Merry Christmas to All(ah)!

Dr. Sardonic, enjoying a country music Christmas at his mother's house (Noel, y'all), and I were talking on the phone, and we found that we were both doing the same thing this year. To virtually anyone who says "Happy Holidays," we respond with "Merry Christmas." Just for the sheer delight of watching their social discomfort, not for any sympathy to the people who buy into the "War on Christmas."

But speaking of wars, and Christmas...

I sat through a Catholic mass yesterday with the Sysmistress and children. The deacon was offering the usual litany of prayers, asking for divine protection for health care providers, law enforcement, and "especially our service people defending our freedoms in Iraq and Afghanistan."

Especially? Really? Shouldn't the most protection go out to the poor? The sick? The elderly? Those battling with drugs or alcohol? For that fact, everyone on a hard road, saint and sinner alike? There should be no "especially". Ever. I have sympathy and compassion for the troops. I don't agree with how they've been deployed. And I certainly don't agree with the idea that the aggressive actions that they've been charged with our defending or protecting us.

And then I heard this thing on the radio. No. Fuck no. Make that shit stop.

Military force should never, ever, ever, ever, ever be linked to religious expression, no matter how fucked up (Santa = God = USA = Military = Sunshine = Lollipops) . Nothing could be more secular.