Posted on 12/20/2005 3:05:09 PM PST by churchillbuff
I used to harbor the quiet but fierce ambition to write just one definitive, annihilating anti-Christmas column and then find an editor sufficiently indulgent to run it every December. ... But I have slowly come to appreciate that this hope was in vain. The thing must be done annually and afresh. ...
[W]hat I have always hated about the month of December: the atmosphere of a one-party state. On all media and in all newspapers, endless invocations of the same repetitive theme. In all public places, from train stations to department stores, an insistent din of identical propaganda and identical music. The collectivization of gaiety and the compulsory infliction of joy. Time wasted on foolishness at one's children's schools. . ...
Our Christian enthusiasts are evidently too stupid, as well as too insecure, to appreciate this. A revealing mark of their insecurity is their rage when public places are not annually given over to religious symbolism, and now, their fresh rage when palaces of private consumption do not follow suit.
(Excerpt) Read more at slate.com ...
Why doesn't Hitchens move to Iran? He wouldn't have to experience Christmas there.
A Hissy Crissy fit!
"A revealing mark of their insecurity is their rage when public places are not annually given over to religious symbolism"
No, its when public places discriminate against Christians. And you've confused the retail season innanities with the Christmas. Expected better from you...
Now Hitchens knows how I felt, as a FR addict, back when freepers were endlessly and repetitively posting articles by Hitchens.
Because he supported the Iraq war, he was declared a "conservative" -- never mind that he hates Reagan and, as far as I know, remains a militant "progressive" in his political views.
The ''Christ'' in ''Christopher'' must really bug Hitchens.
As for this, it's a "Lighten up, Francis" moment. He's at heart a troubled collectivist-wannabe--he WANTS socialism to work but is too smart to believe it can--but I don't want to just read Novak, Coulter and a few others. I like someone who sees things from a different perspective.
I would get upset with Hitchens, but after reading three or four sentences, all I can do is yawn. Does anybody have his e-mail address so we can all wish him a Merry Christmas?
It's ironic that Hitchens compares Christmas to a "one-party state." One party states frown on Christmas, and sometimes execute those who celebrate it. Of course, Hitchens sees nothing wrong with killing Christians, as his praise for the Bolsheviks and what they did to the Russian Orthodox Church makes clear.
Don't like it? Don't look.
I like this guy thanks to his support of the Iraq war ... but I still think Christmas is pretty cool.
And he should spend some time in the US and move around the place. I lived in Los Angeles until last year, and the Christmas music played there was totally different from what's played here in Pittsburgh. In Pittsburgh, people are religious and so religious songs are played that you'd never hear in LA.
Perhaps it's an unfortunate thing about our society that we have to have one time to say "Peace on earth, good will towards men", and we can't make it part of our lives here. I'm not referring to the Iraq war; I'm talking about how rudely Americans treat each other, and how much our music outside of the holidays tries to express nothing more than mutual hostility.
I guess I like the Christmas "propaganda" because it's a respite from all the nastiness and negativity I see from the richest, freest society in the world, during the richest and freest time.
What is wrong with us, really?
D
You're a cheap date if all that it takes to woo you is "support of the Iraq war." Guess you like Hillary, too?
Thank you. For a brief spell, some of the trash on radio and TV has to make room for music and stories that are a bit more edifying. Or at least this used to be the case when Christmas music and Christmas TV shows got more air time than they seem to anymore.
Remember, Hitchens is just your basic garden variety elitist snob so this is exactly what you should expect from him.
I think he would love to go back to the good old days when he was fighting the good fight against the evils of capitalism, but he seems to have resigned himself to realizing that his side just doesn't work.
At least he made that journey. He deserves credit for that, and for breaking with his friends on the Iraq war issue.
And he writes a darn good column when he's on our side.
D
Good grief, Christopher is going to blow a gasket (he does make some good points about the commercialization of Christmas, though). He surely has some friends in quiet, rich Muslim countries like Dubai or Bahrain. Why doesn't he move to such a place at the first of every December and stay for the duration if all the Christmas hoo-ha bugs him so much?
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