June 21 is Go Skateboarding Day
Rebellion, trademarked.
Today is Go Skateboarding Day, created in 2004 by the International Association of Skateboard Companies (IASC). We’d like to let the founders describe their motives.
According to the IASC site, “The holiday began June 21, 2004, as an excuse for skateboarders to make skateboarding their top priority.”
It goes on to describe the day in a way that sounds a bit less selfless:
Go Skateboarding Day is a cooperative of decentralized events that take place around the globe. Skateboard retailers, manufacturers, skateparks, distributors, organizations and individuals of all colors, creeds, and attitudes hold skateboarding events to celebrate the holiday.
Lest we despair that the S in skateboarding stands for $, that cynical capitalists aim to exploit young consumers, the IASC explains the day’s focus:
Go Skateboarding Day originated as the day for skateboarders to have fun, to raise awareness about the issues we face; to show the world what skateboarding is really all about; to reclaim our culture; and to define skateboarding as the rebellious, creative celebration of independence it continues to be.
What could be a more rebellious, creative celebration of independence than a corporate-sponsored holiday?
In the years since that first celebration, the holiday continues to grow, but the mission remains the same: Have fun, go skateboarding!
We would add only one thing: Have fun, go skateboarding and buy stuff!
My grandson took up skateboarding a few years ago. Since then I have reason to believe there’s been an active conspiracy to keep me from watching him do it. Possibly because those folks think I’d freak out to see him risk life and limb, or at least limb. Possibly because those folks would be right. I saw a photo once of a lady around my age – helmet, knee pads, elbow pads, a groovy board, the whole kit. She looked perfectly sane, at the moment the photo was snapped anyway. She also looked wiry as a sapling and equally flexible. I’m neither wiry nor sapling-like, plus I’m considerably clumsy. So, despite my boast to being up for almost anything, skateboarding shall reside in the exceptions column. Now I’ve discovered the entire endeavor is little more than a greedy corporate conspiracy. Hmm. Do you think they might be in league with those folks who won’t let me watch my grandson?