OPINION:
Sometimes, it’s hard not to feel like Charlie Brown in “A Charlie Brown Christmas” as he struggles to find the true meaning of Christmas in the midst of rampant commercialism, political correctness and the casual cruelty of an apathetic, self-absorbed, dog-eat-dog world.
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Then again, isn’t that struggle to overcome the darkness and find the light within exactly what Christmas — the celebration of a baby born in a manger — is all about? The reminder that we have not been forgotten or forsaken. Glad tidings amid hard times. Goodwill to counter meanness. Innocence in the face of cynicism. Hope amid despair. Comfort to soothe our fears. Peace as an answer to war. Love that conquers hate.
Yet in an age of bureaucracy, overcriminalization and militarized police, it often seems as if no good deed goes unpunished.
Indeed, although Charles Dickens immortalized the money-loving, Christmas-hating, bah-humbuggiest of humbugs Ebenezer Scrooge in his classic “A Christmas Carol,” the world has always been plagued by Scrooges so single-minded in their pursuit of money, power and control that they exhibit few qualms about stamping out acts of kindness, compassion and true charity when they arise.
Still, we must press on, despite the Scrooges of the world.
So how do we make the world a better place in the face of weaponized drones, far-reaching surveillance and a government that with every passing day is coming to resemble authoritarian regimes of old?
Throwing money at the problems won’t fix them, and wishing them away won’t work.
Indeed, I’ve seen enough of the world in my time on this planet to know that wishing is not enough. We need to be doing. As much as I long for an end to war, poverty, hunger, violence and disease in my lifetime, millions continue to die every year, casualties of a world that places greater value on war machines and profit margins than human life.
While it’s not possible to solve all of the world’s problems right away, there is no shortage of things we can each do right now — no matter what one’s budget, religion, or political persuasion — to pay our blessings forward and recapture the true spirit of Christmas.
After all, as “fellow-passengers to the grave,” we all have a moral duty to make this world (or at least our small corners of it) just a little bit kinder, a little less hostile and a lot more helpful to those in need.
For starters, move beyond the “us” vs. “them” mentality. Tune into what’s happening in your family, in your community and your world, and get active. Show compassion to those in need, be kind to those around you, forgive those who have wronged you, and teach your children to do the same. Talk less, and listen more. Take less, and give more. Stop being a hater. Stop acting entitled and start being empowered. Learn tolerance in the true sense of the word. Value your family. Count your blessings. Share your blessings. Feed the hungry, shelter the homeless and comfort the lonely and broken-hearted. Bridge bridges, and tear down walls. Stand for freedom. Strive for peace.
One thing more: make time for joy and laughter. Shake off the blues with some Christmas tunes, whatever fits the bill for you, be it traditional carols, rollicking oldies, or some rocking new tunes. Watch a Christmas movie that reinforces your faith in humanity.
There may not be much we can do to avoid the dismal reality of the American police state in the long term—not so long as the powers-that-be allow profit margins to take precedence over people—but in the short term, I hope you’ll do your part to “spread a smile of joy” and “throw your arms around the world at Christmastime.”
As Dickens reminds us in “A Christmas Carol,” it’s never too late to make things right in the world and try to be better people and, most importantly of all, pay your blessings forward.
Whether you do it by raising money for a charity, standing up against injustice as The Rutherford Institute does, or as Scrooge did it, by repenting of his greed, selfishness and bah humbuggery and looking out for those in need, the point, my friends, is to do it now before it’s too late, not just at Christmastime, but always.
As Dickens writes, “And it was always said of him, that he knew how to keep Christmas well, if any man alive possessed the knowledge. May that be truly said of us, and all of us! And so, as Tiny Tim observed, God bless Us, Every One!”
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Constitutional attorney and author John W. Whitehead is founder and president of The Rutherford Institute. His latest books “The Erik Blair Diaries” and “Battlefield America: The War on the American People” are available at www.amazon.com. Whitehead can be contacted at johnw@rutherford.org. Nisha Whitehead is the Executive Director of The Rutherford Institute. Information about The Rutherford Institute is available at www.rutherford.org.
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