Celebrating Fat Tuesday
Let’s take a break from solving the inescapable problems of the world. There’s no doubt they never end. What the heck, for full disclosure or rather transparency as the popular saying today goes, today is Fat Tuesday.
Don’t be insulted, please. It’s the time to be stuffing ourselves with pancakes, celebrating Shrove Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday.
In practicality, Fat Tuesday derives from what the French call Mardi Gras. Most know New Orleans, Louisiana, has made this a wild celebration. Christians mark this as the beginning of Lent, a fasting period leading up to Easter.
On this 13th day of February, celebrations also mark today as National Tortellini Day and Safer Internet Day U.S.
All this leads to tomorrow, the 14th. Yes, Saint Valentine’s Day. Of course, the day for lovers, and gifts and diet-breaking candies. In case it’s forgotten, Wednesday is also National Cream-Filled Chocolates Day, mighty fine, and National Organ Donor Day, a good one, too.
Readers may have forgotten it’s also National Ferris Wheel Day. The only such thing similar to me was a secure ride on the London Eye. That’s an engineering marvel and a story for another time.
February is also a time of much historical acknowledgements as presidential birthdays – Gen. George Washington on the 22nd and Honest Ave Lincoln on the 12th, which was yesterday.
Each of the 45 presidents are lumped together in these times, and the holiday this year is Monday next, the 19th. It’ll be a federal holiday, a day off, and Mr. T (sic) is included. No, gentle reader, HRC (sic) is not included, nor is Jefferson Davis. No explanation needed.
February is also Black History Month. Historian Carter G. Woodson actually began the recognition in February 1926. It was President Gerald Ford’s official designation in 1976 that began the honor. Every chief executive since has followed suit.
Stories of black achievements are featured regularly in all media forms, especially during this time and are certainly in line with today’s living.
Many citizens forget the days, or don’t recall, when newspapers always used racial designations in referring to people of color in news stories, no matter the subject matter.
During this month, I always remember early newspaper days when a young Black activist attorney often wrote letters addressed “Harry Covert, a Caucasian.” The point was well taken. However, it took action from publishers and professional associations in the 1970s to end the practice.
Obviously in today’s reporting, another designation has captured the lingo. It’s always the first person to do this and that. Perhaps that is improvement.
Why not only refer to individuals by name? It’s easy and proper.
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