Monday, December 11, 2006

The War on Christmas Douche Bags

Bookmark and Share
Why does this time of year heighten everyone’s douche bag potential?

I’ll never forget this lady I used to work with, who found Christmas to be the most beautiful thing in the world. And since only a certain amount of people could take off at Christmas, she used every trick from a Shakespearean tragedy (lying, threats, manipulation) to make sure she had those days off. It was all very un-Christmas-like behavior, just for a week of baking cookies.

And I don’t need to mention the psychos at the mall. Just walk by a parking spot near the building and a car is sure to pull up. I call them vultures. This can be fun at times if you cut across the rows: watch them speed around to the other side. Then you double-back. See if you can beat my record of making a vulture drive three loops.

I’ve got a theory that the holidays during this time of year evolved in human culture to buck everybody up because the constant darkness is damn depressing. That explains the emphasis on light and joy and birth, etc. As for December 25 being the big date, I think ancient astronomers were shooting for the winter solstice around December 22 – but they missed by a hair.

Concerning everyone’s increased douche bag potential, again I blame the darkness. Our primal brain’s instinct sector is freaking out, going into vicious survival mode, thinking the end of the world is near.

Anyway, to the present. Radio drive time today: same old whining, about Christmas iconography being removed because someone doesn’t celebrate Christmas. Any such fuss is often spun as bowing to political correctness. I think a more realistic spin on it is that minorities are finally asserting themselves. They’re finally saying “Look, if you can put up your symbol, let us put up ours.”

Non-Christian school kids shouldn’t have to go to a class that focuses on a crucifix. The usual, uncreative answer to that concern? Take it all down, no one celebrates anything. In the face of diversity, why not accommodate all traditions? Instead of, “no one can celebrate,” how about, “ok, let’s all celebrate.” Let the kids discuss their traditions and show the others. How cool would that be?

There is no war on Christmas. Only douche bags think that. What's really going on is people are standing up for their own beliefs. So, put your nativity scene on the town hall lawn, but get ready to accommodate my atheist year end celebration! Happy Holidays to all! Even you, douche bags!


===
Larry Nocella is the author of the novel Where Did This Come From? Visit his website at www.LarryNocella.com.

2 Comments:

Anonymous Andrew said...

FYI Larry

Natalis Solis Invicti

The Romans held a festival on December 25 called Dies Natalis Solis Invicti, "the birthday of the unconquered sun." The use of the title Sol Invictus allowed several solar deities to be worshipped collectively, including Elah-Gabal, a Syrian sun god; Sol, the god of Emperor Aurelian (AD 270-274); and Mithras, a soldiers' god of Persian origin.[11] Emperor Elagabalus (218-222) introduced the festival, and it reached the height of its popularity under Aurelian, who promoted it as an empire-wide holiday.

December 25 was also considered to be the date of the winter solstice, which the Romans called bruma. It was therefore the day the Sun proved itself to be "unconquered" despite the shortening of daylight hours. (When Julius Caesar introduced the Julian Calendar in 45 BC, December 25 was approximately the date of the solstice. In modern times, the solstice falls on December 21 or 22.) The Sol Invictus festival has a "strong claim on the responsibility" for the date of Christmas, according to the Catholic Encyclopedia.

For More Fun Read http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yule

Andrew

3:30 PM  
Anonymous noobulator said...

Its a larger issue of intolerance in america. If you go somewhere, and someone else's religious symbol is there and yours is not, why not let it go? Or maybe ask nicely for yours to be displayed as well, and be ok with the answer, instead of paying a lawyer to harass the management into seeing things your way? Why must one forcefully impose their will of what they think is right, in the land of 'tolerance'.

America is one of the most free countries in the world. The law and the government tolerate every and all differences. Its a shame that the citizens of this great country are so intolerant of each other.

As for me I'm in favor of a war on Christmas. I love the image of Santa Claus shouting 'Lets Rock!!!' and opening up with a machine gun.

4:06 PM  

Post a Comment

Links to this post:

Create a Link

<< Home