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Published -
- July 2, 2020
- 12:35 am
Canceling Holidays?
The rage mob comes for Christopher Columbus and two Republican senators want to abolish Columbus Day.
Is the suggestion to cancel Labor Day based on political ideology rather than objective criteria?
Recently on his Fox News program, “Tucker Carlson Tonight,” host Tucker Carlson posed a provocative question to his audience: “What holiday should be canceled next?”
Carlson’s query comes in the wake of recent efforts to re-examine America’s holidays in light of their historical roots and their potential to offend or exclude certain groups. Columbus Day has long been a point of contention, with some cities and states choosing to replace it with Indigenous Peoples’ Day to recognize the Native American populations that were displaced and harmed by European colonization. Similarly, there have been calls to rename Thanksgiving in recognition of the genocide of indigenous people that occurred as a result of European settlement.
Carlson himself has been a vocal critic of such moves, characterizing them as attempts to erase history and undermine traditional American values. However, his suggestion that a holiday should be cancelled raises some important questions. What criteria should be used to determine which holiday should be next on the chopping block? Should it be based on historical accuracy, inclusivity, or some other factor?
One possibility that Carlson has suggested is that Labor Day be cancelled, due to its associations with socialism and the labor movement. He cited a recent proposal by the Democratic Socialists of America to abolish prisons and court systems as evidence of the radical leftist agenda that Labor Day represents.
However, this argument fails to take into account the many workers who have fought and sacrificed for fair wages, safe working conditions, and other basic rights that we take for granted today. It also ignores the fact that the labor movement has long been a force for positive change in American society, ranging from the eight-hour workday to child labor laws to the Civil Rights Act.
Furthermore, Carlson’s proposal seems to be based more on political ideology than on any objective criteria for evaluating holidays. If we were to follow his logic, we might as well get rid of Independence Day (too jingoistic), Christmas (too commercialized), and any other holiday that doesn’t fit a narrow vision of America as a conservative, capitalist, Christian nation.
Ultimately, the question of which holiday to cancel next is a complex one that requires careful consideration of multiple factors. Rather than resorting to knee-jerk reactions or political posturing, we should engage in respectful dialogue and reflection about how we can create a more just and inclusive society, while still honoring our shared history and traditions.
