Monday 5 December 2011

Sunday, December 4th, 2011

How Christmas Is Treated Today

Toronto, Ontario

A friend of mine, Barry Brown, aka, Baladev, whom I used to travel with in the States while we were both brahmacharis (monks) in the seventies, sent me this poem. It reflects the way many of us feel:

Was the Month Before Christmas

Twas the month before Christmas
When all through our land,
Not a Christian was praying
Nor taking a stand.
See the PC Police had taken away
The reason for Christmas - no one could say.
The children were told by their schools not to sing
About Shepherds and Wise Men and Angels and things.
It might hurt people's feeling, the teachers would say
December 25th is just a 'Holiday'.
Yet the shoppers were ready with cash, checks and credit
Pushing folks down to the floor just to get it!
CD's from Madonna, and XBOX, and i-Pod
Something was changing, something quite odd~
Retailers promoted Ramadan and Kwanzaa
in hopes to sell books by Franken and Fonda.
As Targets were hanging their trees upside down
At Lowe's the word "Christmas" was nowhere to be found.
At K-Mart and Staples and Payless and Sears
You won't hear the word "Christmas", it won't touch your ears.
Inclusive, sensitive, Di-ver-si-ty
Are words that were used to intimidate me.
Now Daschle, Now Darden, Now Sharpton, Wolf Blitzen
On Boxer, on Harper, on Watson, on Clinton!
At the top of the Senate, there arose such a clatter
To eliminate Jesus, in all public matter.
And we spoke not a word, as they took away our faith
Forbidden to speak of salvation or grace
The true Gift of Christmas was exchanged and discarded
The reason for the season, stopped before it started.
So as you celebrate "Winter Break" under your "Dream Tree"
Sipping your Starbucks, listen to me.
Choose your words carefully, choose what you say
Shout MERRY CHRISTMAS,
Not Happy Holiday!

Thanks, Baladev.

8 Km

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