by David Lindfield
Wisconsin state Rep. Francesca Hong (D-WI), a dues-paying member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), is facing renewed scrutiny after years of social media posts revealed her disdain for several of America’s most popular holidays.
Hong, who is leading the Democrat gubernatorial primary, has criticized Thanksgiving, Valentine’s Day, Halloween, and Fourth of July fireworks, prompting commentators across the political spectrum to compare her to the Grinch.
Hong Called for Thanksgiving to Be ‘Canceled’
The controversy began with a November 2020 post in which Hong urged Americans to abandon Thanksgiving.
“Cancel Thanksgiving,” Hong wrote, arguing that the country should “stop celebrating colonialism and the original superspreader event that killed Indegenous [sic.] folx and women.”
Hong later walked back the remark amid backlash, claiming Thanksgiving is actually her “favorite holiday.”
But other resurfaced posts suggest Thanksgiving was hardly the only celebration that irritated the socialist lawmaker.
Valentine’s Day Blamed on Capitalism
On Valentine’s Day in 2022, Hong used the occasion to attack capitalism and people celebrating the holiday.
“I miss working in a restaurant every day…except on VDay,” Hong wrote.
“As if we weren’t invisible enough to those who don’t recognize the emotional & physical labor of service work, the worst of humanity comes out from folks ‘celebrating’ on another day capitalism tells you how to show love.”
Rather than viewing Valentine’s Day as an occasion for romance, Hong portrayed it as another scheme by capitalism to control how Americans express affection.
‘I Would Ask Every Single Person in Costume to Leave’
Hong also made clear that Halloween is “not my thing.”
“I don’t allow myself to work Halloween weekend or the day of,” she wrote in 2019.
“I would actually ask every single person in costume to leave.”