God in whom we believe War tends not to be civil nor just,
Yet the politicians all say we must Continue to send Our beloved children Who join the military Seeking to serve our country Into each foreign land Where reigns a dictator fought by a rebel band. While declaring war may be Congress’ choice The citizens often have no voice, Being told that war should bring peace, But take a look in the Middle East, Africa, and South America to see How often the United States act as global police Not always joined in the fight by Even one other nation as an ally While civilians stand idly by Asking one another why It goes on as they wonder exactly when The promised peace will happen So the exhausted troops can come home No longer needing to roam Around the world in long spans of time Fighting other nations’ wars and crime Making us wonder how all that’s fair Can be found when and where They go off to fight, Leaving a large blight In the memory and the mind Of those who directly saw the unkind Effects of shrapnel and bomb Claiming life, people, and home, Causing them to lie awake at night, Or sometimes even take flight From their origins into a new land Hoping to take true command Of their own lives and destiny, Which they feel are overwhelmed and controlled by Haunting memories and images following them everywhere To which others have nothing to compare. It’s not right to traumatize Little children with big wondering eyes By sending off to war Those who teach them to care for The earth and all that is found therein, From smallest plant to closest friend. The absence, disability, or death of a parent Or someone else important Too often means that they Grow up too quickly, forgetting how to play As children should And shoulder burdens some adults could Not handle in an effective way. These children look for but often miss the day Where they can look up and feel great About a hero whom others appreciate Because the child cannot understand How the traumas and stresses of war affect the woman or man. Why should such stresses and fears Dominate someone’s childhood years? And how is it that without much consideration For these ramifications, Politicians can continue to station Our military far from our nation Spreading the ranks so thin that it can even let Many a civilian forget The number of places we continue to fight In trying to make wrongs be made right Or how many young lives are being lost Let alone any other cost? So now comes the time to ask: What truly is the point of the task Each time we send our daughters and sons off to one more Seemingly never ending battle or war. During election seasons, many politicians and voters wonder what topics require political help. Often, politicians try to take on many issues society could sort out on its own. Things politics ought to work on go unanswered. How can all people come together to create a peaceful life for all?
Nationally speaking, certain issues and questions must prevail. Foreign policy, national security, and basic ideals of human equality, justice, and economics apply most at this level. The laws applying directly to keeping terrorists and other criminals out of a nation need the most national political attention. These issues simply cannot be solved locally, although how national government handles them can set precedent for states and locales to deal with their own miscreants. Proper foreign policy sets the standards for how other nations come to be allies or enemies of the one holding elections. It stands to logic that the more allies a country makes, the more peaceful the world can become. As citizens of the world see nations relating in amicable ways, they learn to take this to a more personal level as well, helping all people create peace. These ideals spill over into human equality. In this realm, governments at the national level only need to set basic laws, such as at what age people may marry, drive, vote, partake in certain indulgences, and at what practice any of those ideals cross the line to crime. For example, any person over the age of consent in a country deserves the right to marry any other consenting person regardless of the partner’s sex, gender, race, or religion, but when the second person does not consent or is underage, no legal marriage can happen. In the case of unlawful marriage, the country needs a uniform law of how an offender should be punished. This holds true for all other crimes as established by the society as well, such as murder, robbery, assault, and any other actions the nation outlaws. Each nation, for the sake of its citizens, also needs a fair economic structure. This means work is paid to employees of companies based upon how well they work within a job description, not by sex, race, age, or any other factor. In fact, sex, race, age, gender construct, and other social factors only need to play into the work force to be sure diverse populations work in fields interesting to them. On local and state levels, politicians need to study how to apply national law to the populations of the areas they govern. Social equality, legal justice, education and economics as the categories exemplify the ideals at this level of governance. Education needs to be set up to help mold youngsters into model citizens. Ideals pouring into social equality, such as how to treat people fairly, not judging on appearance or other personal factors, can kick off social studies lessons at the youngest ages, whether in school or at home. Children who learn that sex, gender, race, differing abilities and interests are what make people unique and fascinating and are exposed to these differences are more likely to grow into tolerant, curious adults. These are the citizens society needs later on to grow and prosper. Educational norms need to be worked out among community schools, including magnet or charter ones and higher education institutions, moderated by school boards, for the most effective methods of educating people to emerge. Local politicians also need to bring the national level’s economic models to their own areas. In consultation with educators and local businesses, good economics can be founded in a region, from which other areas can learn and adapt it to their own ways of life. Students in a locality in arts or practical field education programs can partner and intern with local businesses as well under government approved models to help restore cities and towns to the historical eras they prefer to resemble, making more tourism dollars as history buffs visit and learn. Even though government can provide beneficial help, some decisions need to be left to the citizens. Religion, sexuality and its application to life, and medical procedures fall into this category. Governments may help medical insurance providers decide what to cover and what to leave alone, but eventually only individuals and families should choose a plan and medical team to fit their situation. Ethical decisions such as abortion and death with dignity need careful consideration by the patient and medical team. In the latter case, if the patient has a living will, that document should direct all medical care, including when palliative or hospice type care ends and death with dignity begins. No law needs to prevent this in the case of a terminally ill patient who doctors have certified will have no more quality of life. Although abortion affects the woman in many ways and is not meant by medicine as a means to avoid pregnancy, sometimes it becomes medically necessary. If the mother-to-be finds her life in danger, has been raped, or the baby cannot survive because of genetic abnormality, the doctor and patient need to make the difficult decision. In any medical procedure, what medication and how much of it the patient requires needs to be up to the attending physician, not the law of the land, to be sure the doctor uses the most effective treatment. While localities need to teach children about various ways of life and comparative religion without any biases, these ideals eventually need to be left up to each citizen as to whether to follow an organized religion without government interference and how to apply that and whatever gender and sexual constructs fit his or her mentality into life and society. Thus, different issues need to fall into different parts of society. Some things need to be treated nationally, while others fit better locally. Some ideas, on the other hand, require only individual attention or that of the person and a given professional. In all cases, society needs to educate its children on what belongs at which level and how to treat other folks. Only by realizing how to handle what topics and following through can the world create peace for all. |
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