There are MANY articles out there trying to justify "Grey Thursday" shopping.  As if our American consumer greed was not out of control enough, some stores opened on Thursday evening to get a jump on sales.  I see your justifications of "hard times for retailers" and "a lovely way to spend an evening after stuffing your face" or even "it's a free market society."  But I'm here to tell you I'm not buying it!

We can justify this all day long but the principle that is being trampled is still laying there in full view.  The true meaning behind a day of thanksgiving has always been to stop, spend time with family, and count our blessings.  The great value of this pause in one's life, this tiny blip of a pause in the long mad dash of one's life experience, is more valuable than we are giving it credit for.

Certainly many are working, and have worked, on holidays.  But comparing a nurse in a hospital to a Wal-mart worker to justify your consumer greed is not going to work with me.  There's plenty of time for Americans to fight over cheap cell phones and crappy electronics products on Black Friday without sullying the name or meaning of Thanksgiving also.

So I'm not buying it.  I'm not shopping this weekend, and I won't set foot in a store on Thursday to save a buck.  I might just lose a tiny piece of my soul, or my dignity, in the process.