Showing Some Restraint

It seems every year following the first lighting of the heaters and before the first snowfall here in Texas, most of us Americans go a little bit nuts. Normally this insanity is seen only in our Christmas spending as we get the spirit and melt that plastic in a frenzy of "Happiness Buying". Of course we all know that money can't buy happiness, but it seems many of us (me included) suffer from the delusion that plastic can at least rent it for a few months. Now I am, without a doubt, the very last person on the face of Earth to preach sensible spending at this time of year, I have always lived by the maxim that you should spend until the wife see's the credit card bills.

As I stated above this seasonal lack of rational thought usually only shows up in our spending, however this year it seems the virus is spreading to politics, sports, entertainment and is poisoning our ability to discuss any differences calmly.

Recently a decorated Marine veteran of the Vietnam War, serving as a Democrat Congressman from Pennsylvania, expressed his belief that our war efforts in Iraq were failing. If Congressman Murtha had stopped at this point, I would have no complaints. Unfortunately, he choose to go that extra mile and join in with the lunatic fringe that is accusing the President of lying about the war and demanding an immediate withdrawal. I would have thought they had learned that "Cut and Run" does not work. Rather than let this disgrace dominate the news, a Freshman Republican Congresswoman stood up and read an email accusing this undisputable Hero of being a coward. Not to be outdone by a mere Congresswoman, one of our nation's premier hate mongers, disguised as a columnist, accused Congressman Murtha of being a Traitor. The Congressman's comments were wrong and hateful, The Congresswoman's comments were wrong and disgusting, Ms Colter's comments were pure hate, they were neither accurate or amusing. Over the last few years we have come to accept this type of vitriol from people like Michael Moore, Al Franken and now Ann Coulter. I, for one, am disgusted by all of them.

Terrell Owens was suspended from his team, the Philadelphia Eagles because he choose to badmouth his Quarterback in the press and for getting into a fist fight with another player. A pitifull excuse for a man whose behavior belongs more on the elementary school playground than among the multi-million dollar players of the NFL. Unfortunately, again, this is nothing new or unexpected merely a logical extension of the pampered baby behavior that professional sports players have demonstrated. Today (Nov 28th, 2005) The Eagles filed a complaint against Jerry Jones of the Dallas Cowboys for "Tampering" with Terrell Owens. Mr. Jones, we don't want this player wearing the beloved Star of our Cowboys.

All across our nation in department stores, schools and other public places, they are putting up "Holiday" trees instead of Christmas Trees. People will wish you "Seasons Greetings", will invite you to "Winter Solstice" plays at the local schools, will bend themselves over backwards to avoid saying "Christmas". I will not ask when it became politically incorrect to acknowledge that this season is a celebration of the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ, instead, I will ask why we are allowing a small vocal bunch of unhappy people to poison our tradition.

Disagree or Agree feel free to add your own comments.

Please send any feedback to UnkHiram@BHocutt.com