Tis the season to be jolly

‘Tis the season. ‘Tis the season when we deck the halls with boughs of marketing, and it’s not even winter. It’s still fa-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-fall. (Sorry). It’s easy to be a Scrouge about the whole deal and blame it on our runaway capitalistic spirit, but that’s not really what’s going down during the Christmas season. ‘Tis the season of American culture. We can’t claim French fries, hotdogs, or hamburgers, and I have a sneaking suspicion that apple pie isn’t as red, white and blue as we’d like to think. That leaves us with baseball and the Christmas shopping season.
You see, American culture is about diversity, Just as you can find a Puerto Rican on 2nd and a Samoan playing shortstop, you can find an African-American Santa right across the aisle from his Caucasion counterpart. Menorahs and wreaths share warehouse space without religious disputes. Mirth becomes an acceptable synonym for happiness. It is a wonderful time of diversity, acceptance, and tickle-me Elmos. It is a time that fills my heart with mirth.
Of course, there is a downside. No one cares about Thanksgiving anymore. Schoolchildren have stopped drawing hand-turkeys and pilgrims are confused with nuns,
Families are replacing turkey with ham and to be frank, the turkey’s feelings are a little hurt.
So, Christmas enthusiasts, shop this holiday season with confidence, but take the effort to respect the turkey. It is Thanksgiving after all, save the ham for Christmas.

It seems as if Christmas decorations appear earlier and earlier each year, everywhere from retail stores to private homes, even Piedmont College. Does this trend increase or decrease your Christmas joy? Discuss your pet peeves as well as your favorite traditions, as they relate to decorating for Christmas.
This post is due Monday, November 20th.

Hillary '08?

Alright. Forget everything you know about Hillary Clinton. Forget that there are Facebook groups full of people threatening to move to Canada if Clinton is elected President. Forget that the Washington Post reported that she talks to the ghost of Eleanor Roosevelt for inspiration. Forget that her husband was preoccupied with…well…yeah. Forget all this, and it might actually be easy to picture her as the President of the United States.
Clinton is progressive. This country is also progressive even though sometimes it likes to deny it. The United States needs a leader that reflects the times. Domestically and abroad, there are progressive issues that need to be addressed.
Clinton has long been known for her children’s initiatives. The Children's Health Insurance Program was headed up by Clinton and provided support for children whose parents were unable to afford health coverage. She also managed to increase the research funding for illnesses such as prostate cancer and childhood asthma. It’s not uncommon to find pictures of Clinton reading to children. Unlike Bush, she manages to hold the book right-side-up.
Women’s rights have also been a political frontier for Clinton. She has supported efforts to encourage breast cancer awareness and prevention, citing resources available to citizens through Medicare. Her Vital Voices initiative created during her stint as the First Lady promotes the participation of women in foreign political processes, especially in Afghanistan. She has also been outspoken on the issue of violence against women. Of course she is a female, which unfortunately, is crucial factor in the bid for the Presidency of the United States. Never before in the history of the United States has a female been chosen as a presidential candidate for either party. Regardless, she is the subject of much speculation. Can a female succeed in a primary? Will normally stagnant female voters come out of the woodwork to vote for her? Will her marriage to President Clinton affect the outcome? I personally don’t think any of these scenarios will matter more than her position on more pressing issues.

Election 2008

Who would you like to see win the presidential campaign in 2008? Justify your choice. Posting is due Wednesday, November 8.