Mint and chocolate — the perfect harmony. The two flavors melt together in unison, generating delight and pleasure with each taste. The sweet, rich flavor of the chocolate and the sharp, refreshing mint leaves were meant to be.
President’s Day? I don’t think so. Today, Feb. 19, is Chocolate Mint Day, and I intend to celebrate it with vigor. I am going to crack open a tub of mint chocolate chip ice cream, pour some mint schnapps into my hot chocolate and bunker down for a viewing of “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.”
I’ve always loved holidays. I love strange traditions with my family, like ordering a heart-shaped pizza on Valentine’s Day or watching the movie “Groundhog Day” every Groundhog Day. I theme my makeup and clothing to match my favorite holidays, and I spend all year planning my Halloween costume.
President’s Day was made to honor all United States presidents, past and present. I loved it when I was a kid. We would make America-themed crafts in class and talk about the great George Washington. I loved the flag, and I loved our country.
At this point, I honestly like chocolate mint better than I like America. I don’t want to celebrate all of the horrible things we did to found this country, and I don’t want to celebrate all of the horrible things we are still doing. I don’t want to celebrate the presidents who have been responsible for genocide and crimes against humanity. I don’t want to celebrate the people who colonized countries. I don’t want to celebrate presidents who created or continue to uphold racist laws.
My disdain for our current administration is no secret. I find the President Donald Trump foul, uncouth and unfit to serve our country. He lacks experience, tact and empathy. The ideals his platform presses forward advance racist, sexist and homophobic policies. I simply cannot stand behind him or his administration.
The past presidents are no better. We as a country have pressed into unnecessary wars, massacred Native American people, enslaved black people for our own financial benefit and put Japanese Americans in internment camps. Led by so-called “great” men, we as a country have committed crimes against humanity for which we have never made amends. I simply cannot celebrate something, or someone, I find goes so far against the principles I was taught our country stands for — liberty and justice for all.
National pride is lacking for me right now, and I’m at a loss of how to celebrate. So instead of breaking out my red, white and blue, I’ll be rocking the brown and green. Instead of telling stories about our nation’s history, I’ll be researching the history of the cacao bean. Instead of playing classic American tunes, I’ll be scourging the internet for the mintiest songs I can find.
Chocolate mint isn’t inherently racist. Chocolate mint doesn’t discriminate. Chocolate mint makes everyone happy. And it is absolutely delicious. Happy Chocolate Mint Day, everyone.
@TheChrony
I am a Western Chauvinist and I refuse to apologize for creating the modern world. • Feb 20, 2018 at 8:25 pm
This whole column is serious bugman/soyboy stuff, but let’s turn to some quotes, bud.
“My disdain for our current administration is no secret. I find the President Donald Trump foul, uncouth and unfit to serve our country. He lacks experience, tact and empathy. The ideals his platform presses forward advance racist, sexist and homophobic policies. I simply cannot stand behind him or his administration.”
Okay. How exactly is Truvada Trump homophobic when he was openly holding up the LGBTs for Trump flag? Why do people keep accusing him of being homophobic when there’s never been anything to defend that claim?
“The past presidents are no better. We as a country have pressed into unnecessary wars, massacred Native American people, enslaved black people for our own financial benefit and put Japanese Americans in internment camps. Led by so-called ‘great’ men, we as a country have committed crimes against humanity for which we have never made amends. I simply cannot celebrate something, or someone, I find goes so far against the principles I was taught our country stands for — liberty and justice for all.”
Yes, we have indeed engaged in unnecessary wars, but probably not the ones you are thinking about. The Civil War should have resolved with the South being permitted to secede (secession was indeed consistent with the Constitution and this nation’s founding principles). WWI was the U.S.’s fault, if you look at the nitty gritty. Same goes with WWII; if the veterans who fought in WWII could see things today (including this column tbh fam), there’s good reason to think they would’ve joined the Axis. And the Iraq/Afghanistan wars are really just wars for Israel. Now the elite J-Leftist Media-Americans who live on Twitter are trying to meme a war with Syria/Russia/Iran into reality. But Generation Z is becoming aware of these things and is willing to stand up for America First!
Now, you say we massacred Native Amerindians, and indeed there were tragedies, but all people have similar histories in their past. As for enslavement, indeed, we never should have brought slaves to America, and it would’ve been better to have sent them back to Africa following the Civil War, as many advocated at the time. It was selfish aristocrats (not all of whom were even white, by the way) who hated the white working class that supported slavery.
Barber Response • Feb 20, 2018 at 11:46 am
Barber never ceases to amaze with her articles that show off the true worth of political science. With hypocrisy that surpasses that of our own national politicians it is a shock she hasn’t already won an office. She already posts the latest version of democratic propaganda in each of her “articles” (if you wish to insult the world of journalism by calling her writing that). Calls for respect and unity in one article while refusing to acknowledge any good in the USA in the next. In other words tolerance is meant to be shown to her and her movement but not the rest of the world. Just so she knows we as a country have also made the most charitable donations then any other country. When you compare it to a percent of GDP we nearly double second place (we are deplorable). We as a country also give more foreign aid than any other nation in the world (wow I hate this country now too). We also spent millions of dollars flying supplies into a war torn Berlin so that half of its people could still remain free from the oppressive practices of communism in the soviet union (yeah you’re right chocolate mint ice cream is probably better). We also provided a safe haven for religious outcasts at our nations founding (evil from the beginning that explains everything). So you are welcome to define nations and people by their worst actions but it is better to choose to try and see the good in others. It really helps the world look less bleak and make it so you aren’t so angry all the time in all your “articles”.
Awaiting your response.