Christmas Miracles

At some time or another we have all heard of blessings that seem to arrive on or about December 25th. Whether we were personally blessed or word comes to us that others so deserving were touched by an angel doesn't really matter. We are no less filled with happiness.

This year, we freedom-loving people everywhere were once again blessed. The angel: Bernard Madoff. Yes, THAT Bernie Madoff. One of our sources on the PublicSquare group tells us that one of the many victims of "Madman" Madoff's incredible fraud was none other than the American Civil Liberties Union.

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From the Desk of Alma Montclair
Director of Administration and Finance
American Civil Liberties Union
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DearACLU Supporter,
"...You have, no doubt, heard about theBernard Madoff Ponzi scheme in which investors have been horribly defrauded of up to $50 billion. What you may not know is that two foundations that have been incredibly generous and longstanding supporters of our national security and reproductive freedom work have been victimized by the Madoff scandal -- forced to close their doors and terminate their grants.

"That means that $850,000 in support we were counting on from these foundations in 2009 simply won't exist."

See what I mean? You can almost feel the joy and happiness brimming within you. Let it out! Sing and dance! Run to the nearest public school and shout out the Lord's prayer! Oh, if only every foundation that supported "our national security AND reproductive freedoms" (sounds like the Margaret Hoover Foundation) were investing with Madoff, we would truly be free! But we'll take what we can get.

'The Naming of Things'

One last note on the 'Holiday Party' debate. It seems that my posts and comments have brought together Brian Griffiths of Pasadena with Adam Pagnucco of Somewhere in Maryland. Here is Mr. Pagnucco's contribution in Maryland Politics Watch:

Maryland conservative bloggers are engaged in frenzied combat even as I write this. Are they battling over why the GOP lost the recent elections? No. Are they differing over how to revitalize the party? No. They are at war over whether the Anne Arundel Young Republicans should name their winter gathering a "Holiday Party" or a "Christmas Party."

First, I have to say that I am encouraged that enough folks found it worthwhile to read my posts and comments on the subject. Neither Messrs Griffiths or Pagnucco (or 'Mister Brian' and 'Mister Adam' as I am sure children call them with their approval) wrote much other than "Hey, look at Mike!" And a lot of people did.

But I have to answer Mr. Pagnucco, however. I firmly believe that we are indeed debating the reasons for the GOP's latest defeat and the revitalization of the party. Readers of my blog will recognize that I point out evidence of cultural erosion mostly in language and especially in our own party. Why? Because in most cases the erosion is in the direction of the language of modern liberalism, commonly referred to as Political Correctness.

The GOP is not a helpless beach forming the shore of a liberal ocean. We are, one would think, able to resist. And it is the failure of GOP politicians to rise to the defense of language against the onslaught of the left that has led to a lack of enthusiasm in the party and mounting losses.

I like to think of it as the chink in the GOP armour. So while it may seem insignificant, the use the word 'Holiday' when Christmas is the only secular 'holiday' meant, is, in fact, a manifestation of Political Correctness. And being PC is for Republicans or at least for the party's conservative base, anathema. Witness Mr. Griffiths' reaction to my question. He knows what it means and he fears being accused of being PC.

And he came up with the "...political, not a religious organization" fairly quickly. Almost as though he had been waiting for the question to asked. Religion has nothing to do with it. Christmas is a secular federal holiday on December 25th. Christians celebrate by exchanging gifts, trimming trees, decorating with red and green and holly leaves and berries. People of other faiths celebrate by not going to work that day, for the most part.

Young 'Republicans' II

Wow. The YRs are nothing if not networked. I guess I touched a nerve with my last post. YRs from all over the eastern seaboard hit my blog after Brian Griffiths took umbrage with my accusation that the YRs, at least in this county, are politically correct.

Sam from Odenton (my only comment apart from that of my biggest fan) wrote: Maybe they should call it " The Annual All White People Christmas Party". Apparently this would be redundant according to the YRs.

Where is the spirited defense of the inoffensive, the innocuous, the inert? Here, let me help:

Mike, you insensitive person, you. Yes, I know you are a male, but I choose, of my own free will, to refer to you as a person, because it's not fair to assume that you identify yourself as a man as opposed to a woman. Anyway, what is wrong with having a "Holiday" party instead of a "Christmas Party" like the Old Republicans of the North County variety? We are young and sensitive and inclusive and multicultural and stuff. Now why don't you get with the program? Knock it off with the "Christmas" cards and "Merry Christmas."

Or something like that.

So while Brian Griffiths of Pasadena grapples with "branding" (whatever the Hell that means) my family is watching Lady Thatcher in a speech she made at GOPAC in 1994. In one of her closing remarks she expresses complete disbelief that in a nation whose motto is "In God We Trust," that its Supreme Court would rule against teaching or even mentioning the word God in the public schools.

And while Brian loses sleep over candidate development strategies, he can take comfort that he has thrown in with the liberal elite by abandoning his cultural heritage and has therefore made the YRs immune from the attacks and derision of the left. Yes, the liberal Democrats will now praise the Anne Arundel County YRs for their progressiveness.

Way to go, Brian!

Meanwhile I just received from a fellow Old Republican an e-mail regarding an interview on CBS with Ben Stein recently in which he recited from something he had written regarding being a Jew and living in a predominantly Christian society. In it he "confesses" that "I am a Jew," "...And it does not bother me even a little bit" when people refer to Christmas trees or when then wish him Merry Christmas. Nor, I will bet, does it offend him to be invited to a Christmas party.

I think Mr. Griffiths and the members of the YRs, Jew and Gentile, could learn something from Mr. Stein.

Young 'Republicans'

Closer to home, the Lost Generation has made an appearance on the GOP calendar. The Anne Arundel Young Republicans, led by the able Brian Griffiths of Pasadena, are having a "Holiday" Party this month.

After reading the calendar notices on County GOP Calendar I asked Mr. Griffiths why the YRs were having a "Holiday" party. He responded that 1. the YRs was a political, not a religious, organization (I kid you not), and 2. the group has both Christian AND Jewish members.

I responded that somebody forgot to tell the North County GOP Club that they are a political and not a religious organization. I haven't heard back from him yet. Does North County have any Jewish members? I ride the train everyday with a colleague at work who is a Jew. He married a christian and celebrates both Christmas and Hanukkah. If I moved to Israel, I would go to Hanukkah Parties all the time. At home, of course, I would set up my Christmas tree. Why should it be any different here?

Do the YR's, like Miss Hoover, 'get it' too? In defending our culture and the fabric of society, must we be wary of our own? The answer is YES. We apparently have not done enough to ensure that the next generation has a spine that does not wither against the incessant onslaught of political correctness.