Letter | Super Bowl Sunday is not a national holiday

One on-air commentator blurted out that “Super Bowl Sunday has become a national holiday.” Well, not really.

A real national holiday recalls an ancient faith that gave impetus to our way of life (Christmas), remembers a good president or two (Presidents Day), memorializes a season of intense tribulation at the founding (Thanksgiving). A national holiday is a public holiday.

The Super Bowl is one of many quasi “public” events that celebrate the transfer of wealth from the working poor and middle class to the super wealthy – players and coaches, owners, corporate advertisers, celebrity attendees who get free publicity, and halftime entertainers.

Rhianna’s terribly unenthusiastic “Thank you, Arizona” at the conclusion of her performance summed it up beautifully. She showed little affection for Arizona or Arizonans, about whom she likely knows little, but demonstrated the politeness of a member of the 1% class who just completed a very large sale of her wares to thousands of consumers.

America has few if any recent public achievements to celebrate in a solemn way. What we have left is to join with our overlords in celebrating the conquest of America by unholy private interests.

Kimball Shinkoskey

Woods Cross, Utah