Bill O'Reilly on Christmas

[Guest Jobber of the Week]

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ideas_opin...23p-43012c.html

 

The demeaning of Christmas

 

When I was growing up on Long Island a few miles outside New York City, Christmas was a major deal. The ethnic neighborhood I lived in celebrated big time, with Irish, Italians and Jews all getting into the season's spirit.

Most of the small houses we lived in back in the late '50s were ablaze with Christmas lights and menorahs in the windows. Shrubs were covered with red, blue and white bulbs. It was a regular Levittown Mardi Gras.

 

In the days before Christmas, carolers roamed the streets singing for charity and were welcomed in almost every house, no matter what religion the inhabitants practiced. There was a good feeling in the frosty air. We kids were excited and actually behaved for a change. Never can I remember a religious or racial division in my neighborhood. Christmas came just once a year, and everybody was on board for a happy ride.

 

So what happened?

 

Today, we have all kinds of agendas running during Christmastime. In this space last week, I chronicled some of the insane things going on. School children being denied the pleasure of watching Dickens' "A Christmas Carol," school districts striking the word "Christmas" from the calendar and on and on.

 

We've become a nation of special interests, and that is bad. Instead of enjoying a special season and putting aside sectarian differences so Christmas can be savored, some of us are committed to finding offense with a holiday that promotes "goodwill toward men."

 

What are we to think of our fellow Americans who are offended by Nativity scenes, Tiny Tim and mistletoe? Well, I don't think very much of them, to tell you the truth. I am buying plenty of coal to put in their stockings.

 

Finding offense where none is intended is, of course, a form of selfishness. All of us are subjected to things in life with which we are not entirely comfortable.

 

The fact that Anna Nicole Smith is on TV and in the public arena through advertisements offends me, for example. But I am not calling my local American Civil Liberties Union warlord to file a lawsuit.

 

Smith's public persona goes against every single thing I stand for: hard work, education, discipline and self-sacrifice. Yet I know there are some misguided souls who find her entertaining and relevant to their lives. So I accept the fact that she is using the public airwaves to enrich herself. And I go on with my life. This live-and-let-live attitude was what we used to have in America.

 

Why not look at it this way: If you don't believe Jesus is God, just admire the fact that the man became a great philosopher and you have the day off. Why whine that his birth image is on display in a public place? What difference can that possibly make to you? Give everybody a break and don't look. Read a magazine, for cryin' out loud.

 

A few days ago, I had occasion to attend a Christmas party at the White House. Don't tell the ACLU, but there was a Navy choir, and Christmas carols were being sung! Angels were mentioned on government property!

 

I guess the ACLU will soon be suing the President, First Lady, the Navy and me, because I was singing along. But I'm ready for my deposition. I'll swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. And that truth is that Americans who are attacking Christmas are doing this country a grave disservice.

 

But since it is Christmastime, I am going to forgive them.

 

Opinion next post.

[Guest Jobber of the Week]

O'Reilly is a blatant populist and famous for conveniently leaving facts out, like the particular details of that ACLU case.

 

Why not look at it this way: If you don't believe Jesus is God, just admire the fact that the man became a great philosopher and you have the day off. Why whine that his birth image is on display in a public place? What difference can that possibly make to you? Give everybody a break and don't look. Read a magazine, for cryin' out loud.

 

He basically argues that it's ok to ignore the law because he doesn't want to change his ways. Then he should change the fucking law and make this a theocracy, but until then he personifies what he accuses people of. Contrary to his own belief, he isn't a mouthpiece for the common man. He's a mouthpiece for himself and his ideas, and it gets under his skin that he's not a tyrannical dictator who can dictate every aspect of American life.

[Guest bob_barron]

Ummmm JOTW- I already posted this a long time ago

[Guest bob_barron]

http://www.thesmartmarks.com/forums/index....f656e9115e64ec9

[Guest bob_barron]

Okay- it's not the exact same article but it's pretty much the same thing he already said. So I guess it's 50/50

[Guest JMA]

I think O'Reilly is letting his Catholisism get to him in this situation. After all, "Christmas" wasn't originally a holiday based on Christ. It was as first Saturnalia. I prefer to just call it Festivus and celebrate the giving of gifts.