Barker's Newsbites: November 25, 2013

So, gang... remember once upon a time when if you were faced with the question, "Who do I trust... the Israelis... the Saudis... or the President of the United States," the answer would be clear?

Well...??? Does anyone believe the answer is clear today...???

Anyway... let's put foreign policy aside for the moment so that I can rant about a certain "domestic policy" which really roasts my chestnuts...

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Enough with this "Happy Holidays" crap!!!

And, no, before anyone gets the wrong idea, it's not "just" about Christmas... it's about how political correctness is pissing me off across the friggin' holiday board!

Prior to Halloween... HALLOWEEN... people were wishing me "Happy Holidays!"

Are you friggin' KIDDING me...?!?! Now we can't say "HALLOWEEN...?!?!"

And then there's Thanksgiving...

Thanksgiving is not "the start to the holiday season" in my book; in my book Thanksgiving is...

(*DRUM ROLL*)

...THANKSGIVING...!!!

Is Thanksgiving a religious holiday? Yes and no. Definitely "yes" in the sense that we're talking the friggin' PILGRIMS and they were giving thanks to GOD... the Christian God if you wanna be technical... BUT... Thanksgiving is secular as well... a PATRIOTIC holiday... an AMERICAN holiday... and thus one all Americans regardless of religion (or lack thereof) should be celebrating!

RESPECT THANKSGIVING... IN AND OF ITSELF...!!!

Say it with me, my friends: "Happy Thanksgiving...!!!"

Next... Hanukkah... the Festival of Lights... a MINOR Jewish holiday that this year falls on Wednesday, November 27 (sunset) and goes on through Thursday, December 5 (sunset).

Do I have anything against Hanukkah? Nope! Does my referring to Hanukkah as a "minor" Jewish holiday mark me as a bigot? Nope! (It marks me as educated!)

If a million people were to wish me "Happy Hanukkah" from now till sunset on Thursday, December 5 would I feel blessed? Sure! Why not?! My Savior was a friggin' Jew and I'm guessing that as a boy Jesus looked forward to Hanukkah every year! (And you know what I say... "If it was good enough for Jesus...")

In all seriousness, it's NOT disrespectful to spread the joy of one's holidays! It is indeed a blessing! (So says I and I was made in God's image and therefore...")

(*SHRUG*)

My Jewish friends... each year I sincerely wish them a Happy Hanukkah. To the many Hasidim I run into... I wish them a Happy Hanukkah! If someone wishes me a Happy Hanukkah I wish them one back...!!!

What is so friggin' hard to understand about the logic and correctness of "The Bill Approach?"

But, folks... come December 1... it's CHRISTMASTIME...!!!

It's not "holiday" time no matter how many different religions are celebrating whatever their religions call for them to celebrate.

December is "holiday" time in America and throughout "the Christian World" only in the sense that it's CHRISTMASTIME! This has absolutely nothing to do with Hanukkah... or Thanksgiving or Halloween or New Year's Day...

I believe that current scholarly thought is that Christ was actually born in the summer. Let's say he was. Let's say that instead of celebrating Advent every December... celebrating Christmas Eve every December 24... celebrating Christmas Day every December 25... that in place of all this we "moved" Christmas to August.

(*SMIRK*)

Folks... no Christmas in December... no December "holiday time." 

Winter Solstice...??? (Yeah... good luck with that! Quick... without Googling... what date does this year's Winter Solstice fall upon?)

So... with all due respect to all the non-Christians out there who have a problem with CHRISTMASTIME... 

(*PAUSE*)

Go stuff your heads in thawed "holiday" turkeys and heat up your ovens!

To anyone who disagrees with the basic premise of my call to treat every holiday with respect... to NOT disrespect any one by trying to fold it (or rather "them") into some politically correct all-encompassing "holiday season"...

(*ANOTHER PAUSE*)

Stand up... walk over to the nearest wall... start banging your head against that wall until you either change your mind or knock yourself unconscious!

And that's my rant for "the season."

(Well... one at least! More to come...!!!)