Thanksgiving Flashback, 2013 -- Alice's Restaurant!

[Coil_Smoke]

Thanksgiving sure jumps around. It's the latest Thanksgiving in my sponge like memory. I thought Thanksgiving happened on the third Thursday in November. I guess it happens on the last Thursday of the month? Share my annual thanksgiving flashback to 1967 with some beers and Arlo Guthries' original recording of "Alice's Restaraunt".


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Alice's Restaurant - Original 1967 Recording - YouTube

 

[faralos]

In the United States, Thanksgiving is always celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November

 

[Coil_Smoke]

Thanksgiving Update 2014

When FDR moved Thanksgiving: The executive action that tore a nation apart

Thanksgiving is rarely too far removed from politics. Whether it's the holiday's origins in a 1621 alliance, its first presidential commemoration by Abraham Lincoln at the height of the Civil War, or the contentious arguments many families have over their dinner tables today, political controversy often manages to intrude on a day that celebrates gratitude.

All of those pale, however, compared to the uproar that swept the nation in 1939, when President Franklin D. Roosevelt tried to move the holiday's date. States split on whether to abide by his decree, and for three years, many celebrated the holiday on separate dates — with FDR's new chosen date being derisively dubbed "Franksgiving" by Republicans.

An economic stimulus attempt

FDR carves Turkey

FDR carves a Thanksgiving turkey in 1935, four years before he went mad with power and changed the holiday's date. (Photo: Franklin D. Roosevelt library via Digital Library of Georgia)

Since the late 19th century, Thanksgiving had traditionally been celebrated on the final Thursday in November. But in 1939, Roosevelt's seventh year in office, that last Thursday fell on November 30. And that left a mere 24 days of shopping time between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Retailers believed this would lead to less money spent on holiday gifts, and would therefore hurt the economy (and, of course, their own bottom lines). The solution seemed obvious — the date should be moved one week earlier, to Thursday, November 23. Roosevelt agreed, and announced on August 15, 1939, that he would do just that, with an executive proclamation.

The partisan uproar, from Hitler comparisons to sardine cans

Alf Landon

Former Kansas Governor Alf Landon literally compared FDR to Hitler for moving Thanksgiving's date. (Library of Congress Collection)

What may have seemed like a wonkish, technocratic, good-government policy clashed with what turned out to be deeply-ingrained feelings among many Americans about when Thanksgiving should be celebrated. The Associated Press story announcing the move said Roosevelt "was shattering another precedent," and quoted a town official of Plymouth, Massachusetts saying the traditional date was "sacred."

In addition, it's unclear that the president anticipated how much of a problem his big-government solution would pose to an active, and pre-scheduled, day of football. The New York Times reported that, on the day of the announcement, "most football managers were too dumbfounded for any comment other than expressions of amazement." Frightening projections were thrown around that game attendance could fall by as much as half.

LANDON SAID FDR ANNOUNCED HIS DECISION "WITH THE OMNIPOTENCE OF A HITLER"

Republicans pounced, and used the move to portray Roosevelt as a power-mad tyrant. In an early example of Godwin's Law, FDR's recent presidential opponent Alf Landon said Roosevelt sprung his decision on "an unprepared country with the omnipotence of a Hitler." Senator Styles Bridges of New Hampshire suggested that while Roosevelt was at it, he should abolish winter.

Accordingly, many GOP governors announced they would refuse to move Thanksgiving's date. Kansas Governor Payne Ratner said that in his state, "we do not destroy tradition merely to gain newspaper headlines." And Time reported that Maine's Republican governor Lewis Barrows refused to carve a turkey at a banquet on the earlier date, and "whipped from his pocket a can of sardines instead."

But it was the Republican mayor of Atlantic City, Charles D. White, who would bestow an enduring name on the controversy. When New Jersey's Democratic governor Harry Moore agreed to move the date, White announced, tongue-in-cheek, that Atlantic City would celebrate the earlier date only "as 'Franksgiving,' in honor of our President."

In the end, only 23 out of 48 states ended up moving the holiday to FDR's preferred date — with a few others, including Texas and Colorado, celebrating on both Thursdays.

Our long national nightmare ends



The confused turkey in Holiday Inn, unsure of Thanksgiving's date. (Screencap: Kimberly Guise)

As 1941 began, the controversy still raged, with FDR setting that year's date for the particularly early November 20. That year, two-thirds of states opted to go along. An animated sequence in the film Holiday Inn — which starred Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire, and premiered the song "White Christmas" by Irving Berlin — portrayed a confused turkey jumping back and forth between those two dates on the calendar, as you can see above.

But in May of that year, Roosevelt changed his mind again, and announced he'd move the date back in 1942. The Times reported that FDR "conceded frankly that the Commerce Department had found that expected expansion of retail sales had not occurred" — and he had concluded it was an "experiment" that "had not worked." (Interestingly enough, though, more recent research indicates this judgment may have been mistaken. A study by Professor Robert Urbatsch of Iowa State found that "an earlier Thanksgiving appears to serve as economic stimulus in the labor market.")

However, things didn't go back entirely to the way they were before. At the end of 1941, Congress passed, and Roosevelt signed, a joint resolution setting Thanksgiving as not the final but the fourth Thursday in November. Essentially, that means that Thanksgiving will fall between November 22 and 28 — never on the month's last two days. The new law struck a sensible balance between the business interests of retailers and Americans' beliefs that Thanksgiving shouldn't be too early, and it has lasted ever since.

 

[pinballdaveh]

i still have it on vinyl. im glad i didnt throw it out. it might have ended up in the town dump. if it did you might need shovels, rakes and implements of destruction to dig it out. but who ever heard of a dump closed on thanksgiving? CHEERS

 

[sleepy]

Or go here:

Here:

Here:

Does pasting video players still break the PN formatting?

For some reason, this video has got Arlo sounding like Alvin.
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[Coil_Smoke]

This Just In......

This comes from a friend in Florida "Tropical Dave" I am quite moved by the sentiments expressed herein by our "Great White Father" in Washington D.C. George Washington. How I wish this nation reflected his vision of safety, domestic tranquility and happiness... C_S

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George Washington issued the first Proclamation for Thanksgiving - but Lincoln "federalized" it.

Thanksgiving Proclamation
Issued by President George Washington, at the request of Congress, on October 3, 1789
By the President of the United States of America, a Proclamation.
Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor; and—Whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me “to recommend to the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness:â€
Now, therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday, the 26th day of November next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and the favor, able interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquillity, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed; for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted; for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and, in general, for all the great and various favors which He has been pleased to confer upon us.


And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations, and beseech Him to pardon our national and other trangressions; to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have shown kindness to us), and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally, to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as He alone knows to be best.

Given under my hand at the City of New York the third day of October in the year of our Lord 1789.
Go. Washington

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I am going to add a file "Waiting For The Electrician" side1> it is a brief telling of the coming of the white man to America ...

 

[sleepy]

I do have a gripe with Mr. Washington. After The Boston Tea Party and after The Revolution was won in the name of Our Liberty, as President, he backstabbed many people, by introducing an excess vice tax on whiskey in order to cure a $50 Million deficit. He could have imposed a general tax on all, pennies on the dollar, instead of higher unjust taxes on whiskey. This would have been in keeping with egality and freedom, and would have cured the deficit much more quickly, with everybody pitching in. But the majority of the citizens did not support The Revolution. To tax everyone equally, even at pennies on the dollar, would have risked insurrection by the majority who would have balked at any tax increase that they would have to pay, and their response would have risked an insurgence of The British Empire as our government, to the death of The United States.

The unjust taxation against the few resulted in the incidents known as "The Whiskey Rebellion", and later was the influence for the founders of California to include explicit enumeration of our Rights in the State Constitution.

The kicker is this. In the last several years, my distant family has disclosed that George McMunn was a direct family member. Messrs. Ingles and McMunn received the casket from Alexandria, Va. that was used for George Washington's burial, and attended chores for the tasks, as well as attending his funeral, one of only a handful of guests invited by the family to attend.

George McMunn was a coppersmith who worked on Washington's plantation.
Several months before his death, George McMunn fabricated and installed copper whiskey stills on Washington's property by request of The President.

 

[Coil_Smoke]

Dusting Off The Old 'Thanksgiving Thread'

Once again it's Thanksgiving Day here in the States. Time to revive This_Old_Thread and give thanks to all on the inner tubes and elsewhere that contributed to surviving another year on Planet Dirt. I offer an audio/video treat that has nothing to do with the Holiday(s). In spite of the title, this is really lacking in the 'horror' department too. Some Peach Cobbler does sound nice ...



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[Isaac Sauvage]

I'm thankful that transitioned from a lame MST3000 knockoff in to a quirky-cute video!

I'm thankful that kids and teachers have off tomorrow, although that will also mean I won't get to run the club tomorrow, which operates out of the school gym. :/

I'm thankful for the treasure trove of great bande dessinee (Euro graphic novels) I've recently discovered.

I'm thankful Blue Planet II recently came out. Love that stuff.

I'm thankful friends invited me for turkey day this year, since I'm kind of alone in the area. I understand fruity wines are the thing to pair with today's food, so I'll have fun picking a couple bottles out in a few minutes.

I'm thankful a few people keep up with this site and keep the site going after all these years. That's some serious internet longevity, especially on the non-profit / independent side of things.