Best Wishes,Respect For All The Black -Mothers,Grandmothers,Aunts, On Mothers Day..It Has Been -Said That Black Women .Are The Strength Of,The Black -Community...Extra Respect For Black Mothers Raising Children -Alone And For Black .Mothers Grieving Over their Sons --,Murdered By Nazi Terrorist Police And Street Gangs...I Think --,Cynique Is A Mother And Grandmother..A Perfect Song For -Black Mothers And Girls Is Black Pearl,By Sonny Charles -And,The Checkmates.....

Thank you, Harry!

Yes happy Mother's day to Cynique, Mel and all the mothers who post and lurk here :-)

Only in a sexist patriarchal society do people need a SPECIAL DAY to let their mothers know how much they're loved and appreciated.

It's like Valentine's Day.....or Easter...or Christmas.

The REAL meaning has been drowned out by all the commercialization and ritualized binge shopping.

I was in a mall down in Atlanta with a lady friend (not a girlfriend) of mine back in February and some young girl Macy's had propped up ran up to us with a bottle of perfume and some roses asking me to show her how much I love her.
I asked her was she a Christian and she said yes.
I asked did she love everybody....she said yes (she didn't even see it coming....lol)
I said, then why don't YOU show her how much YOU love her by giving her those gifts and maybe I'll learn by example.

Businesses have learned to get rich off these holidays by practicing "guilt psychology".  They know the average person is so weak that they'll feel bad if they don't celebrate or buy their loved one a "gift".
Even some of those who claim to KNOW they're being taken advantage of will often cave in.

EVERYDAY should be Black Mother's Day.

Of course Pioneer this is true.  People are being manipulated by marketers solely for the purposes of generating revenue.  I recall Zales or one of the jewelry vendors telling dudes they had to spend at least three months salary on a wedding ring.  

I'm sure many poor saps were guilted into feeling bad if they could not pony up the funds for a marriage that would in all likelihood be temporary. 

The cost of a wedding ring is no more indicative of one's love than Mother's day is.  

Saying happy mothers day, or buying some flowers, is not like going into debt to spend three month's salary on a wedding band.. choose your battles.

Oh, puleeze.  Can we find something of substance to gripe about when it comes to commercialization? Ask mothers if they have a problem with a special day being set aside for them where their children send them cards or buy them flowers or take them out to dinner?  Ask girfriends and wives if they don't want to be sent flowers or cards or candy on Valentines day?  These are long-standing demonstrations of love  and thoughtfulness which marketers have enabled rather that exploited. and there is no harm done by this. 

As for wedding rings, their tradition dates back centuries  before slick marketers came on the scene, they have always been regarded as a token of love by the women who receive them and the more expensive the ring, they more regarded a woman feels because that's the way women are.  But few women are really disappointed by a plain wedding band, if she is in love with her groom-to-be.  Just so long as it's real gold or that whatever size the diamond is, its a real diamond.   The average joe doesn't pay cash for a wedding ring because terms are available and they can manage the 3-month salary rule because it's spread out over a period of time.  

I'm not going to the mat to fight against Mother's Day, again it is not worth it.

But the commercialization of everything from Christmas to Thanksgiving has extracted the true meaning behind all of these celebrations.  Rather, they have become very stressful situations for many.  Even suicides increase during these so called holidays.  People go into debt every year to "celebrate" Christmas, and to pay for rings.  I don't think this is necessary nor part of some historical "tradition."

This is what Chrismas means for far too many retailers--injury, mayhem, and even death.  It is all good, as long as the profits continue to roll in...

 

Troy

Saying happy mothers day, or buying some flowers, is not like going into debt to spend three month's salary on a wedding band.. choose your battles.

True, but I just don't like the fact that so many people are led around like sheep without thinking or even questioning why they're forced to do certain things on certain days even though this is called a FREE and SECULAR society.

I even challenge financial institutions as to why nearly all of them are closed on Sundays and Christmas.....lol.
I tell them keep the institutions open!
Let devout Christians have these days off if they choose and make everyone else work.

Most people aren't worshipping on Sundays or even on Christmas.
Too often they're someone in a bar getting drunk or at home getting drunk and high watching sports.






Cynique

Now Cynique, be honest with yourself........
Ask yourself, if I were a WOMAN and made that very SAME post about Mother's Day and Valentines Day would you have had the same reaction?

If a woman came to you and said that these days are highly commercialized attempts by an otherwise partriarchal society to TRY and compensate and placate women for the ordinarily sexist and discriminatory treatement they routinely through out the rest of the year...would you have disagreed?

@Pioneer1  The answers to both of your questions is "yes".  I am not a feminist and if a man wants to honor and show his appreciation for me, i am not offended by this. 

Cynique let me phrase Pioneer's question a little differently.  Let's say one of your sons blew of Mothers Day this year--he did not give you a present or even call you on that day.  However, you know that he loves and appreciates you.  He regularly takes you out to dinner and frequently calls.  Would you love your son less or be angry because your son did not celebrate "Mother Day" with you?

In the first place, little of what you say is true about the relationship I have  with my sons, so it's hard to put myself in the scenario you have "concocted".  My 3 sons use Mother's Day and may even depend on it as an occasion to make up for their ongoing lapses, and i appreciate that.  i know it sounds odd but it's like me and my kids  have kinda outgrown each other.  We're more like siblings. But on Mother's Day we all "make nice". 

Cynique

My 3 sons use Mother's Day and may even depend on it as an occasion to make up for their ongoing lapses, and i appreciate that

That was the original point I was making.

These particular days have historically been used to placate women and give them a sense of "Well atleast someone's finally thinking of me, how sweet.", in order to compensate for the discrimination practiced against them through out the rest of the year.
......as opposed to treating them equally in the first place and showing mothers respect all year round so that there would be no need to make up a special day.


But judging by your anecdotal response, I see you have little problem with that.

((shruggs shoulders))

OK.......