Job Discussion Forums

Capergirl · Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2003 12:10 pm Post subject: Father's Day

I want to say Happy Father's Day to all the dads around the world, especially those who are miles away from their little 'uns today (my daughter's father included).

Have a great day, Dads! Smile

"Fathers, like mothers, are not born.
Men grow into fathers-
and fathering is
a very important stage in their development."
~~By David M. Gottesman.~~

"It is a wise father that knows his own child."
~~By William Shakespeare (1564-1616)~~

"It doesn't matter who my father was;
it matters who I remember he was."
~~By Anne Sexton (1928-1974) U.S. poet.~~

"I cannot think of any need in childhood
as strong as the need for a father's protection."
~~By Sigmund Freud (1856-1939)~~

"A Man's children and his garden both reflect the
amount of weeding done during the growing season."
~~Author Unknown.~~

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

Can I point out that "Father's Day" is a US institution and is not celebrated in large tracts of Planet Earth.

Note also the difference between "International Women's Day) (8 March) which is celebrated widely in many countries, and Mothers' Day which is a US institution recently exported to some other countries.

Holidays are not universal. Try celebrating Easter in Saudi and see what happens !

johnslat · Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2003 3:38 pm Post subject: Where's Poppa?

Dear scot47,
So, what's the problem with you guys in that part of the world we USAers call " The Rest "? No fathers?
Regards,
John

Shonai Ben · Joined: 15 Feb 2003 Posts: 617

Please be aware that some of us no longer have our fathers on this earth to wish a Happy Father's Day to.
But I still acknowledge the day.

Capergirl · Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2003 4:03 pm Post subject:

@Scot47:
I do know that holidays are not universal. I *have* lived and worked on another continent.
I also know that Father's Day is a North American (not "U.S.") concept, but I have been told it is also celebrated in some parts of Europe--specifically, England--albeit on a different day.

My post was for those Western ESL/EFL teachers frequenting this board who are celebrating Father's Day today. If that was unclear, then I apologize. However, I would venture a guess that the objective was quite lucid to most of the readers.

johnslat · Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2003 4:53 pm Post subject:

Dear Shonai Ben,
I am, I assure you, aware of that - my father passed on about 8 years ago.
Regards,
John

leonie553 · Joined: 04 May 2003 Posts: 10 Location: Qatar

Dear Capergirl
Thank you for your post - I'm not American but it made me think of my father and I gave him a call that night (even though it wasn't Father's Day). Don't let any detractors bother you because it's good to read some nice posts like yours for a change instead of the usual complaints.
regards
Leonie

Scot 47 - could I ask you a hypothetical question?
If you were a contestant on a reality TV show and you happened to win a prize of a million pounds and a dinner date with Miss Universe - what would be the first thing that you would complain about?

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

My point is that you should not assume that all of us are US citizens who celebrate US holidays.
Very often it seems people from the USA seek to impose their world view on the rest of us.
Part of that takes the form of assuming that we all celebrate Fathers Day or Thanksgiving or the Fourth of July.
Can we have a bit of sensitivity ?

And as for the hypothetical question about Miss World and a Million Pounds, I would say thank you to the latter but no thank you to the former. I am a happily-married man and have no wish to change that.

johnslat · Posted: Mon Jun 16, 2003 8:48 am Post subject: Enjoy Fathers' Day or we invade

Dear scot47,
Do you have something against cultural imperialism? You vill celebrate Fathers' Day and you vill LIKE it. You have relatives in Berlin, no?
Regards,
John

Guest · Posted: Mon Jun 16, 2003 10:38 am Post subject:

We had Father's Day yesterday in England too. It might have come from the US, but it's been around here for as long as I can remember and I think it's an excellent idea.

arioch36 · Joined: 21 Jan 2003 Posts: 3589

Capergirl, thanx for the mention. I taught Mike and the Mechanics "In the Living Years" to my students this week. ( About not taking advantage of our limited time to establish a relationship with our fathers). It really struck home with a lot of them. I will write to my Father a belated father's day card, though we are partly estranged.

Don't worry about Scot's chip. It has been there a while. I guess he resents the fact that London no longer enslaves and imposes its will on half the world. Good thing you said nothing about the US imperialistic Mother's Day. A few posters at Dave's even think that mothers are prostitutes.

Your father is a lucky man!

Capergirl · Posted: Mon Jun 16, 2003 10:34 pm Post subject: REVISED POSTING

Please note the following revision to my original post:

To all of the Canadian and American citizens teaching at home and abroad who happen to be dads, have dads (deceased or living), or have father figures who are like dads, and who also wish to celebrate the North American tradition known as "Father's Day", Happy Father's Day. To those who do not celebrate this occasion, enjoy your weekend and please disregard the rest of this posting.

Note: For those who might be a tad confused, Canada and the U.S. are two separate and distinct countries. Thanksgiving Day in each country and our respective "national" days are not celebrated on the same day. Please do not feel pressured to wish me a happy Canada Day on July 1st. I will not take this as a sign of insensitivity on the part of non-Canadians.

Rolling Eyes

johnslat · Posted: Tue Jun 17, 2003 3:07 am Post subject: And, for your penance . . .

Dear Capergirl,
Well, that should cover it ( excuse me while I chortle - ah, I needed that ).
Welcome to the PC ( and I don't mean " personal computer " ) Age, where we ALL must be VERY careful not to unwittingly offend the sensibilities of anyone else on the planet. You are hereby forgiven for being such a " cultural imperialist ". Absolvo te; go and sin no more.
PCly,
John

Ann · Joined: 02 Feb 2003 Posts: 45

scot47,
I enjoy your posts in other forums, but you seem to have a chip on your shoulder about the good ol' USA!
Just let it go because it's going to keep coming back to haunt you. Wink

Seriously, millions of people celebrate Father's Day and even if they don't, what's the harm in acknowledging their presence if they're alive? Or remembering them if they're not?
As they say here in the US, "Take a chill pill, pal."
HA!

Steiner · Joined: 21 Apr 2003 Posts: 573 Location: Hunan China

Now, I wonder if Capergirl will post anything on July 1. Capergirl, don't you dare try to wish me a happy Canada Day! I am not Canadian and would be offended and angry the entire day if you mention Canada Day. Wink

Father's Day is an import to China from N.America, maybe, but I would've forgotten all about it if my high school students hadn't told me.