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• Monday, December 26, 2005 02:53 AM

  The "War" on Christmas: nothing but brainwashing

  I completely sympathized with Wil Wheaton's Christmas experience with his family; mine was not only similar, but equally as exasperating. For the three days I was at my mother and stepfather's home over Christmas this year, I listened to an unending tirade (itself a virtual repeat of last year) about how the "ACLU" and "political correctness" had "destroyed" Christmas; that it was an "outrage" that "no one was allowed to say 'Merry Christmas' anymore," (despite my bringing up - in as diplomatic a fashion as possible - that no evidence whatsoever existed that this was the case); endless complaining by them through clenched teeth that "I think it's an outrage that "they" (meaning Turner Classic Movies, etc.) aren't showing a single Christmas movie" (though a cursory scroll through the Dish Network guide found no fewer than 6 channels airing, at different times, hoary old chestnuts such as "It's a Wonderful Life", "Christmas in Connecticut", "Little Women", etc. (along with endless amounts of Christmas music on some of the music channels). When I pointed out this fact, another O'Reilly-created brick wall was thrown up in my face: "Maybe they're showing them once, but they should be running these movies all day!" It was at that point I gave up and realized this is one battle that, if things were going to stay on a pleasant level for the rest of the weekend, it might be better to just drop.

  I feel Will's frustration; I love my mother and stepfather dearly, and they are otherwise completely intelligent, thoroughly rational people, whom I've often turned to for council, and, as one would expect from one's elders, their advice about anything but politics is insightful and illuminating. But their retirement has found them immersed in FOX news and its infuriatingly inane stable of worthless "commentators", all of them frothing at the mouth about how "Christmas is under attack by godless liberals!" As Will said, FOX has turned them into GOP talking point-spouting pod people. Of the seven million reasons I despise, no, loathe - in fact, I can't think of an adjective strong enough - FOX "news", this may be at the top of the list. No argument, it seems, regardless of how well thought through or logically presented, can seem to penetrate the brainwashing perpetrated by this wretched network, and that fact makes me as sad as it does unspeakably angry.

  —D.
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