a new Christmas poem

[Sherri Leicht]

Twas the month before Christmas*

 

*When all through our land,*

 

*Not a Christian was praying*

 

*Nor taking a stand.*

 

*See the PC Police had taken away,*

 

*The reason for Christmas - no one could say.*

 

*The children were told by their schools not to sing,*

 

*About Shepherds and Wise Men and Angels and things.*

 

*It might hurt people's feelings, the teachers would say*

 

* December 25th is just a ' Holiday '.*

 

*Yet the shoppers were ready with cash, checks and credit*

 

*Pushing folks down to the floor just to get it!*

 

*CDs from Madonna, an X BOX, an I-pod*

 

*Something was changing, something quite odd! *

 

*Retailers promoted Ramadan and Kwanzaa*

 

*In hopes to sell books by Franken & Fonda..*

 

*As Targets were hanging their trees upside down*

 

* At Lowe's the word Christmas - was no where to be found.*

 

*At K-Mart and Staples and Penny's and Sears*

 

*You won't hear the word Christmas; it won't touch your ears.*

 

*Inclusive, sensitive, Di-ver-is-ty*

 

*Are words that were used to intimidate me.*

 

*Now Daschle, Now Darden, Now Sharpton, Wolf Blitzen*

 

*On Boxer, on Rather, on Kerry, on Clinton !*

 

*At the top of the Senate, there arose such a clatter*

 

*To eliminate Jesus, in all public matter.*

 

*And we spoke not a word, as they took away our faith*

 

* Forbidden to speak of salvation and grace*

 

*The true Gift of Christmas was exchanged and discarded*

 

*The reason for the season, stopped before it started.*

 

*So as you celebrate 'Winter Break' under your 'Dream Tree'*

 

*Sipping your Starbucks, listen to me.*

 

*Choose your words carefully, choose what you say*

 

*Shout MERRY CHRISTMAS ,

 

Not Happy Holiday !*

[07SGT4578]

nice find, and Merry CHRISTmas

[svtkeith]

Nice poem and true...Dec 25 will always be Christmas in my home.

[MY500SS]

Always "Merry Christmas" in our house.

 

Thanks for posting Sherri.

[clark17357]

Sherri, that was a thought provoking post. At the risk of taking it farther than intended, I offer this. My two cents only, for sure.

 

The difference between America and other places is (or used to be?) that we not only "tolerated" the religious beliefs of others, we encouraged them. A long time ago, my parish priest summed it all up with this: "There is more that should bind us together than should drive us apart." Below are 8 points. They have another name and if you know it, fine and, if you do not know it, that is also fine. But they kind of sum up what a lot of people feel about "things" in this world. Most of us do not suggest that anyone else must believe as we do. I cannot help it if others feel somehow threatened by expressions of a particular faith. As long as one is not told, believe my way or be shunned in some fashion (or worse), one should not feel threatened. I am a Yankee fan, for goodness sake, so I know what it is like to have others not approve of my choice of team. But it does not challenge my ability to live my life day to day. I don't know. Maybe my Mom and Dad just raised me right but I don't have a problem with anybody's religious choice, even if it is to choose no religion.

 

Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are the meek: for they shall possess the land.

Blessed are they who mourn: for they shall be comforted.

Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after justice: for they shall have their fill.

Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

Blessed are the clean of heart: for they shall see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

Blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice's sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

 

Jim

[mywickedshelby]

Merry Christmas!

[BIKEBOY]

Sherri, can I just say...great find! Loved it.

 

However, I'm not too sure that is a problem anymore. Quite honestly. A few years ago, there was this huge push to NOT tell people "Merry Christmas". Then, we were still selling bikes galore in AZ. As the holiday approached, and we started laying bicycles away for the little guys (mostly), customers were coming in and NOT using the phrase. There seemed to be a little tension in the air about it. I for one was not happy with it. We were open for 10 years, and EVERY year the day after Thanksgiving, I started wearing a Santa hat every day through Christmas eve! I did it for the kid customers mostly, but it became a natural at my store, and people came to expect me wearing it.

 

That one year that I am speaking of, conjurred up so much discussion about whether or not to say just Happy Holidays, that it took the wind out of the whole season!!! It was such a shame, frankly. Then, after that year, it seemed the next Christmas...at least in my tiny town, that people were NOT gonna do that again! I honestly feel like most people still say Merry Christmas.

 

Just my perspective...

[Burning Blue Star IV]

Thanks for posting that Msmap. It's very scary to see how things are changing within the past 20 years or so.

[Sherri Leicht]

Jim, that is the 8 Beatitudes. As important as the 10 Commandments.

 

Bikeboy, I remember that. Even in Wal Mart, Christmas was not mentioned, but all these other holidays were. What I don't understand is the movement to mask all of America's ideology and pride, religious, patriotic and otherwise, for fear of upsetting others of different cultures, countries or religions. What ever happened to when in Rome, do as the Romans? When we lived abroad, we didn't demand that they speak english to us or change their ways of living to our way. Why do alot of those that come here expect that from us? Seems like a very one way street Why are they succeeding at this? It is very scary to see the direction our great nation is turning. One of our founding principles is religious tolerance meaning our Christianity also.

[BIKEBOY]

Jim, that is the 8 Beatitudes. As important as the 10 Commandments.

 

Bikeboy, I remember that. Even in Wal Mart, Christmas was not mentioned, but all these other holidays were. What I don't understand is the movement to mask all of America's ideology and pride, religious, patriotic and otherwise, for fear of upsetting others of different cultures, countries or religions. What ever happened to when in Rome, do as the Romans? When we lived abroad, we didn't demand that they speak english to us or change their ways of living to our way. Why do alot of those that come here expect that from us? Seems like a very one way street Why are they succeeding at this? It is very scary to see the direction our great nation is turning. One of our founding principles is religious tolerance meaning our Christianity also.

 

Sherri, reluctantly I have an idea. I never gave any further thought to this after that one yaer, as things kinda bounced back.

 

But this is my thought, as you have posed the above in a question.

 

Years ago, our country welcomed others from around the globe. We actually said as a nation, give us your poor and your hungry...remember from schoolbooks? People around the world that were able to defect from their countries took us up on that. That is why my wifes Grandad came here from Italy. There has been this very slow migration to the United States for what people see as a `better life`. Fast forward to our modern time and those people have created lives through many generations now. As well, our world has become smaller via the media, and everyone sees what`s going on here and everywhere. It is plain for folks to see what kind of life America can offer if you come here. It is also unfortunate that part of the expose` on us is that we are a tolerant people...after all we asked for everyone to come ashore some time ago?

 

Part of that apparent tolerance also makes us vulnerable to getting walked on. Here`s where it gets `sticky`. Some of these folks that , in their mind, were asked to come to America, also feel that if we wanted them, they had free reign to be who they are. Again, in their mind, this means to come in their groups and be as they would be in their homeland. Thus, there are lots of different cultures that have come here and landed, making our country a melting pot...like it or not...and have created this need for multi facceted beliefs and religions.

 

I am NOT being political here. Please know that I am just trying to offer up a realistic answer as to why things have seemingly `changed`, as you call it.

 

Some years back, there was this movement to be more PC. (politically correct). With that movement came alot of things...how we should talk, how we should treat one another, and through that movement has evolved this sort of, cautionary, walking on egg shells feeling about things we used to take for granted! Saying Merry Christmas to the Walmart cashier when you leave the store, is one of those things now that is apparently on the list. We have done this for YEARS with folks of other nationalities here in our country. It`s just been with this push to be PC, that there is so much light shed on it now. I personally believe that there is a false sense that others don`t appreciate hearing ``Merry Christmas``. In my store, for one, our international customers resoundingly told us that they thought the whole thing was ridiculous! So if that`s the case, who is ``IT`` that doesn`t want us to use these phrases anymore? Again, I say, I think it is mostly a made up, sort of urban legend, if you will, that people are offended by it.

That is why in my first response to your OP, I said what I said.

 

I think we just go on living our lives treating everyone else with respect. And IMHO that does NOT include NOT using the phrase Merry Christmas!

 

Sorry for the non-political rant.