Holidays and executions

One of my favorite bits from one of my favorite holiday-related television traditions is the part in the Charlie Brown Christmas Special where Linus stands on the stage and tells the story of the birth of the Christ child. I'm not a Christian by any current ridiculous American standards, but I've always liked the story of a baby in a manger surrounded by friendly (and in my imagination, talking) animals. I've always stripped this story from its Christian pretext and thought of the baby as a symbol of tremendous hope for a new world that's full of peace and goodwill toward men and an end to suffering and war and injustice, because these are things I want. These are things everybody wants. I also like the part where Charlie Brown (or is it Linus? Do all prophets carry safety blankets?) laments while looking at Snoopy's light-strewn doghouse that Christmas is so commercialized.

I've been thinking about these things while reading other blog posts created by people far funnier and more articulate than I am about the so-called War on Christmas. I remember when Evil manifested itself in the idea that a Christian holiday might be used to sell stuff. Remember that? When people were saying Christmas was too secular because it was all about gifts and trees and people were losing track of what the holiday was really about? Well, apparently now Evil is manifest in that people aren't using a Christian holiday to sell stuff. Because now we have holiday cards and holiday trees and holiday sales. Bill 'Why the fuck does anyone still listen to him' O'Reilly is one of the many people yammering on about this topic, complaining about 'holiday' this and that (because it should be 'Christmas' this and that.) It's all a little confusing to me, since I though the whole tree thing was actually a Pagan tradition, which is fine, whatever floats your boat, Paganism is as valid as anything to me. And I guess a lot of those terrifying megachurches aren't bothering to have a Sunday service since Christmas falls on a Sunday this year...so all good Christians can stay home and wallow in their excessive consumption?

I've also been thinking about this as Stanley 'Tookie' Williams was just executed last night despite a concerted effort to have his sentence commuted to life in prison. (Here's a story from the Birdcage Liner about his execution and clemency efforts.) Apparently, his jailhouse redemption wasn't enough to save his life. And I'm wondering about all these Christians getting all hot and bothered about 'taking back Christmas' --where are they in all this? Yeah, this guy has likely killed many people. But what about all this 'judge not lest ye be judged?' Who the heck are we to be killing in the name of retribution? I'm really not okay with this, and I don't know how any 'Christian' can be okay with this. If you believe the hype, the Big Man (or Woman, or maybe it's a dog?) decides where you end up. Isn't God's judgement enough? Or maybe you don't believe in heaven, so you have to try to create it here on earth by getting your grubby paws on all the earthly goods you can grab, and oh yeah, while we're at it, why don't we mete out god-like punishment too since it's never REALLY going to come. When it comes to stuff like this, the 'reclaiming of Christmas' seems pretty inconsequential to me.

I also like that The Governator says that "there was no evidence that Mr. Williams's speaking out against gang violence had any effect on "the continued pervasiveness of gang violence" in crime-ridden neighborhoods." Because you know, the concerted efforts of one man to convince young people to choose different paths in life is going to change the larger societal and economic forces that have created the environment that spawns gangs. Whatever. I just cling to the hope that with the annual commemoration of tremendous potential for a better world wrapped in swaddling clothes amongst the friendly talking animals, we'll have another shot at making this all right.