Christmas Wishes

by Keith Cooper

From Broader View Weekly, December 24, 2009

The holiday season is a special time of the year. My fondest memories as a child centered around gatherings of family and the returning home of my older siblings during the yuletide season. As an adult, despite the guilt and anxiety of the financial stresses of this commercialized time, I find the spirit irresistible as my own family congregates for Christmas Eve services, dinners and other festivities.

Every year, it gets harder to deny the uniqueness of the holidays and not just because seasonal commercials and ad fliers now start appearing on the scene in mid-October. During the last couple of weeks nearly everyone I encounter in businesses and stores has a smile to offer and a kind word. Salvation Army kettles fill with change and bills, even as a depressed economy leaves most of our friends and neighbors with fewer dollars in their wallets. Blood banks and soup kitchens find more participation and donations of time and resources.

However, I can’t simply attribute the power and spirit of the holidays to a Christian ideal. One must accept that the celebration of non-Christians during this season is as legitimate as those who celebrate Jesus’ birth. Devout Jews honor the sacred traditions of Hanukkah with every bit as much zeal as is evidenced in the carols and candle lighting of Christmas. Atheists even embrace the season despite the elements of Christendom.

In fact, the traditions of Christmas not only transcend Christianity, they have their origins in paganism. The yuletide was an observance of the winter festival of Germanic peoples. Customs such as caroling and trimming of trees come from these celebrations.

Still, there is a sense of miracle and magic that one can scarcely debate. Given this time of wonder, it seems natural to believe that our most ambitious wishes might come true. I would like to allow a glimpse at my Christmas list. Miracles and magic allow optimism to be limitless so my wishes aim high.

Since the season is a time for cheer, I have a couple desires on the lighter side. First, I wish for former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal, and TV and Radio personality Glenn Beck to announce bids for the 2012 Republican nomination. That would be a gift that would keep giving right through the primary debates.

Secondly, I wish for Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman to either adopt a Republican Party affiliation or step down from his position. I would rather see Democrats lose a vote to the other side of the aisle than continue to court someone who is trying to strip all that is meaningful from any legislation intended to bring change.

I wish for some important issues to be addressed as well.

I wish for politics to be removed from policy regarding the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Policy-makers should examine the merits of these missions, and a responsible withdrawal from a futile occupation should be perceived as wisdom and not weakness.

I wish for financial and economic systems in the United States to be assessed honestly. We need to stop clinging to a false idealism of capitalism and stop rejecting progressive ideals out of fear of words like “socialism”, which have become perverted by years of abuse and misinformation.

I wish for the current health care plan in Congress to be thrown out. A new bill with a simpler solution should take its place. Medicare should be expanded to cover all who choose it. Private insurance companies should be limited in the influence of their lobby in Washington and should not be exempted from regulation or anti-trust laws. This would lower the cost of health care coverage and free up resources to help rid the Medicare system of waste and corruption.

In this season of peace, love and hope, there is room for optimism. One can wish for goodwill to all. One can wish for commonality among the divisiveness that plagues discourse. One can wish for peace on Earth. One can still believe in the miracle and magic of the season.