Happy Thursday, to you.
So a few days before Thanksgiving I was on the phone with a technical guy to repair a problem I was having with my laptop for my job. At the end of our conversation I told him to "Have a nice Thanksgiving.", to which he replied "I, nor my family, celebrate an American Thanksgiving and frankly it is rude of you to assume that I do."
Crickets. Chirping. Crickets.
Then he says "But I hope that you enjoy your turkey."
I muttered something along the lines of okay and hung up. It was only then, while sitting there in awe of being scolded by trying to be a nice person, that it dawned on me in all of it's hindsight-is-twenty-twenty glory what I should have said after he told me to enjoy my turkey. So I will say it here:
"I don't eat turkey, I eat HAM on Thanksgiving and it is rude of you to assume I eat turkey!"
Now let's talk about this people. Oh, easily offended people of the world. I wonder sometimes how it is that you make it through your day. How you do your jobs, or even drive safely as it seems you are always on the lookout for the next big offense that is most certainly being hurled directly at you and you alone. Then the energy and great lengths at which you will go to in making sure that this great offense has been shared with the masses. And if there is any monetary gain in which this offense may carry with you, well then you my easily-offended little friend, have just struck gold.
Hell, I have even wondered once if there was something wrong with me because I don't really get offended. But no, there is not. I think it is that I am okay with what I believe in, my morals, my conduct, the way I treat people. I will not falter from those things no matter what my neighbor, friend or a stranger may do. Whether you believe in any religion or non at all is okay with me, because I know what I believe.
More often that not what ever you are being offended by you can walk away from, turn the volume off, turn the page, click the mouse or remove yourself from in some way or another. But do you? My guess is no. Why is that? I think your looking for someone or something to blame. Didn't your parents teach you that life is not fair? That world is not going to cater to you.
To sum it up, Let's go back to the turkey conversation. So he doesn't celebrate Thanksgiving. Can you believe I actually gave myself a hard time about the assumption I made until I realized this. (Other than I am just a nice person I always tell people to have a good day, night, what ever and if there is a holiday close you can bet your sweet ass I am going to throw that in the mix!) The call center he works out of is in Atlanta where my company is based so he was in the United States and in the good ole' USofA Thanksgiving is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November every year making that day Thanksgiving day whether you celebrate it or not. I can now only assume I should have told him to have a Happy Thursday!
Crickets. Chirping. Crickets.
Then he says "But I hope that you enjoy your turkey."
I muttered something along the lines of okay and hung up. It was only then, while sitting there in awe of being scolded by trying to be a nice person, that it dawned on me in all of it's hindsight-is-twenty-twenty glory what I should have said after he told me to enjoy my turkey. So I will say it here:
"I don't eat turkey, I eat HAM on Thanksgiving and it is rude of you to assume I eat turkey!"
Now let's talk about this people. Oh, easily offended people of the world. I wonder sometimes how it is that you make it through your day. How you do your jobs, or even drive safely as it seems you are always on the lookout for the next big offense that is most certainly being hurled directly at you and you alone. Then the energy and great lengths at which you will go to in making sure that this great offense has been shared with the masses. And if there is any monetary gain in which this offense may carry with you, well then you my easily-offended little friend, have just struck gold.
Hell, I have even wondered once if there was something wrong with me because I don't really get offended. But no, there is not. I think it is that I am okay with what I believe in, my morals, my conduct, the way I treat people. I will not falter from those things no matter what my neighbor, friend or a stranger may do. Whether you believe in any religion or non at all is okay with me, because I know what I believe.
More often that not what ever you are being offended by you can walk away from, turn the volume off, turn the page, click the mouse or remove yourself from in some way or another. But do you? My guess is no. Why is that? I think your looking for someone or something to blame. Didn't your parents teach you that life is not fair? That world is not going to cater to you.
To sum it up, Let's go back to the turkey conversation. So he doesn't celebrate Thanksgiving. Can you believe I actually gave myself a hard time about the assumption I made until I realized this. (Other than I am just a nice person I always tell people to have a good day, night, what ever and if there is a holiday close you can bet your sweet ass I am going to throw that in the mix!) The call center he works out of is in Atlanta where my company is based so he was in the United States and in the good ole' USofA Thanksgiving is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November every year making that day Thanksgiving day whether you celebrate it or not. I can now only assume I should have told him to have a Happy Thursday!
At first glance it seems pretty ironic that you criticize others for getting so easily offended , a problem which you say you don't have, then spend your entire post detailing how offended you were by this man's comments.
This may give you a better perspective on how easy it is to let your emotions temporarily run away with you, once someone has said or done something which you find personally offensive.
We could all learn to relax a little, but at the same time, it is important to speak out against injustice and/or plain old fashioned rudeness.
What he should have said was:
" Neither I, nor my family, celebrate American Thanksgiving, but it was very kind of you to wish for good things for me on this day. I hope for the same for you as well."
What's really ironic is how many people would have still found his comments offensive even after being reworded this way. What, you don't celebrate Thanksgiving?? That's your God-given right, but how DARE you try to push your non-Chrisitan, atheistic, hippy propaganda off on me!
Posted by
Anonymous |
10:37 AM
If he had of said your version I would have been more than happy as I hung up the phone. It wasn't even a matter of who celebrates this or that holiday or religion to begin with. There was not that much thought put into it for it to be that way.
It was a simple statement and he knew it. He could have just as easily said "You,too." and went on about the day. Would he be any less of a person if he had not corrected me? No.
What I am talking about is the fact that people can not look over even the slightest thing, even when they know there is nothing but kindess behind it.
Thank you for your comment as well as your oppinion Anonymous.
P.S.
I was not offended by what the man said to me and never implied that I was. Put off maybe, but not offended.
P.P.S.
Merry Christmas!
Posted by
Kelly |
11:18 AM
Ha ha! Your first "hate comment". Followed your link over from another site where you commented about "hate email".
Loved your post and totally understand what you mean.
Oh, and... Merry Christmas to you too!
Posted by
Anonymous |
7:11 PM
ANON DON'T BE MEAN TO KELLY! I have known this woman for...err....years (how many now Kelly) 14-15? Anyways apparently you can not read something and comprehend.
BTW Kelly I am NOW going to take offence to the fact that I married a guy that does not do Christmas so now I can not do Christmas and you are telling people Merry Christmas!!!!!
Posted by
Anonymous |
2:33 PM