Modern-day Republicans are very angry people. The most innocent of things in their world seems to ever be under siege.
2020 turned a small piece of material with two elastic bands into an expression of searing hate for beloved dear-leader. If someone had dared say to you on January 1, 2020 that in a few short months the innocent N95 and simple surgical masks would be equated with sentiments like I hate Trump, hate America, welcome rioting and end-of-world style criminal activity, etc., you would think this person was just a wee bit touched.
There is a simple explanation, however; the Republican Party is so utterly bankrupt of integrity, of ideas, of even the tiniest desire to govern, that they must ever keep the following on the brink of hysterical indignation by making really crazy, emotion-packed things up like — masks mean the wearer hates Trump, hates you — mocks you!
It is the holiday season again and what does this mean for most? It means baking cookies and making lists that are checked twice. Gifts are hidden from kids and strings of lights, after being untangled with the promise to put them away better this year, are checked for bad bulbs before being hung from the roof. Sure, we are all engaged in some kind of holiday activities — Jewish or Christian, celebrators of Kwanza — this should be a time of year when some form of peace settles over us.
But no. Thanks to the so-called Christian Republicans whose anger seems to never know an end; thanks to a mass of Fox-watching, Trump-loving Republicans, fresh from the mask-wars, we have unnoticeably again transitioned to the whiniest— and maybe one of the stupidest — times of the year: It’s war on Christmas time.
Like everything else they touch, Christmas too has been poisoned and politicized and made a point of controversy; another political steel cage match to engage in instead of loving those around and enjoying the festive gathering. The stupid, the same loud-mouths shouting about their rights and masks, are now doing verbal push-ups and chin-ups preparing for the great defense of Christmas.
The thing is, no one but Fox and the Republicans are waging this war. In the way that Russia keeps its people ever convinced that if their vigilance against external enemies is relaxed just for one hour, the nation would be overrun by Europeans and Finns from the West; Mongolians and Afghanis from the underbelly and and the Chinese and Japanese from the East; the Republicans realize that The Great Culture War must forever be propagandized even during times of peace.
Saying Happy Holidays, for me is something I might offer when in doubt of the person’s religion. I will unlikely say it if I find myself in Hong Kong or Japan where Christmas is not celebrated. Why would I say it to a Jewish person or a Muslim at a Starbucks in New Jersey? Saying happy holidays to the Trumpists, however, means I am waging war against my most favorite time of the year. Why would I do that? How dare they steal this joy from me?!
A simple desire to be more polite and accepting of cultural differences is translated in modern-Republican ”dummiese” as you want to enslave my children in porn rings, teach them to hate white people and traditional families, etc. You hate on Christians.
I still love this time of year more than any other. I still love baking cakes and cookies and loaves of bread. I love the frantic shopping and dodging the flying chestnuts that I always seem to cook too long. I love the music, the lights, the trees, the smiles, the squeals of little kids— did I say the songs? I love Christmas carols.
I hate that they are making me write this and feel the need to do so in the most blessed time of year — the season of holidays. I hate that their children are being raised in homes where so much hate and closemindedness prevails. In homes, where instead of wondering how little Karen got off of that roof in Frosty the Snowman, the kids are forming hate in their hearts for anyone who dare wishes them a happy holiday.
Let this be my final word to all of them vile enough to wage war against our favorite time of the year: — shut the hell up or else I will wish you a Happy Holiday!
—
This post was previously published on Medium.com.
***
If you believe in the work we are doing here at The Good Men Project and want a deeper connection with our community, please join us as a Premium Member today.
Premium Members get to view The Good Men Project with NO ADS. Need more info? A complete list of benefits is here.
—
Photo credit: Roberto Nickson on Unsplash