The title of Judith Martin's 1996 book, Miss Manners Rescues Civilization, is supposed "to say it all". As part of that "all", Miss Manners says you should always thank your host or hostess for hospitality. Thank some one for a gift. Thank some one for a courtesy.

But, neither in her book, nor, to my knowledge, in any of her columns, has Miss Manners ever said anything about those creators who saved her from the cave and created the civilization which She claims to rescue.

Where is the thanks to the early inventors of the arms for winning our American Revolution? For the devices which built the technology of our early Republic? Where, in Miss Manners' daily columns, appears thanks to those who have given us the blessings of gentility and technology in our time? Where are the Thanks for the bounties of The Initiators?

And it's the same (benign neglect?) at the dinners and cocktail parties where Miss Manners is joined by painters, sculptors, musicians, theatrical performers, and other creators -- their Artsy-NoHeartsy behavior is as intolerant of these creators-of-creators as those who sneer about "The Artsy-Fartsy". The protocol seems to be: Give thanks for the little things, but not for the big.

Of course, we can't honor creators by a legal holiday. Some say we already have to many of these. But we can honor them by an Ameriday. (I call upon those of you who KNOW and CARE and DARE to help me create an Ameriday Calendar to dedicate every day to the year to some American creator,

          Artsy-NoHearsty!
          You ignore the partsy
          Creators-of-Creators play in your work.
          They create your tools
          But you treat them like fools.
          You're not "paying your way" for each "perk".

Let's celebrate a DAILY THANKSGIVING for our ENDOWMENTS.