Monday’s Mt (9/5/22): Do Americans agree on (or even think about) the meaning of our holidays anymore?
This is a kind of companion topic to one Suzanne led in December 2021 on how people that are not religious can find meaning in the holiday season. She was graciously hosting in my absence.
It is an old truism that the way many Americans celebrate many of our holidays can be a bit crass. A lot of shopping, sunbathing, and BBQs and not much focus on the holidays’ originally intended or serious purposes. Of course, not everybody takes all holidays as just vacation opportunities. Millions of very religious Americans have a spiritually focused Christmas or Easter or Ramadan or Yom Kippur. Others have very patriotic Fourths of July and Armed Forces Days. Some southern states still celebrate Robert E. Lee’s birthday and Confederate Memorial Day, just so you know. And, has Black Friday become too, um, commercialized?
Maybe having big differences in how we observe the holidays is inevitable and even desirable in a large and diverse democracy like ours (no matter what you might think of what or how some of us celebrate).
But, although there are tons of U.S. holidays/special days (one website claims to have found 1,100), some are increasingly controversial. They are now part of our all-consuming culture wars, including, as I hope we cover in a future topic, as they relate to the teaching of history to children. Columbus Day probably is Holiday Controversy #1. While still a federal holiday less than one-half of the states officially observe it. Why-do-we-need-Thanksgiving sentiment is rising, too. Holidays that celebrate the Confederacy (in AL, MS, NC, TX, others) obviously stir anger, as do some holidays of certain religious minorities (Ramadan comes to mind). In 2022 Juneteenth became a new federal holiday. There is some grumbling, but nothing like the fierce resistance to establishing Martin Luther King Day in the 1980s.
Coming from elsewhere on the ideological spectrum some progressives associate July 4th and other patriotic holidays more with truculent nationalism than national pride. Monday’s holiday, Labor Day, is widely accepted, I think. Yet to me it has become a BBQ holiday and has been drained of most of its substance about workers’ rights. YMMV.
Anyway, below are a few optional readings on holiday controversies, plus lists of federal, selected state, and selected religious/other holidays and special days.
Enjoy your Labor Day and then join us at 7pm Monday.
OPTIONAL BACKGROUND READINGS –
- Columbus Day was always controversial and is now disappearing. Recommended. Thanksgiving, too.
- Labor Day’s radical origins.
- Juneteenth. Does simply creating a holiday let us off the hook about our past?
- The “War on Christmas” can never die. Sigh.
- Fourth of July evokes mixed feelings in some Americans. Recommended.
- Six holidays that need updating. Not all for political reasons. Fun, but one person’s opinion.
2022 FEDERAL HOLIDAYS (n = 12)
1/1/22 New Year’s Day
1/17: Martin Luther King, Jr. birthday.
2/21 Presidents Day + Washington’s B-day.
5/30 Memorial Day.
6/20 Juneteenth. NEW.
7/4 Independence Day.
9/5 Labor Day
10/10 Columbus Day.
11/8 Election Day (only a federal holiday in presidential election years)
11/11 Veterans Day.
11/24 Thanksgiving Day.
12/25 Christmas Day.
SELECTED STATE HOLIDAYS –
1/17/22 Robert E. Lee’s birthday: (AL + MS).
1/19 or other dates: Confederate Memorial Day (FL, KE, NC, TX, TN, AL, MS, SC).
3/31 Cesar Chaves Day (CA)
4/15 Good Friday (CT DE HI IN KY LA NJ NC ND TN)
5/1 May Day. Not a holiday anywhere in USA. But it is many other nations’ Labor Day.
6/6 Jefferson Davis’s Birthday (AL)
6/10 King Kamehameha Day (HI).
10/10 Indigenous People’s Day (15-20 states; In some it replaces Columbus Day).
11/8 Election Day. (19 states holding 43% of voters make it at least a partial holiday! But not CA.)
Christmas Eve or New Year’s Eve. (Various states).
SOME RELIGIOUS AND OTHER HOLIDAYS
Jan: Orthodox XMAS and New Year’s.
Feb: Chinese New Year, Mardi Gras, Valentine’s Day.
March: Holi (Hindu)
April: Ramadan (Muslim), Palm Sunday, Easter, Passover (Jewish).
May: May Day, Cinco de Mayo, Armed Forces Day, Mother’s Day.
June: D-Day, Flag Day, Father’s Day.
July 20: National Hot Dog Day (zillions more like this)
August: Ashura (Muslim)
September: Rosh Hashanah, Constitution Day.
October: Diwali (Hindu), Yom Kippur, Halloween.
November: All Saints Day, Advent.
December: Pearl Harbor Day Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Festivus.
NEXT WEEK’S MEETING (9/12): 9/11 as history.
Here are our new topics for March – August.
Thaks to Suzanne and Jeremy for helping to pick these, and to others that made suggestions. Here’s the tentative schedule. Note that we no longer meet on the last Monday of the month and that these topics are not “final” as meetings until they are posted on the Meetup site.
March 21, 2022: Do recycling and DIY environmentalism really matter?
April 4: Will crypto currencies ever really catch on?
April 11: Our beloved pet culture versus our cruelty to animals.
April 18: What does being a Freethinker mean today?
May 2: Do our political parties win appealing to the “base” or to moderate voters?
May 9: Who would the United States go to war to protect?
May 16: COVID pandemic: What have we learned?
May 23: Too Musk faith: Can big tech entrepreneurs really solve our problems?
June 6: Supreme Court: Will the ultra-conservative majority vastly alter our legal system?
June 13: Climate change: What does science truly know and what is still speculative?
June 20: What is going right in America these days?
July 4: Will democracy rebound worldwide? How much depends on USA?
July 11: The culture wars, past and present.
July 18: Planes, food, and bonds: Does corporate self-regulation work?
Aug 1: Cancel culture: What does it mean and who’s doing it – really?
Aug 8: Are good and evil best explained by science, religion, or philosophy?
Aug 15: Is India’s democracy at-risk? Will it become a great power anyway?
Monday’s Mtg: Should we help multilateral organizations (like WTO, UN, NATO) more to help them solve global problems?
[This meeting will be in honor of Carl Lock, the long time CivCon member who passed away from cancer a few days ago. Carl would have loved this topic.]
Just a month ago we discussed whether the American Century was over and what might replace it. Much of the evening we focused on the consequences of relative U.S. decline and the rise of other powers, like China.
One aspect of that discussion got little attention, I thought: The role of multilateral (intergovernmental) institutions. There are hundreds of these organizations, and all but a few are obscure to most Americans. Mostly, that’s because many of them are not very important to us; to our international business or diplomacy day-to-day. Some IGOs are small and/or deal with minor (to the U.S.) issues. Others are obscure either because they are quietly doing a good job or do little at all. U.S. attention to and support for the big ones (United Nations, World Trade Org., International Monetary Fund, NATO, a few others) has waxed and waned over the decades.
President Trump has changed all of that. As the articles below explain, he despises the very idea of multilateral cooperation. Trump has withdrawn from one major treaty, agreement, and IGO after another, either as a part of his “America first” belief that they just weight us down – or maybe because they just made him angry. If Trump is somehow reelected, we might pull out of…God knows what else. NATO, NAFTA, the WTO, the IMF, other UN agencies (he pulled us out of several, most recently the World Health Organization), and others IGOs are all on the chopping block.
As Ed pointed out at Meetup, IGOs are mostly conduits for the preferences of their biggest backers, the great powers. If we keep abandoning multilateral treaties and institutions, whose will do you think they will serve? Whose interests will they “launder;” i.e., give international legitimacy to?
Unless you believe that the United States would somehow be stronger on the outside looking in as the replacement to the old liberal international order is created (see our mtg on this topic in 2019), we have a lot to be worried about.
Our dilemma is that this whole topic is obscure to most people, even a pretty well-informed bunch like a typical CivCon crowd. Plus, it’s a sunny July 4th weekend, albeit one under partial lockdown. So, I propose that we focus on a few of the most important and high-profile IGOs that Trump has either repeatedly ridiculed (UN, NATO, EU), threatened to pull out of (NAFTA, many others), or actually abandoned (Paris climate accord, WHO, UNESCO, Iran nuke pact + other arms control pacts.).
On Monday I will open the mtg by listing the major IGOs that Trump has been threatening/abandoning, and then talk a bit about how such organizations can (but sometimes don’t) serve American needs and the global public interest and at what cost. Then, with help from Ed and Ali and others with intentional international experience, we can debate whether some IGOs could actually help to solve the massive global problems of the 21st century, like climate change, a newly aggressive China, cyberwarfare, refugees, failed states, terrorism, financial instability, and on and on.
OPTIONAL BACKGROUND READINGS – (stick to recommended if short on time)
- FYI:
What are IGOs and what types are there?
A list of the biggest 100 or so intergovernmental orgs.. - The UN at 70: A very mixed blessing.
- Trump, from the beginning, has rejected all multilateral cooperation.
- Why this is a disastrous mistake. Recommended.
- An isolated America is a weaker America. Longer.
- Trump’s war on the World Trade Organization. ICYMI/didn’t know.
To be fair…
- China: Does it see or even care about the global public good? So far, China has just used multilateral orgs to advance its own parochial interests.
- Conservative POVs:
- We should stay in the WHO to reform it.
- Trump is just a “conservative realist” questioning whether all these IGOs are still needed, 70 years after most were created.
- Is the World Bank obsolete?
COVID-19 effect –
- Will pandemic lead to more global cooperation or more confrontation? Recommended.
- Trump is only the latest in a 50-year history of ignoring global public health. A long read on a dry but underappreciated topic.
NEXT WEEK (July 13): Separation of U.S. church and state: The battle that never ends (is that so bad?).
Monday’s Mtg (4/27/20): Loneliness and isolation in a wired world
I can’t find the source, but I recently read that we touch our smart phones on average over 2,000 times per day! This study counted a 40-character tweet as 40 touches, but still – damn! In these ancient times – i.e., before the COVID-19 pandemic – there was a furious debate over whether such constant smart phone and social media use was damaging us.
Young people especially, it was said, were becoming cut off from real life and failing to learn the normal in-person social skills that previous generations had to learn to thrive as adults in the workplace, in romantic relationships, etc. The kids were not all right. And this did not even account for the possible ill effects of having their entire lives dominated by the handful of companies that control the ubiquitous little devices in their pockets. Reference our meetings on the problems of corporate monopolization of social media and the news businesses.
Now that social media and internet connectivity are keeping us all sane during the pandemic lockdown, have all these concerns about rising loneliness and isolation gone away for good? Or, like our economy (hopefully), are they just on hiatus temporarily? What if we respond to the shut down by growing even more dependent on remote working, learning, and social interaction?
Here are some optional readings, both pro and con. Per usual, you all will receive the mtg password on Sunday night. Please don’t mislay it between Sunday night and the mtg.
OPTIONAL BACKGROUND READINGS –
During the pandemic –
- Right now social media are helping us survive an epidemic — of loneliness.
- Advice from Scientific American: How to combat loneliness in a time of social distancing.
Longer term issues of loneliness in a wired world –
- A decent overview of the issues: Excessive social media use, loneliness/isolation, and how to avoid the latter. Recommended.
- Alarmist view: Smartphones are destroying the post-Millennial generation. Atlantic Monthly + long.
- Using social media too much (2+ hours per day) is associate with feelings of isolation and loneliness. More details here.
- Smartphone use has wide ranging effects, some good, others bad, many unknown. Recommended
- In defense of smartphones. (short)
- Also, we have always been lonely. Technology has mainly changed our perception of loneliness’s importance.
NEXT WEEK May 4: How will History judge us in these times?
Mars needs guest moderators.
See next post down for Monday’s pre-mtg post, since this post will remain at the top of the page for a while. DavidG would like to an occasional respite from having to moderate 50 mtgs a year. To wit, here is the rest of the schedule trough March 2020. If you would like to volunteer to be moderate some meeting, just indicate so in comments or contact me. I will do the Jan. 6th one on impeachment and keep many of the ones I know a bit about for me to moderate.
Any volunteers? Note: You do not have to prepare any opening presentation or do the weekly pre-mtg post. Just sit in for DavidG so he doesn’t have to be there for every single meeting.
Jan. 6, 2020: Impeachment – How will it work + long term effects? [DavidG moderator]
Jan 13: Corporate concentration of the news media – What are the implications? [DavidG]
Jan 20: Is the United States a meritocracy? [DavidG]
Jan 27: Are Russia and/or China weaker than they appear?
Feb 3: Generation Z: How will post-Millennials change the USA?
Feb 10: Why do so many American Christians feel under siege? [DavidG]
Feb 17: How do dating and romance vary in different stages of life? [Linda N.]
Feb 24: Sacramento’s activist agenda: Too much or too little? [John M.]
March 2: How can we rebuild American democracy? [DavidG]
March 9: The ethics of brain augmentation. [Wendy]
March 16: Has public shaming for youthful indiscretions gotten out of hand?
March 23: U.S. military-industrial complex: Exaggerated or worse than ever? [DavidG]
Monday’s Mtg: Impeachment -What happens now? How will this work?
I wanted to do this topic right away, even before we had another full 4-month schedule for Nov. – Feb. It is not of an expectation that the impeachment process will be over very soon. It just seems irresponsible to ignore the beginning of the gravest domestic political crisis in my lifetime. Plus it will give us a good grounding in (1) where the investigation may be heading, and (2) what are some of the more likely scenarios that might play out.
The accusations against President Trump and a growing list of his top officials are staggering – just on the narrow Ukraine blackmail stuff. The evidence is staggering, too, and more is coming. Even if the Administration somehow gets away with the clearly illegal act of refusing to cooperate in any way with the House inquiry, more dedicated public servants like former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yonvanovich and CIA whistleblower(s) are already coming forward. The Administration’s Omerta code is almost sure to crumble further. Impeachment and the criminality it uncovers and spurs (to further the cover-up) will be the #1 political topic in the nation for the next six months at least.
Why discuss it so early? Trying to answer a few foundational questions now and gaming out a few basic scenarios will help us to make sense of what is about to happen and see through the smokescreen of lies and distortions that is coming.
DIDCUSSION QUESTIONS –
- Scope: How + why will the Democrats limit the scope of their inquiry? Should the focus be narrow or broad; e.g.,
— Just the President, or others that participated, up to and including the VP?
— Crimes versus cover-ups/obstructing justice? Crimes vs severe breach of duty non-crimes.
— Just the Ukraine mess? Other foreign policy bribes, threats, malfeasance?
— All of the other corruption/profiteering that has been going on in plain sight for years?
— Presidential crimes Mueller said DOJ had no authority to prosecute? - Cooperation and courts: Would the White House really dare to refuse all cooperation? What will be asked of courts/SCOTUS and what will they do, especially if Trump refuses to honor subpoenas?
- Evidence: What kinds will Dems obtain? Will it be enough to convince, um – who are Dems trying to convince, exactly? Is there a smoking gun, like taped oval office mtgs?
- Public opinion: Will the public stay engaged with the investigations or get bored if it’s stuff they’ve heard before (like Mueller findings)? Will support for impeachment keep climbing, or plateau?
— Who needs to be persuaded for it to matter? Will bad news penetrate to Trump supporters once it’s filtered through conservative media? - House articles and votes: What might article of impeachment look like? Timing and voting?
- Senate trial: What kind of a “trial?” will Mitch allow?
- Aftermath: 2020 election. Longer term.
OPTIONAL BACKGROUND READINGS –
- Impeachment ABCs:
- NYT via Wendy.
- Nine scenarios for how this could end. Recommended.
- A narrow or a broad investigation?
- Pros and cons of each.
- The case for a few, highly specific articles, none policy- or pre-election-related. Recommended.
- How to safeguard Trump Admin’s due process rights. [technical]
- More on Trump’s offenses
- Why Ukraine happened: Giuliani + to help Russia. Amazing, must reads.
- Trump has “betrayed America” with six other countries.
- Trump’s defense, in a nutshell.
- Mueller rpt: The “massive crimes” that Mueller let go unpunished. (one POV)
- Historical precedents:
- GOPers took 2 years but then suddenly turned on Nixon when weight of evidence was too much.
- But, past impeachment hearings show many risks for the Democrats.
NEXT WEEK: Why do Americans worship celebrities so? Is it harmful?
Something for Sal
(See next post down for “Monday’s Mtg” post.)
Gang – Sal contacted me about helping to spread the word about an event his daughter Cori is hosting to unveil her new album. Anything for Sal, so here is the info.
______________________
Hi David. My daughter Cori tried sending the following to you but it did not go through. Any assistance you can give in spreading the word for her would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you. Sal
______________________
Hi Dad, I can’t reply to this email directly that you forwarded but if you could forward this to your contact at the group if they’d like to enjoy the concert or help spread the word: I am hosting a night of music, art and dancing and would love if any local art lovers would like to join! On November 11th at the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, join us for this special night of live, original music with a private concert by 12 musicians, private gallery viewings and access to the museum’s current special exhibit “Memories of Underdevelopment”, and cocktails and dancing! Named one of San Diego’s Top Singer-Songwriters, I am releasing my locally produced album and celebrating by hosting this night and I would like to invite any other lovers of the arts and especially who believe in the importance of support local art to come enjoy a private concert and the beauty of the museum. The Museum of Contemporary Art has been kind enough to work on this with me and I’m so excited to present this musical opportunity! Tickets and event details can be found at the link provided. The code ILOVEORIGINALMUSIC5 can be used for a limited time to save on tickets. (The cost of tickets goes to cover the cost of the museum and the artists) Here are the links:
FOR TICKETS AND EVENT DETAILS: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/cori-the-music-album-release-and-cori-ography-anniversary-party-tickets-38256939536?aff=eac2
IF YOU’D LIKE TO HEAR THE MUSIC: https://coriandthemusic.bandcamp.com/album/who-am-i —
GET YOUR TICKETS TO THE ALBUM RELEASE PARTY! 11/11 @ The Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego (downtown) The newest album ‘Who Am I?’ is available now! LISTEN NOW ON BANDCAMP Join the Cori & The Music Fan List! Corina “Cori” Presutti http://www.coricompany.com Dance Music Music Dance Join the Cori-ography Mailing List!
Follow-up to last night’s mtg (8/10/15) on immigration politics
I seldom do follow-up post anymore. But, this article explains what social psychology experiments reveal about the motives of the 30% of Americans that oppose all immigration. (Note that my research showed that number at about 20%). The articles discusses racism versus cultural anxiety, how much “illegal” versus “legal” matters in people’s attitudes, and a lot more.
The article can be found here.
A Tribute to a Fascinating Man
I just found this. RIP, Sid.
Monday’s Mtg: Are Pro Sports Harming America?
Oops. I’m about to lose computer power for the week, so they’ll be no background readings this week. But, it’s an interesting topic. What I had in mind was:
- Pro sports teams holding up local communities for tax money to help them build stadiums, sell tickets, etc.
- The violence, especially in the NFL and the ultimate fighting gladiatorial bouts.
. - The effects on our culture of fabulously wealthy super athlete celebrities and their lifestyles.
. - How this harms young people in college athletics.
Anyway, Carl will have the gavel and I hope you all enjoy! See you in two weeks.
Civilized Conversation 
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