Now that Thanksgiving is through, Chanukah is in full throttle, and Christmas is only 25 days around the corner, we can officially say that the 2013 holiday season is underway. Theoretically, holidays are about traditions, spending time with family, and taking stock of the things for which we are thankful. But in reality, the holidays have become more about the tangible than the warm and fuzzy. The increased commercialization of the holidays not only speaks to our misplaced values as a society, but also magnifies the increased economic inequality that has become so prevalent in America. On Sunday’s Melissa Harris-Perry, join us for a conversation on the American values we have long treasured and the contradictions that exist between them and the legislative behaviors of Congress when it comes to issues like hunger, immigration, and the definition of family.
The holidays only remind us of inequality once a year. But there is another holiday staple that also highlights disparities, one that we actually see each week but probably rarely think of in social or economic terms. Yes, it’s football. For starters, this pastMonday, in what many saw as a display of disingenuousness, Redskin’s owner Dan Snyder paid tribute to Navajo Code Talkers from World War II. Clad in Redskin’s apparel, the men were honored at halftime as part of the NFL’s Salute to Service month. Of course the event came even as controversy over the team’s name continues.
On the collegiate level, though football teams are supposed to represent an institution’s pride and success, some teams are left to practice in decrepit facilities and under constantly changing leadership due to cuts in public education funding. Join uson Sunday when Melissa and her panel will specifically discuss the plight of Grambling College’s football program facing difficult times in light of Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal’s budget cuts.
No matter what holiday you celebrate, we can all appreciate a well-executed pie. Pumpkin, apple, cherry, rhubarb, blueberry – you name it and someone has probably made a pie out of it. On Sunday’s show we are diving right into the life of pie: where it came from, how it’s made, and so much more. If you’re making a pie out there in Nerdland, we want to see it! Make sure you tweet a picture at us using #NerdPie.
Be sure to read what we’ve linked above, and watch Melissa Harris-Perry Sunday at 10 a.m. EST on MSNBC! Also, don’t forget to join us on Facebook and Twitter with the hashtag #nerdland.
Rachel Zuckerman