A buddy of mine, Joe, had a terrible week. His dad was in the hospital with rapidly failing health. The doctors seemed helpless to treat him. As Joe's father's pain grew worse he had less and less energy to fight back any longer. It seemed as if the end was near. The family began the difficult process of making peace and saying goodbye. Then yesterday there was a break, and the hospital decided to send him home as his condition had improved a bit.
Baby steps, might be the best way the doctors are proceeding with treatments. Christmas miracle? Christmas blessing? Who can say? Joe's dad is still serioussly ill, but his mom put it perfectly, as the family made sudden and unexpected plans for the holiday at home, instead of at the hospital, or worse. "At least we'll all be together," she said.
Many of us are apart from our families on this holiday, for a thousand and one reasons. Some are off to war, others stuck in airports. many of us are scattered across the country, out of work, short of cash, short of time, and some are seperated by their own pride, shame or ego. But the mgic of the season, regardless of faith is supposed to be one of love and forgiveness and redemption.
The lesson of Joe and his family is that we take the chance to say to family and friends how much we cherish them and cre for them while they are here. The lesson is that we take the opportunity to say "I love you," while they and we are still able to reach across the isle, pick up a phone, arrive on a doorstep or scribble a note. Life flees us all too quickly, and too unexpectedly to squander those chances.
And it extends beyond families and friends in the purest and nicest of ways. There are those who will politicize the season, and those who wish to impose obligatory greetings, as if they were paying hommage to a potentate. This morning on the way to work, from a Muslim fellow at a convenience store to most everyone else came heart felt and sincere Christmas and holiday greetings.
After the craziness and insanity of shopping malls has passed, after the politics and foolishness, after all the jerks who try to turn the holiday into a cause rather than a celebration between people this is my favorite time of the season. And to all those I have ever hurt or disappointed, I am sorry. To all those close to me, I love you and the Merriest of Christmas'
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Monday, December 21, 2009
THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKIN 'BOUT
How's this for a brilliant statement, made last night by Bill Cunningham. Bill describes himself as a Devout Christian and a "Great American." On last night's show he showed how so-called Christians are ruining Christmas for the rest of us by helping to make it a meaner, more politicized and far more hypocritical holiday. The show, by the way, broadcast on WLS AM890, which is owned and operated by ABC-you know, that bastion of liberal news and propaganda. The same ABC whose stations run almost exclusively Right wing hate talkers like Limbaugh, Hannity and Levin.
"When I get invited to holiday parties," Cunningham told his audience, "I don't go. When I get invited to Christmas Parties, I often go." Must be nice for any Jewish, or friends of another faith who celebrate the package of multi-ethnic holidays beginning with Thanksgiving and ending with New Years, or even the Orthodox Christmas celebration in late January. Imagine inviting tough guy Cunningham to a party share the joy, friendship and goodwill of the season only to have him basically flip you a big old Republican middle finger.
Its this whole BS war on Christmas that Righties use as a sharp stick to poke folks who aren't paying close attention, are easily swayed or are already nasty litt;e people. What they have succeeded in doing is only making the holiday meaner and nastier. And the season has become nastier, in part because of the consumer mentality that is the truest threat to the Christmas message, but in no small part to disingenuous and scheming people like Cunningham and others.
Turn off Cunningham and WLS, put the jerks out of business and let them go find a real job where they might actually contribute something to the world instead of coarsening it. Lets make this Jerkless Christmas...
That's what I'm talkin 'bout!
"When I get invited to holiday parties," Cunningham told his audience, "I don't go. When I get invited to Christmas Parties, I often go." Must be nice for any Jewish, or friends of another faith who celebrate the package of multi-ethnic holidays beginning with Thanksgiving and ending with New Years, or even the Orthodox Christmas celebration in late January. Imagine inviting tough guy Cunningham to a party share the joy, friendship and goodwill of the season only to have him basically flip you a big old Republican middle finger.
Its this whole BS war on Christmas that Righties use as a sharp stick to poke folks who aren't paying close attention, are easily swayed or are already nasty litt;e people. What they have succeeded in doing is only making the holiday meaner and nastier. And the season has become nastier, in part because of the consumer mentality that is the truest threat to the Christmas message, but in no small part to disingenuous and scheming people like Cunningham and others.
Turn off Cunningham and WLS, put the jerks out of business and let them go find a real job where they might actually contribute something to the world instead of coarsening it. Lets make this Jerkless Christmas...
That's what I'm talkin 'bout!
Friday, December 11, 2009
Top 10 Socialist Christmas Movies
Thought I'd help my fellow socialists with their approved Christmas Movie list. Tea Baggers would do their robotic holiday observation well to avoid these at all costs, lest they be hypnotized and indoctrinated.
1. THE GRINCH WHO STOLE CHRISTMAS- This movie has an unholy, liberal message about redemption and forgiveness, particularly considering the Grinch is a non-white multiple offender. A decent god-fearing NRA member should pop a cap in this grinch's $%#@!!
2. HOLIDAY INN (1942)- Lavish costumes, dancing by a tall slim impeccably dressed man, a campy story and an extravagant soundtrack by Irving Berlin...definitely homosexual!
3. BABES IN TOYLAND(1934)- Where to start, where to start! This Mother Goose tale stars Laurel and Hardy, two odd and sonmewhat effeminate men, with no obvious female companionship. Keep your kids away as this features a same sex wedding. See, Hollywood was controlled by the Gay mafia back then. And Mother Goose? Obviosly a welfare mother suckling off the public dole.
4.WE'RE NO ANGELS-Escaped convicts find goodness and redemption at Christmas time? What if they were Al queda terrorists awaiting trial in New York in one of Obama's civil courts? Three strikes you're a commie!
5. JOYEUX NOEL(2006)-This pie in the sky liberal antiwar flick tells the true story of thousands of French and German soldiers who in 1914 joined in a spontaneous Christmas ceasfire. Thank god the commanders in the rear through threats and spot executions compelled these cowards bcck to war. If they had not we might never have enjoyed another 5-8 million casualties or set the stage for the Second World War, the Holocaust and Hitler. Whew, that was a close one! Oh, yeah, and it is a French Movie.
6.LOVE ACTUALLY(2003)- Love? Without shopping? Blasphemy! No commercials here, just a boring story about people forgiving and giving of themselves noncomercially. Obviously anti-capitalist. Worst of all, Hugh Grant plays an anti-American British Prime minister who audaciously dares to assert that another country might dare to be an equal to the US.
7.A CHRISTMAS CAROL(The good one with Reginald Owen)-Scrooge, the lead character, a white well-to-do business mogul is portrayed here in a harshly negative light. His selfish and obviously liberal employees ungratefully whine that they need food and healthcare for Tiny Tim or he will die, boo-hoo! The whole premise of this move promotes a redistribution of wealth from the haves to the have-nots. A better message would be the lowly loser employees suckling at the teet of poor scrooge think more bout the corporate bottom line than their paltry and fleeting needs for life liberty and the pursuit of happiness. The ghost of Christmas Past Present and Future could discuss retail sales to Scrooge's deadbeat employees. Get to work Cratchett!
8. IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE(1946)- Yet another assault on Capitalism. This one might be the worst as all the characters speak American and the attack on business gets hidden within emotion. here, here, is where the current banking crisis began! At the bailey Building and Loan, giving all those home loans to people who can't afford to own a home. Again, the one true businessman is portayed as a greedy, mean, spiteful man-as if those were bad qualities. Pathetic Mister capra, just pathetic.
1. THE GRINCH WHO STOLE CHRISTMAS- This movie has an unholy, liberal message about redemption and forgiveness, particularly considering the Grinch is a non-white multiple offender. A decent god-fearing NRA member should pop a cap in this grinch's $%#@!!
2. HOLIDAY INN (1942)- Lavish costumes, dancing by a tall slim impeccably dressed man, a campy story and an extravagant soundtrack by Irving Berlin...definitely homosexual!
3. BABES IN TOYLAND(1934)- Where to start, where to start! This Mother Goose tale stars Laurel and Hardy, two odd and sonmewhat effeminate men, with no obvious female companionship. Keep your kids away as this features a same sex wedding. See, Hollywood was controlled by the Gay mafia back then. And Mother Goose? Obviosly a welfare mother suckling off the public dole.
4.WE'RE NO ANGELS-Escaped convicts find goodness and redemption at Christmas time? What if they were Al queda terrorists awaiting trial in New York in one of Obama's civil courts? Three strikes you're a commie!
5. JOYEUX NOEL(2006)-This pie in the sky liberal antiwar flick tells the true story of thousands of French and German soldiers who in 1914 joined in a spontaneous Christmas ceasfire. Thank god the commanders in the rear through threats and spot executions compelled these cowards bcck to war. If they had not we might never have enjoyed another 5-8 million casualties or set the stage for the Second World War, the Holocaust and Hitler. Whew, that was a close one! Oh, yeah, and it is a French Movie.
6.LOVE ACTUALLY(2003)- Love? Without shopping? Blasphemy! No commercials here, just a boring story about people forgiving and giving of themselves noncomercially. Obviously anti-capitalist. Worst of all, Hugh Grant plays an anti-American British Prime minister who audaciously dares to assert that another country might dare to be an equal to the US.
7.A CHRISTMAS CAROL(The good one with Reginald Owen)-Scrooge, the lead character, a white well-to-do business mogul is portrayed here in a harshly negative light. His selfish and obviously liberal employees ungratefully whine that they need food and healthcare for Tiny Tim or he will die, boo-hoo! The whole premise of this move promotes a redistribution of wealth from the haves to the have-nots. A better message would be the lowly loser employees suckling at the teet of poor scrooge think more bout the corporate bottom line than their paltry and fleeting needs for life liberty and the pursuit of happiness. The ghost of Christmas Past Present and Future could discuss retail sales to Scrooge's deadbeat employees. Get to work Cratchett!
8. IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE(1946)- Yet another assault on Capitalism. This one might be the worst as all the characters speak American and the attack on business gets hidden within emotion. here, here, is where the current banking crisis began! At the bailey Building and Loan, giving all those home loans to people who can't afford to own a home. Again, the one true businessman is portayed as a greedy, mean, spiteful man-as if those were bad qualities. Pathetic Mister capra, just pathetic.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Cartoon Worship
Obama's inconsiderate wish to inform the American peaople about a war and the deployment of 30,000 troops to Afghanistan provoked outrage from the mayor of Arlington, Republican Russell Wiseman, because it prempted a cartoon. I guess his FOX news feed was out that night and cartoons how most informed republicrooks get their news...jeez, where is the sarcasm button on this computer?
His eloquence made the following pithy retort on his Facebook page:
"Ok, so, this is total crap, we sit the kids down to watch 'The Charlie Brown Christmas Special' and our muslim president is there, what a load.....try to convince me that wasn't done on purpose. Ask the man if he believes that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and he will give you a 10 minute disertation (sic) about it....when the answer should simply be 'yes'...." He goes on to say, "you obama people need to move to a muslim country...oh wait, that's America....pitiful."
Can such wisdom be topped? Wiseman continued."You know, our forefathers had it written in the original Constitution that ONLY property owners could vote, if that has stayed in there, things would be different........"
The Local time killers on AM560 hate radio, John and Cisco, could only find cause to rationalize and sympathize with Wiseman. His remarks provided a segway into a non-controversy with a CBS commercial for the sitcom "Two and a half Men" goofing on Frosty the Snowman. Oh the outrage over CBS's audacity for assailing the image of the sainted snowman. By the contrived or misplaced outrage one might conclude that Frosty and the Peanuts gang were standing in the manger with the baby Jesus. Or was Charlie Brown and Frosty crucified beside jesus while Lucy wept at...I forget my scripture sometimes.
Forgive me, but what do cartoon characters really have to do with the Birth of Jesus, of peace on earth and goodwill towards men? Guess those aren't important anymore. Go shopping, buy-buy-buy, hate gays and immigrants, shoot something, war-war-war-war! I guess that is what Christmas has become in America.
Republicrooks are outraged that these Christmas traditions have been abused by our Muslim President. The Peanuts and frosty the Snowman cartoon are maybe 25 or 30 years old. Considering roughly two thousand years since Jesus was born, I'd make the cartoons more of a recent habit than a tradition.
By the way, what do they think Santa and Misses Claus do in the off season? If they are good Christian souls then we can well imagine their love for one another is expressed in a variety of ways...and positions. Maybe over one of the toy benches in the workshop while the elves are away? Then again, all that down time in the cold North Pole might explain where all those elves came from in the first place!
His eloquence made the following pithy retort on his Facebook page:
"Ok, so, this is total crap, we sit the kids down to watch 'The Charlie Brown Christmas Special' and our muslim president is there, what a load.....try to convince me that wasn't done on purpose. Ask the man if he believes that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and he will give you a 10 minute disertation (sic) about it....when the answer should simply be 'yes'...." He goes on to say, "you obama people need to move to a muslim country...oh wait, that's America....pitiful."
Can such wisdom be topped? Wiseman continued."You know, our forefathers had it written in the original Constitution that ONLY property owners could vote, if that has stayed in there, things would be different........"
The Local time killers on AM560 hate radio, John and Cisco, could only find cause to rationalize and sympathize with Wiseman. His remarks provided a segway into a non-controversy with a CBS commercial for the sitcom "Two and a half Men" goofing on Frosty the Snowman. Oh the outrage over CBS's audacity for assailing the image of the sainted snowman. By the contrived or misplaced outrage one might conclude that Frosty and the Peanuts gang were standing in the manger with the baby Jesus. Or was Charlie Brown and Frosty crucified beside jesus while Lucy wept at...I forget my scripture sometimes.
Forgive me, but what do cartoon characters really have to do with the Birth of Jesus, of peace on earth and goodwill towards men? Guess those aren't important anymore. Go shopping, buy-buy-buy, hate gays and immigrants, shoot something, war-war-war-war! I guess that is what Christmas has become in America.
Republicrooks are outraged that these Christmas traditions have been abused by our Muslim President. The Peanuts and frosty the Snowman cartoon are maybe 25 or 30 years old. Considering roughly two thousand years since Jesus was born, I'd make the cartoons more of a recent habit than a tradition.
By the way, what do they think Santa and Misses Claus do in the off season? If they are good Christian souls then we can well imagine their love for one another is expressed in a variety of ways...and positions. Maybe over one of the toy benches in the workshop while the elves are away? Then again, all that down time in the cold North Pole might explain where all those elves came from in the first place!
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Chicago and Mayor Daley hates Christmas
I've changed. I see the light! At last my eyes are open to just how vast the conspiracy is to destroy Chistmas. I can no longer deny the Left's utter hatred for the baby Jesus. Here I was all along looking for the spirit of the holidays, when the Christmas devil was right there in the details. I mean forget that Americans spent more than $40billion over the weekend for HOLIDAY gifts, the important thing is that we carefully dissect every word, every action to truly reveal the dark forces who hate Santa, Rudolg and the wisemen who gathered over our savior's glowing crib-as shown in the cartoon docu-drama from the 70's "The Little Drummer Boy."
Leading my list of Christmas haters has to be the city of Chicago and its godless mayor. There is no denying that Chicago hates Christmas. Next thing you know they will change the name of the "Miracle" Mile to the "Inconsequential-life-event-dictated-by-an-ever-evolving-random-universe" Mile. Just a few facts to prove my point:
300 "illegal" cabs ticketed and impounded over the weekend, along with 400+ vehicles towed from city streets designated as snow routes. These cruel siezures of private patriotic American property resulted in hundreds of thousands of Dollars in fines. Coincidence that so-called "snow" coincides with Christmas? That is money stolen directly from Christmas retailers. How many little children will go without this Holi...oops, I mean, Christmas Season?
Want to give the gift of a gun this year to a loved one? Not in the city of Chicago, which bans the Second Ammendment right of gun ownership. Ane next time you're in gridlock traffic and late for a Christmas party, or trapped in line ith an arm full of gifts without that gun to clear the line or make room in the turn lane thank Mayor Daly for ruining Christmas!
Every kid knows Santa's girth allows him to glide gently down every chimney to leave gifts for all the girls and boys who have been good Republican, anti-choice, gun-owning, war-loving, Catholic-wary Christians.
next year, when some child discovers an anorexic Santa crumpled in the fireplace, with compound fractures, and damn near delirious from low blood sugar thank the Chicago city board and their abusive taxes on Milk and Cookies.
I priced a plastic Christmas tree(thanks pagans for that holiday accoutrement)at the local target and was aghast to learn it would carry a 10% sales tax! Looks like I'll be visiting the local cemetery with a saw at midnight again this year!
Worst of all the ASPCA kills puppies and kittens! Cute, cuddly Christmas critters that would look oh so cute stuffed into a stocking overnight. Just the perfect gift for a child who, after a week or so grows tired of their gifts, especially the ones who require caring, food and a walk now and then. Think of the ASPCA as a clearing house for all those puppies and kittens whom good anti-choice folks believe deserve to be born, and who are critters from the moment they are concieved in an alley, the middle of the street or in the yard.
Thank goodness the righteous folks on the Right are keeping the Christmas dream alive. AM 560 played a lovely little Christmas ditty, well in keeping ith the spirit of the season. They played a joyous version of Jingle Bells with shotgun blasts. Remember that funny version with the barking dogs? And you thought it couldn't be bested! Way to go AM 560! Now that's the proper spirit for the season of pea...oops, I mean shopping.
Leading my list of Christmas haters has to be the city of Chicago and its godless mayor. There is no denying that Chicago hates Christmas. Next thing you know they will change the name of the "Miracle" Mile to the "Inconsequential-life-event-dictated-by-an-ever-evolving-random-universe" Mile. Just a few facts to prove my point:
300 "illegal" cabs ticketed and impounded over the weekend, along with 400+ vehicles towed from city streets designated as snow routes. These cruel siezures of private patriotic American property resulted in hundreds of thousands of Dollars in fines. Coincidence that so-called "snow" coincides with Christmas? That is money stolen directly from Christmas retailers. How many little children will go without this Holi...oops, I mean, Christmas Season?
Want to give the gift of a gun this year to a loved one? Not in the city of Chicago, which bans the Second Ammendment right of gun ownership. Ane next time you're in gridlock traffic and late for a Christmas party, or trapped in line ith an arm full of gifts without that gun to clear the line or make room in the turn lane thank Mayor Daly for ruining Christmas!
Every kid knows Santa's girth allows him to glide gently down every chimney to leave gifts for all the girls and boys who have been good Republican, anti-choice, gun-owning, war-loving, Catholic-wary Christians.
next year, when some child discovers an anorexic Santa crumpled in the fireplace, with compound fractures, and damn near delirious from low blood sugar thank the Chicago city board and their abusive taxes on Milk and Cookies.
I priced a plastic Christmas tree(thanks pagans for that holiday accoutrement)at the local target and was aghast to learn it would carry a 10% sales tax! Looks like I'll be visiting the local cemetery with a saw at midnight again this year!
Worst of all the ASPCA kills puppies and kittens! Cute, cuddly Christmas critters that would look oh so cute stuffed into a stocking overnight. Just the perfect gift for a child who, after a week or so grows tired of their gifts, especially the ones who require caring, food and a walk now and then. Think of the ASPCA as a clearing house for all those puppies and kittens whom good anti-choice folks believe deserve to be born, and who are critters from the moment they are concieved in an alley, the middle of the street or in the yard.
Thank goodness the righteous folks on the Right are keeping the Christmas dream alive. AM 560 played a lovely little Christmas ditty, well in keeping ith the spirit of the season. They played a joyous version of Jingle Bells with shotgun blasts. Remember that funny version with the barking dogs? And you thought it couldn't be bested! Way to go AM 560! Now that's the proper spirit for the season of pea...oops, I mean shopping.
Friday, November 27, 2009
"Merry Christmas": A Racist Term?
Might not seem obvious, but the mere use of "Merry Christmas" could be a racist, or a bigoted statement. Don't follow? Walk through a mall, a crowded park or down a busy city street. How many are Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Buddists, Native American, or any one of a number of smaller religions. Who prefers Hannukah, Kwanza, or nothing at all. To assume that all of those folks celebrate or recognize Christmas as "their" holiday is a bit obnoxious and at the very least bigoted.
How many folks do you meet any given day that you can be certain are Christians who recognize Christmas on December 25th? Orthodox Christians celebrate the holiday in January. Even if the only folks you meet are White(you should get out more)there is no guarantee they are the "right" sort of white Christians. Bosnian and Albanian Muslims, for example, are as white as the driven snow. I know a fair number of them and they love the "Holidays" without prostrating themselves on the Christmas alter.
Does that make Bill O'Reilly and others racists and bigots? I have my own views on the topic. As a white guy I've watched racism evolve from the overt hatred of the 60's.Righties back then also called ML King Jr. and "uppity" blacks fighting for Civil Rights part of a communist/bolshevik conspiracy. That refrain sound familiar? These days it is slick and carefully polished. It doesn't use the "N" word to degrade blacks, it discusses in couched and measured terms racial and social issues intended to show blacks in a bad or degraded light.
So is "Merry Christmas" a racist term? depends. How's that for an answer? Depends on how and who you use the term to. If it is for the guy from your church, probably not. If you're shoving it down someone's throat as part of the so-called "war on Christmas" you might be a a racist.
How many folks do you meet any given day that you can be certain are Christians who recognize Christmas on December 25th? Orthodox Christians celebrate the holiday in January. Even if the only folks you meet are White(you should get out more)there is no guarantee they are the "right" sort of white Christians. Bosnian and Albanian Muslims, for example, are as white as the driven snow. I know a fair number of them and they love the "Holidays" without prostrating themselves on the Christmas alter.
Does that make Bill O'Reilly and others racists and bigots? I have my own views on the topic. As a white guy I've watched racism evolve from the overt hatred of the 60's.Righties back then also called ML King Jr. and "uppity" blacks fighting for Civil Rights part of a communist/bolshevik conspiracy. That refrain sound familiar? These days it is slick and carefully polished. It doesn't use the "N" word to degrade blacks, it discusses in couched and measured terms racial and social issues intended to show blacks in a bad or degraded light.
So is "Merry Christmas" a racist term? depends. How's that for an answer? Depends on how and who you use the term to. If it is for the guy from your church, probably not. If you're shoving it down someone's throat as part of the so-called "war on Christmas" you might be a a racist.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Black Friday-Thanks Pigrims for this Blessing!
Apparently the Republicrooks have expanded their war of conquest-the one in which they play the victim-to Thanksgiving. Yet another solemn, family day has been politicized for them. Yet another holiday has been perverted and abused for their winner-take-all propaganda campaign of hate, non-inclusiveness and self-serving ideology. This from the family values folks, the millionaires who "speak" for the common man, the party of God. Thing is, with any war, a surge creates pockets that expose your weaknesses, and that is just what they have done with this new front in the Holiday Wars (My term).
Michelle Malkin has bravely gone on the attack against the sensitivities of Native Americans. How dare they have an opinion about the country they once had. After all, through diseases, genocide, stereotyping and a laundary list of other grievances and abuses, Indians should be thankful come Thursday that they have been "awarded" reservation islands in a land originally theirs.
European folks have done such a great job with the land. But to be fair, at least Thanksgiving, with respectful reverence to Native American suffering and sacrifice, at least attained the stature of a family holiday. Did it always live up to that standard? Nothing people create ever completely measures up to its ideal, but lots of folks made an effort.
Thanksgiving was the start of the holiday season, not the holiday wars. It was a prelude to a spiritual period of Peace and giving, not stark and crass commercialism and political rough-housing, by any party. It definitely was not overtly recognized as merely the kickoff to frantic consumerism.
Now, we begin hearing retail sales forecasts for Black Friday in August. August! and now Black friday has become the real holiday. People plan and prepare for it, the corporate news ticks off the minutes, and helps to build anticipation for all the dubious sales and "Must Have" toys for the season.
Funny, O'reilly, Malkin, Medved, Bennett, Hannity and Limbaugh are all silent on this. But they are revealved by their silence. And native Americans are an easy soft target for their ugliness and Anti-American diatribes. It is easy to kick American Indians though. Not sure alot of Lakota, Cherokee, Ojibwa or Navajos watch a great deal of FOX News, except to dream about the old days and that whole Custer thing.
This is all about the money for them. It is always about the money for them, while treating the rest of us like saps who fall easily for crap phrases like "Borders, Language, Culture," or "Conservatism," or "its all right to have sex with men in airport bathrooms but be against gay marriage if you are a Republican Senator because some democrat took a bribe."
Stay home on Friday. Go work in a soup kitchen, help the hungry, volunteer at a church, synagogue or mosque(notice the lack of caps). Walk in the woods with the kids, a partner or spouse. Read a book! But if you wind up trampled in line at Walmart over a $25 DVD player, in a slug fest over the latest Guitar Hero game at a Best Buy your last words should be...
...Thanks Pilgrims for this blessing.
Michelle Malkin has bravely gone on the attack against the sensitivities of Native Americans. How dare they have an opinion about the country they once had. After all, through diseases, genocide, stereotyping and a laundary list of other grievances and abuses, Indians should be thankful come Thursday that they have been "awarded" reservation islands in a land originally theirs.
European folks have done such a great job with the land. But to be fair, at least Thanksgiving, with respectful reverence to Native American suffering and sacrifice, at least attained the stature of a family holiday. Did it always live up to that standard? Nothing people create ever completely measures up to its ideal, but lots of folks made an effort.
Thanksgiving was the start of the holiday season, not the holiday wars. It was a prelude to a spiritual period of Peace and giving, not stark and crass commercialism and political rough-housing, by any party. It definitely was not overtly recognized as merely the kickoff to frantic consumerism.
Now, we begin hearing retail sales forecasts for Black Friday in August. August! and now Black friday has become the real holiday. People plan and prepare for it, the corporate news ticks off the minutes, and helps to build anticipation for all the dubious sales and "Must Have" toys for the season.
Funny, O'reilly, Malkin, Medved, Bennett, Hannity and Limbaugh are all silent on this. But they are revealved by their silence. And native Americans are an easy soft target for their ugliness and Anti-American diatribes. It is easy to kick American Indians though. Not sure alot of Lakota, Cherokee, Ojibwa or Navajos watch a great deal of FOX News, except to dream about the old days and that whole Custer thing.
This is all about the money for them. It is always about the money for them, while treating the rest of us like saps who fall easily for crap phrases like "Borders, Language, Culture," or "Conservatism," or "its all right to have sex with men in airport bathrooms but be against gay marriage if you are a Republican Senator because some democrat took a bribe."
Stay home on Friday. Go work in a soup kitchen, help the hungry, volunteer at a church, synagogue or mosque(notice the lack of caps). Walk in the woods with the kids, a partner or spouse. Read a book! But if you wind up trampled in line at Walmart over a $25 DVD player, in a slug fest over the latest Guitar Hero game at a Best Buy your last words should be...
...Thanks Pilgrims for this blessing.
Friday, November 20, 2009
WAR ON CHRISTMAS? YES! YES! GOD, YES!
A war on Christmas, you say? Sign me up, and do it fast. Dear God, I wish I had enlisted a week before Halloween, when stores were already putting up Christmas decorations! Are you kidding? It is an awful distraction when I'm trying to focus on my pagan holiday for the undead. Never mind that the spirit of giving on Halloween has a character above and beyond what Christmas has become in this great nation (The magic of being a supreme cynic is you never really know when I'm being sarcastic).
We need a war on Christmas just to keep it sane. We need to draw deep and definitive battle lines before the hyper-commerciality and an uber-pushy element within the Christian community overruns what sanity still exists in this country. Roll bndages, man the trenches and keep Christmas where it needs to be.
No one is seriously calling for the eradication of the holiday. That's a made up antagonism by manipulative Republicrooks. Their blathering about greeting folks with "Happy Holidays" rather than some Nazi-esque commandment to retort a dutiful "Merry Christmas," is a cannard. That's right, I said cannard, and I am not even 50! But seriously, October for Christmas stuff? We start getting forecasts for Christmas retail sales in freakin' August! August!
I have Jewish friends who find Christmas a secondary holiday to Hannukah, and Muslim and non-Christian immigrant friends who dig the festive, family nature of the holidays, beginning at Thanksgiving and ending on New Years, when all normal people are by then exhausted, depressed, broke and fat! So it is "Happy Holidays," Christmas being just one among them.
People, I am seeing Christmas decorations in houses already, and now, with all of these shopping holidays, like Black Friday and the Christmas gift return period(A whole other set of hypocrisies) Christmas is like a fungus or the Blob-the good one with Steve Mcqueen; it just keep growing and growing and...
Each year we, as a nation, are whipped into more and more of a fervor to spend and spend and spend. It isn't about family and giving anymore, it has become a matter of national economic survival. Frenzied crowds assault, trample and even kill one another over marketed campaigns for the latest "must-have" toy.
Enough already! Sigh me up and ship me to the front. Christmas doesn't have to go, but it has certainly proved enough of a nuasance that it must be faced and battled back to what it is supposed to be. Not sure any more what that is? Might I suggest A Christmas Carol, the original classic from 1938, with Reginald Owen. Better yet, gather the family and read the book together(A guy nmed Dickens wrote it).
We need a war on Christmas just to keep it sane. We need to draw deep and definitive battle lines before the hyper-commerciality and an uber-pushy element within the Christian community overruns what sanity still exists in this country. Roll bndages, man the trenches and keep Christmas where it needs to be.
No one is seriously calling for the eradication of the holiday. That's a made up antagonism by manipulative Republicrooks. Their blathering about greeting folks with "Happy Holidays" rather than some Nazi-esque commandment to retort a dutiful "Merry Christmas," is a cannard. That's right, I said cannard, and I am not even 50! But seriously, October for Christmas stuff? We start getting forecasts for Christmas retail sales in freakin' August! August!
I have Jewish friends who find Christmas a secondary holiday to Hannukah, and Muslim and non-Christian immigrant friends who dig the festive, family nature of the holidays, beginning at Thanksgiving and ending on New Years, when all normal people are by then exhausted, depressed, broke and fat! So it is "Happy Holidays," Christmas being just one among them.
People, I am seeing Christmas decorations in houses already, and now, with all of these shopping holidays, like Black Friday and the Christmas gift return period(A whole other set of hypocrisies) Christmas is like a fungus or the Blob-the good one with Steve Mcqueen; it just keep growing and growing and...
Each year we, as a nation, are whipped into more and more of a fervor to spend and spend and spend. It isn't about family and giving anymore, it has become a matter of national economic survival. Frenzied crowds assault, trample and even kill one another over marketed campaigns for the latest "must-have" toy.
Enough already! Sigh me up and ship me to the front. Christmas doesn't have to go, but it has certainly proved enough of a nuasance that it must be faced and battled back to what it is supposed to be. Not sure any more what that is? Might I suggest A Christmas Carol, the original classic from 1938, with Reginald Owen. Better yet, gather the family and read the book together(A guy nmed Dickens wrote it).
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Death panels for Christmas, Santa
Dear Santa,
I've been a good liberal this year. I was kind to a Homo, recycled, cared about the environment, visited Europe a couple times(for my marching orders), conversed socially with Muslims, prayed for world peace and believed a black guy could actually do an okay job as President in pretty tough times. I wanted to have a couple of abortions, but just couldn't manage with my schedule.
But Santa, have you seen the malls lately? We all know they are the true bastions of the Christmas spirit. FOX and the Right spends all their time concerned with what sort of greeting this clerk or that stockboy uses. You know, the ones making barely a living wage, fearing some health crisis will overwhelm their families who are either uninsured or under-insured. The ones who are overworked jut to make ends meet. The ones Sean hannity, Michael Medved and the rest tell us pay no taxes. They are not delivering the proper and apparently official holiday response. But they aren't the problem so much as all those miserable looking folks tromping mechanically to purchase obligatory "gifts" for people thay normally wouldn't cross the road to spit on if their hair was on fire.
I don't want much for Christmas. If you could see your way clear to thin the herd a bit. Been hearing about these Death Panels in the new Obama health plan. I have scoured the bill and I'll be darned if I can find it anywhere. Would come in handy, just to free up a couple parking spaces. Any chance? Huh?
Michael Savage and Glen Beck talk about concetration camps for Right-wingers. Obviously they see something the rest of us don't. I mean, everything Obama has done since last January leads to that undeniable conclusion. After all, this Administration is hardly as transparent and open as the previous one. When Bush proclaimed he was the "decider," or that after a narrower election than Obama won by he had "political capital, and I intend to spend it," Bush was a hero. The Right cheered and laughed when Bush was obstinate with the "Leftist" media, or when he and Cheney refused to answer questions under oath about the deadliest terror attack on US soil. And remember hen he snubbed that annoying helen Thomas...liberal b%#@h! God, that was good theater!
So, what I'm saying is this, if the Right says Obama is this tyrranical facist out to kill old folks and Righties, could you hurry that up. Don't feel like elbowing my way through the mall. That's it. That's all I want this Christmas. Oh, and maybe a lump pf coal in Bill O'Reilly's stocking!
I've been a good liberal this year. I was kind to a Homo, recycled, cared about the environment, visited Europe a couple times(for my marching orders), conversed socially with Muslims, prayed for world peace and believed a black guy could actually do an okay job as President in pretty tough times. I wanted to have a couple of abortions, but just couldn't manage with my schedule.
But Santa, have you seen the malls lately? We all know they are the true bastions of the Christmas spirit. FOX and the Right spends all their time concerned with what sort of greeting this clerk or that stockboy uses. You know, the ones making barely a living wage, fearing some health crisis will overwhelm their families who are either uninsured or under-insured. The ones who are overworked jut to make ends meet. The ones Sean hannity, Michael Medved and the rest tell us pay no taxes. They are not delivering the proper and apparently official holiday response. But they aren't the problem so much as all those miserable looking folks tromping mechanically to purchase obligatory "gifts" for people thay normally wouldn't cross the road to spit on if their hair was on fire.
I don't want much for Christmas. If you could see your way clear to thin the herd a bit. Been hearing about these Death Panels in the new Obama health plan. I have scoured the bill and I'll be darned if I can find it anywhere. Would come in handy, just to free up a couple parking spaces. Any chance? Huh?
Michael Savage and Glen Beck talk about concetration camps for Right-wingers. Obviously they see something the rest of us don't. I mean, everything Obama has done since last January leads to that undeniable conclusion. After all, this Administration is hardly as transparent and open as the previous one. When Bush proclaimed he was the "decider," or that after a narrower election than Obama won by he had "political capital, and I intend to spend it," Bush was a hero. The Right cheered and laughed when Bush was obstinate with the "Leftist" media, or when he and Cheney refused to answer questions under oath about the deadliest terror attack on US soil. And remember hen he snubbed that annoying helen Thomas...liberal b%#@h! God, that was good theater!
So, what I'm saying is this, if the Right says Obama is this tyrranical facist out to kill old folks and Righties, could you hurry that up. Don't feel like elbowing my way through the mall. That's it. That's all I want this Christmas. Oh, and maybe a lump pf coal in Bill O'Reilly's stocking!
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
The First Shot
The no-man's land between the opposing trenches is littered with the debris of brutal skirmishes in this continuing war on Christmas. Bits of silver garland are strewn among the craters and fetid pools. Everywhere are broken candy canes and eviscerated sugar plums. A radio flyer is overturned. Its single wheel turns eerily in the still air before Thanksgiving, eeck, eeck, eeck, eeck. Silhouetted against the morning sky a salvation army collection plate rusts among coils of razor wire, decorated with tiny little Walmart Christmas lights made in China. The vacant eyes of a faded plastic Santa are fixed upon gathering storm clouds.
It is quiet now, after a brief fusillade of poorly aimed shots from FOX News and Bill O'Reilly last week.
"Public displays of the federal holiday," O'Reilly said on his 9NOV show, "are under attack by the ACLU [American Civil Liberties Union], and some department stores even tell employees to avoid saying "Merry Christmas." So we decided to look at some retail policies this year, and here's what we found out: Sears/Kmart would not answer our questions. Spokesman Chris Braithwaite simply ducked the issue. Their website banners: "Wish Book Holiday 2005." They were the worst we had to deal with. OK? Sears-Kmart. JCPenney says its catalog is always called 'Christmas catalog.' Federated Department Stores, Macy's, Bloomingdale's, Burdines, says the words "Merry Christmas" will be used in most advertising. Same thing at May, Filene's, Lord & Taylor, and Marshall Field's. But Kohl's refused to define how the company will deal with Christmas. Dillard's, however, will use the slogan; 'Discover Christmas, Discover Dillard's.' So there you go. Shop where you like the atmosphere. Just remember, Kohl's and Sears-Kmart, basically, not all right."
So let me get this straight, Bill O'Reilly is part of the FOX cabal that is aghast when the Obama Administration interferes with big business. They call that Socialist and Communist,but he has no issue with Christmas being designated as a FEDERAL HOLIDAY, and that businesses must adhere to a prescribed terminology in promoting a religious event or face the wrath of a manufactured backlash. Indeed, the passion of their outrage would lead one to conclude that a Constitutional Convention or perhaps a law to mandate the use of "Merry Christmas" over "Happy Holidays" is desirable, and even acheivable. Sound socialist? After all, Christmas is hardly intended to be a commercial event.
It isn't even about the gifts. Recalling the Bible story and baby Jesus-not really a consideration for O'Reilly and the other Republicrooks masquerading as Christians-the gifts were FOR Jesus. I know that sounds funny coming from an avowed socialist(Hey, so was that Christ guy!) It is about the money for them. It is always about the money for them, which is precisely why they use Christianity and gullible viewers as a bludgeon against Business that dare defy their political ideology.
Looking out across the battlefield, soon to be littered with the trash spewed from the Republicrook trenches, I am reminded of someone else who used Christianity as a vehicle for his own agenda. Since they love to throw around terms like Socialist and Communist, a guy with a little mustache a few decades back rose to power on manipulated populism and incitement masked with fear, nationalism, bigotry and religion.
The essence of Christianity is for inclusion and forgiveness, not meanness, exclusion and spite. Much like the Constitution. Puts FOX and FRIENDS in a very special catgory...but therein lies the cornerstone of this column, and that is for all of us-Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Aithiests, Agnostics, bearded women, Pagans-to enjoy a freakin'
JERKLESS CHRISTMAS 2009!
It is quiet now, after a brief fusillade of poorly aimed shots from FOX News and Bill O'Reilly last week.
"Public displays of the federal holiday," O'Reilly said on his 9NOV show, "are under attack by the ACLU [American Civil Liberties Union], and some department stores even tell employees to avoid saying "Merry Christmas." So we decided to look at some retail policies this year, and here's what we found out: Sears/Kmart would not answer our questions. Spokesman Chris Braithwaite simply ducked the issue. Their website banners: "Wish Book Holiday 2005." They were the worst we had to deal with. OK? Sears-Kmart. JCPenney says its catalog is always called 'Christmas catalog.' Federated Department Stores, Macy's, Bloomingdale's, Burdines, says the words "Merry Christmas" will be used in most advertising. Same thing at May, Filene's, Lord & Taylor, and Marshall Field's. But Kohl's refused to define how the company will deal with Christmas. Dillard's, however, will use the slogan; 'Discover Christmas, Discover Dillard's.' So there you go. Shop where you like the atmosphere. Just remember, Kohl's and Sears-Kmart, basically, not all right."
So let me get this straight, Bill O'Reilly is part of the FOX cabal that is aghast when the Obama Administration interferes with big business. They call that Socialist and Communist,but he has no issue with Christmas being designated as a FEDERAL HOLIDAY, and that businesses must adhere to a prescribed terminology in promoting a religious event or face the wrath of a manufactured backlash. Indeed, the passion of their outrage would lead one to conclude that a Constitutional Convention or perhaps a law to mandate the use of "Merry Christmas" over "Happy Holidays" is desirable, and even acheivable. Sound socialist? After all, Christmas is hardly intended to be a commercial event.
It isn't even about the gifts. Recalling the Bible story and baby Jesus-not really a consideration for O'Reilly and the other Republicrooks masquerading as Christians-the gifts were FOR Jesus. I know that sounds funny coming from an avowed socialist(Hey, so was that Christ guy!) It is about the money for them. It is always about the money for them, which is precisely why they use Christianity and gullible viewers as a bludgeon against Business that dare defy their political ideology.
Looking out across the battlefield, soon to be littered with the trash spewed from the Republicrook trenches, I am reminded of someone else who used Christianity as a vehicle for his own agenda. Since they love to throw around terms like Socialist and Communist, a guy with a little mustache a few decades back rose to power on manipulated populism and incitement masked with fear, nationalism, bigotry and religion.
The essence of Christianity is for inclusion and forgiveness, not meanness, exclusion and spite. Much like the Constitution. Puts FOX and FRIENDS in a very special catgory...but therein lies the cornerstone of this column, and that is for all of us-Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Aithiests, Agnostics, bearded women, Pagans-to enjoy a freakin'
JERKLESS CHRISTMAS 2009!
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