I was lovingly told that my post yesterday was a dud, so
hopefully today’s is better J
There has been a lot of outcry today over a video from The
Pete Holmes Show that made fun of Farmers and blamed Farmers for Daylight
Saving Time. Most of the comments I have seen have been decidedly angry, but
mine won’t be, so don’t worry!
Maybe I shouldn’t be posting this video and commenting on
it, maybe that gives this man too much power and attention like he wants. But you
can’t fight untruths if you have not witnessed them firsthand and taken the
time to truly think them through.
As I watched this video (which is posted at the bottom of
the page…you can watch after you have read my commentary!), I wasn’t overwhelmed
with rage and didn’t turn purple with speechlessness, I mostly felt sorrow. And
pity. I laughed a little. And had an overwhelming desire to hug this guy.
I know what you are thinking…hug this guy? If everybody else’s
reaction was mottled anger and raised blood pressure, why was your reaction to
give the guy a hug?
Well first off, he got his information about Daylight Saving
Time and the origins of the 8 Hour Workday all wrong. I went ahead and looked
em both up, you can check out this information: Daylight Saving Time and the 8hour workday. Contrary to what he says, these weren’t adopted for farmers.
Daylight Saving was originally proposed by Benjamin Franklin
and then was pushed into modern existence by many heads of industry (such as
railroad tycoons, etc). They had good intentions aka using the Daylight we are
graced with! And most of the industrialized world actually follows some sort of
Daylight Saving Time so the US isn’t alone there.
How bout the 8 hour work day? Apparently during the
Industrial Revolution the factory owners wanted the factories going 24/7 and
shifts tended to be 10-16 hours. Eventually they realized this was
unsustainable and unhealthy and it was recommended that an 8-hour workday be
implemented instead. There is some call to adjust that currently but we will
see what happens.
As far as harping on wheat and telling farmers to go to bed
earlier-well, he is entitled to his opinion. I’m sure there are plenty of
people out there who would gladly have him come work a day with them, which
usually start before sunrise and end well after sunset.
The biggest reason I just wanted to hug this guy? Frankly,
he sounded a little jealous. And I felt bad for him. A lot of what he said may
have been said in a sarcastic, callous way but he was right about farmers
having a relatively idyllic life. Yes, it is hard and brutal BUT how many
farmers and ranchers watch the sunset over their crops or pastures? How many
live in and are an integral part of small communities where everybody knows
everybody?
Maybe he didn’t get to grow up in a place where the workers
at the Post Office know you by name. Maybe he didn’t grow up in a place where
the local deli starts making your “usual” the minute you walk in before you
even say what you want. He probably wasn’t blessed with watching the sun rise
over the mountains as he helped deliver a calf. Or his mom didn’t bake pies and
local kids weren’t always dropped on the door step for some good old-fashioned
playing in the dirt.
So after listening to this video a few times, I mostly feel
sorry for him. We, those in Ag, are truly the LUCKY ONES.
We are so in tune with Nature. We are so in tune with what
is going on in the communities we live in and are always trying to make our
lives and the lives of our children better. We get to do something we
absolutely could not imagine life without EVERY SINGLE DAY. And we don’t have
to make fun of other people to earn a living- especially not the hard-working
individuals who feed, clothe, and keep rural communities together.
“Sweet, sweet, heavenly b******…..You breeze enjoying,
pitchfork holding, pie cooling, neighbor trusting, salt of the earth, Norman
Rockwell *bleep-bleep*”
The famous Norman Rockwell painting doesn’t even remotely
illustrate modern farms and ranches. And no, oat bag dresses are not the
fashion du jour. But seriously, let’s send this guy some grilled cheeses and
ice cream, and quite possibly some hugs, because at the end of the day, WE ARE
THE LUCKY ONES.
Watch the video and let me know what you think! Maybe after
reading my comments you might agree that hatred is not the answer. A little
education, feeding, and maybe some God-filled love would better serve I think.
