Leading Up To A Cotillion Christmas

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas and the Cotillion ladies are busy preparing. Cleaning and decorating, cookies to bake and dinners to cook, along with seemingly endless shopping. Gifts to wrap...oh, don't even remind me of the wrapping! Thankfully, some of the ladies still have time to write.

We begin our Cotillion Christmas Adventure at Charmaine's, where she's examining the difference between what the critics love....and what the public actually goes to see. I think she's onto something here.

Two of our ladies are covering different versions of the same subject-gun control. Deb at TFS Magnum discusses legal gun ownership and youth crime.

If guns cause crime, why is it that juveniles who own legal guns are slightly less inclined to delinquency than their non-gun-owning peers? The truth, of course, is that guns don't cause crime, and blaming them does nothing to fight crime.

Again, I think she's on to something. Seems to be a trend here.

WonderWoman over at A North American Patriot tells us that the Prime Minister in Canada has come up with a plan to curb gun violence-ban handguns. As WW says....STOP! Or I'll chastise you, harshly!

Yesterday, it was made widely known that our esteemed Prime Minister has come up with an ingenious plan, to curb gun violence in Canada. Apparently, the pearls of wisdom have revealed that people don't kill people - guns do! The solution? BAN HANDGUNS - because of course, criminals who blatantly flaunt the law to commit murder, assault and robbery, will most assuredly respect the law limiting their right to own a handgun...right? Or will this perhaps just give violent criminals more peace of mind, in the certainty that their innocent, law-abiding victims will be unarmed, while they are assaulted? Hmm...tough call.

But don't worry, they've got it all worked out...

The Liberals say the thinking behind this crime strategy is that if no one is allowed to have a handgun in Canada, policing authorities will be in a better position to act on anyone who has a handgun or attempts to transport or sell a handgun.

The announcement will include the banning of all registered handguns in Canada. However, sources say special arrangements will be made for gun collectors.

When they say they will be in a better position to ACT, it makes me laugh...because they don't ACT. THAT is the sole reason guns are a problem in the first place. How about if they ACT on those who use guns for illegal activity, and leave the law-abiding gun owners alone? Instead, now we get to waste policing resources, chasing down and ACTing on normal joes, who simply want a pistol in the nightstand for when your typical neanderthal Tookie-follower decides to bust the front door in, and skulk off with the silver - oh, and perhaps your wife....

Go check out the rest of Wonder Woman's post....it's worth the read.

Ok, time to travel over to The American Princess. E.M. is explaining her thoughts about atheism. I'm not even going to try to explain, as E.M. says it all so much better than I could.

Atheism and "Secular Humanism" are forces to be contended with in this world, no doubt. Its not like you can't acknowledge that they're around and causing trouble: they seem to be pretty much everywhere.

The reality is that, when it comes to current Constitutional jurisprudence, atheism, which is in the process of being defined as a religion, deserves the kind of accomodation that we grant to the mostly Judeo-Christian religions that account for the religious beliefs of about 95% of Americans, and you know, I think Americans would be happy to do this.

If the atheists weren't such absolute gosh-awful jerks.

Go read the rest. As alwys, E.M. states her point and puts it into terms that we can all understand.

And on to Jane's, at Armies of Liberation. Jane always does a wonderful job of keeping us up to date on what is going on in Yemen. Sadly, this post deals with the discovery of a mass grave.

There’s a few of these around. One holds the bodies of the Nasserites who were involved in a coup attempt against Saleh. This is a sad legacy. Maybe the families will have greater peace now.

Lucky Ith of Absinthe & Cookies fills us in on her sailing trip. It sounds wonderful! I could oh so use a time out like that!

Ok, I think I'm finally up to the Christmas entries!

Ok, let's start at Beth's from My Vast Right Wing Conspiracy. Alot has been said about the "War On Christmas" this year. I've had to deal with this a bit myself, as I work in retail. I've actually had a few customers tell me that if the associates are not allowed to say "Merry Christmas", that they will find somewhere else to shop. (I said it...I probably wasn't allowed to...but rarely has that stopped me before.). But Beth has another take on it...and brings out a few interesting points, things that I really hadn't given much thought to.

To be sure, I’m annoyed, sick, and tired of the annual idiocy where the Michael Newdow Amen Corner comes out and says to get rid of that “oppressive” Christian (even secular Christmas) stuff. I’m just saying, there’s a lot of new hyperventilating going on about stuff that has ALWAYS been around. For example, people saying “Happy Holidays.”

I’ve ALWAYS said “happy holidays” to people I don’t know are Christian/celebrate Christmas. It’s called MANNERS. Similarly, I don’t go around saying “Happy Hanukkah” to people I don’t know are Jewish. (Ever had a Jewish person randomly wish you, a Christian, “Happy Hanukkah?” I didn’t think so.) Either way implies the assumption that everyone else agrees with one’s own POV. It’s just bad form, if you ask me. Don’t make the mistake in thinking I don’t love Christmas, either. I do.

And honestly, even here in Roy Moore’s Bible Belt Alabama (make no mistake–I’m fiercely proud of my state), I have yet to hear of anyone shrieking about the “war on Christmas,” or belligerently yelling “Merry Christmas” to make a point. Maybe people just have better manners here, even when there are very few who don’t celebrate Christmas. That “southern hospitality” thing isn’t just a myth, y’know.

As I said, an interesting viewpoint. Beth is right, people have in the past said "Happy Holidays" without feeling like they're doing something wrong.

Janette at Common Sense Runs Wild had a wonderful post with info on how to help a soldier this holiday. I wanted to include some of that info here, as I really think it's a wonderful idea. Sadly, Janette is hosted by the same server as I am at A Mom and Her Blog...I referred her. The server is in the middle of moving and we have both disappeared into cyberspace for the moment. I am including the link to her post, and will update this post when our server comes back up.

And I'll end this journey through the Cotillion ladies Christmas/Holiday prepations with a wonderful post from RomeoCat at Cathouse Chat. She's giving us reason (as if we need it!) to REJOICE...please, please, go read. It really is wonderful. I'll leave you with just a little bit, ok?

Good Christian men, rejoice with heart and soul, and voice;
Give ye heed to what we say: News! News! Jesus Christ is born today;
Ox and ass before Him bow; and He is in the manger now.
Christ is born today! Christ is born today!

Good Christian men, rejoice, with heart and soul and voice;
Now ye hear of endless bliss: Joy! Joy! Jesus Christ was born for this!
He has opened the heavenly door, and man is blest forevermore.
Christ was born for this! Christ was born for this!

Good Christian men, rejoice, with heart and soul and voice;
Now ye need not fear the grave: Peace! Peace! Jesus Christ was born to save!
Calls you one and calls you all, to gain His everlasting hall.
Christ was born to save! Christ was born to save!

Rejoice! Again, I say, REJOICE! The Savior has come - He is here!

Merry Christmas...and Happy Holidays!

Posted by Tammy at December 12, 2005 08:12 PM