Clearly Nebulous

Is Shunning Halloween Ammunition for Quashing Christmas?

Does anyone know when it became taboo to celebrate Halloween in public schools? It seems it started in certain private Christian schools that didn't want to celebrate a pagan holiday that involves dressing up like devilish characters.

This was new to me with my Catholic up-bringing. Growing up, it was always considered good fun. In fact, I just learned that a Vatican-appointed exorcist in Rome has said, "...to dress up as witches and devils on one night of the year, that is not a problem. If it is just a game, there is no harm in that."

Now as practicing Protestants, my husband and I agree that it's ok, with a few limitations of course. We don't allow our kids to wear anything too "grown up" (i.e. sexy) or anything too scary or gruesome -- you know, like the boys dressed up as Jason and the Scream murderer at my daughter's kindergarten party a few years back.

=:0 !!!

Our jack-o'-lanterns for this year -- did I pull off the Bat Signal ok?

But somehow this religious belief became P.C. and now Halloween Parties across the nation at our public schools have become Harvest Parties. Which really leaves me scratching my head. Why would public schools acquiesce to the beliefs of conservative Christians?

I think I figured it out, and I think it goes beyond their usual "We are trying so desperately not to offend anyone at the expense of any thought" maneuvers.

Showing sensitivity to the misgivings about Halloween gives them every reason to then turn around come the Yuletide and declare that we have to comply with protests from those who don't celebrate Christmas. (And unfortunately this also can put the kibosh on Hanukkah, too.)

While thankfully some clever teachers have the sense to call celebrations in December a "Holiday Party" that involves many faiths, too often it is relegated to just a frosty fete with images of snowflakes and snowmen.

So while I respect the beliefs of those who steer clear of all things Halloween, they might want to think about whether or not the fuss they raise is fuel for the anti-Christmas fire.

The Shame of Shame

Once upon a time when I was a hippy chick, I was one of those who used to cringe at those who proudly expressed their patriotism. Although I had been raised a proud citizen, for a while I bought into the whole notion that the U.S. was a nation that shouldn't bang its drum so loudly -- that as a nation we overstepped our role, blah blah blah.

There were people in my life -- my father, most prominently -- who did not shy from declaring what a great nation we are. For a thankfully short period of time, I rolled my eyes when he would say how we should proudly display our flag or sang along to songs praising our country.

Of course, I got over all that. Pheee-ew!

But now we have a President whose only show of patriotism is the perpetual flag pin on his lapel. And everywhere you turn, there is someone complaining about others showing their patriotic stripes.

From the firefighter who was suspended for putting a flag sticker on his locker (now reinstated, and allowed to keep the sticker) to the gym owner with clients who complained about a large flag hung in the workout area (says he doesn't care if he loses customers) -- those who say it loud and say it proud are supposedly offending others and are being told they should put a lid on it.

Who are these people who feel we must apologize for being the greatest nation in the history of the world?

Now, I do think there needs to be boundaries. For instance, the latest story is about an employee of Home Depot that was fired because he refused to follow the company policy and remove a pin that said "One Nation Under God."

Wellllllll, here's the thing: Whereas, it is weird that he wore it for over a year with no objections, and it wasn't until he brought a Bible to work that suddenly the pin became a problem...

Still, there is a slippery slope that private companies have to deal with here. Unfortunately, there would be a problem of deciding which pins to allow, and which not to. Would anyone want to be the guy who had to decide which are ok and which are not (we're talking conservative and liberal here)?

I think the fact that HD does allow their employees to wear the single approved non-work-related button -- a flag pin that says "United We Stand" -- is sufficient.

But just as I grew up/ woke up/ got an attitude adjustment / whatever you want to call it -- and realized that we as Americans have no reason to apologize for pride in our nation, those who listen to this song and don't get a lump in their throat, if not a tear in their eye...

Well, maybe they should just go spend about a week in say Cuba, Afghanistan, Syria, North Korea -- and I don't mean as a "special guest" of the government. I mean amongst its oppressed people. And then we'll see if they still deny that the U.S. of A. ain't worth bragging about!

 

Bungling H1N1: Govt Should NOT be in Charge of Health Care

Am I stretching it? I don't think so.

The first cases of swine flu in the U.S. were reported back in March, after there was plenty of time to assess what was coming and make a plan to vaccinate the public. So here we are more than seven months later, and already we're seeing shortages, long lines, and the vaccine not going to those who need it most.

Here's a video from WashingtonPost.com about a shot clinic set up at a school in Maryland: it's basically a comedy of errors, as the school is overwhelmed by the crowd that shows up and has to bring in extra security and port-a-potties. The biggest mistake they make, imo, is not giving the shot to the pregnant women first:

In my county, shot clinics were also inundated with hundreds more people than they had doses for, and no one I know has any idea where to get a shot or when if their doctor might get some in.

The government has also failed in getting the message across how serious this epidemic is. Too many people are ambivalent about getting the vaccine, not recognizing that it can be deadly, even to those in fine health. Imagine if more people took the message to heart, just how much longer all those lines would be.

The good news is the outbreak may have peaked. The bad news -- we're at least weeks away from finally getting around to producing enough vaccine. But the WashPo said it best today, describing the governments efforts as "sputtering."

A glimpse of America under Obamacare? Count on it.

Exactly *Which* Party Really Cares about Pregnant Women?

On a Facebook thread, there was a discussion about the GOP being pro-life. A friend of a friend who had apparently experienced a crisis pregnancy and chose to abort wrote an empassioned comment. She felt that the GOP was a judgmental crowd that shamed women who experience such a pregnancy, relegating them to a life on welfare. She praised Planned Parenthood for offering "all choices."

She also said she found it amazing that conservatives cry foul when their independent choices are limited, but limit the reproductive choices of others.

This was my response:　

    L -- I'm so sorry you experienced the tragedy of abortion.

　I too had an unplanned pregnancy... I spent my senior year at North Park pregnant, and delivered my daughter 4 days after graduation.

　NP is a pretty conservative community (altho Swedes are rather progressive) and I was very nervous about the reaction I'd get. I was overwhelmed with how supportive every single person there was. Everyone said how great it was that I was having my baby.

　The only negative reactions I had were from people I knew who were in favor of abortion. They told me I was ruining my life (and my baby's father's life) and couldn't see why I wasn't aborting. So much for supporting choice.

　It's not the GOP that is telling women that they must give up everything -- on campuses and in office buildings across America it is liberals who sneer at women who get pregnant and actually want them to just go away -- they can't be bothered with the problems pregnant women "choose" to have.

　Conservatives don't offer choices? There's just one they don't offer -- the one that has not made life better for women despite all its promises. Instead they offer health care thru pregnancy and beyond, baby care items, legal services to help get child support or to sue for wrongful termination/discrimination in the workplace. They are on the front lines demanding that universities provide services for pregnant and parenting students. And of course, they offer caring adoption services.

　As a member of Feminists for Life for over 25 years, I have heard time and again and again how a woman in a crisis who wanted to have her child was spurned by institutions advocating "choice."

　The only choice that liberals care about is abortion. PP'hood will help you pay for an abortion bec they make billions, and they'll give you a pamphlet about breast cancer bec a foundation is paying them to. Welfare is a system that Dems want to keep people in -- Reps want to help women get out of it.

　Now it sounds like maybe you had a personal experience where someone who was conservative shamed you -- I'm not saying it doesn't happen -- there is a small sector of rigid types who try to shame women. But it is a myth (perpetuated by those who are pro-abortion to advance their agenda) that the GOP is predominantly made up of those rigid types.

　Believe me I have had bones to pick with the GOP -- e.g. the Family Leave Act -- they favored the business lobbyists too much. But they have come around. I and the many women (and men) I know or have met who had an unplanned child just did not experience what you describe from conservatives.

　It is amazing to me that the DNC -- who claims to be the champion of the weak, and who says that women can do anything -- see nothing wrong with killing the most innocent and vulnerable at any gestation in the womb or leaving them to die on the table (esp'ly those with defects), and believe that oppressing the preborn is necessary for women to be "equal."

　Pro-life feminists like me believe that every woman and every child, no matter what their circumstance, deserves every chance and unconditional support to live the best life they can.

"L" did not respond, but I was pleasantly surprised that I received positive responses from a couple of folks who support abortion rights. Not saying they agreed with everything I said, or that I changed their minds much if at all, but at least they were open to another point of view that perhaps they don't run across every day.