I find it very interesting what issues the republicans can come up with to distract our attention from the real issues. The “War on Christmas” is the oddest one I can remember in a long time. (The Bush response to the possible bird flu pandemic comes close). Congressman Dingell read a funny poem into the offical record –
Here is the complete poem that Congressman Dingell read last week before the house passed the bill to “save” Christmas.
'Twas a week before Christmas and all through the House,
no bills were passed 'bout which Fox News could grouse.
Tax cuts for the wealthy were passed with great cheer,
so vacations in St. Barts soon should be near.
Katrina kids were all nestled snug in motel beds,
while visions of school and home danced in their heads.
In Iraq, our soldiers need supplies and a plan,
and nuclear weapons are being built in Iran.
Gas prices shot up, consumer confidence fell.
Americans feared we were in a fast track to ... well.
Wait, we need a distraction, something divisive and wily,
a fabrication straight from the mouth of O'Reilly.
We will pretend Christmas is under attack,
hold a vote to save it, then pat ourselves on the back.
Silent Night, First Noel, Away in the Manger,
Wake up Congress, they're in no danger.
This time of year, we see Christmas everywhere we go,
From churches to homes to schools and, yes, even Costco.
What we have is an attempt to divide and destroy
when this is the season to unite us with joy.
At Christmastime, we're taught to unite.
We don't need a make-up reason to fight.
So on O'Reilly, on Hannity, on Coulter and those right-wing blogs.
You should sit back and relax, have a few egg nogs.
'Tis the holiday season; enjoy it a pinch.
With all our real problems, do we really need another Grinch?
So to my friends and my colleagues, I say with delight,
a Merry Christmas to all, and to Bill O'Reilly, Happy Holidays.
Ho, ho, ho. Merry Christmas.
This is not a serious issue, but it is an effective means for keeping the troops in a ready frenzy for when they can be unleashed on some other assault on our civil liberties.
Sad thing is — I think there are many people who think it is a serious issue. Maybe I’m one – it is an assault on our civil liberties – it is an attempt to say everyone needs to think and believe like me. of course it’s nothing compared to Bush’s decision to spy on American citizens without legal approval – that’s what is usually called a “police state.”