Today is the Day to be Kind (comment on the original here and help Tex Shelters get his message out:
http://texshelters.wordpress.com/2010/12/23/today-is-the-best-day-to-be-kind/)
Phil Jackson, Los Angeles Lakers coach known for his Zen-like Buddhist qualities, has joined the chorus defending Christmas from the scourge of heathens wanting people to work during the holiest holiday of the calendar year, December 25.
“Now, I see they have like six games (actually, five) on Christmas. It's like Christian holidays don't mean anything to (the NBA) anymore. You just go out and play and entertain (on) TV. It's really weird.''”
Yea, it’s really weird that millionaires who entertain the public for a living might be asked to work on Christmas like millions of other people at airports, in restaurants, in convenience stores, in hospitals and fire and police stations around the nation. Yea, it’s weird that the NBA might want to make money out of a holiday like Christmas. Nobody else in America is trying to make money and commercialize Christmas. How dare the NBA try to commercialize a Christian holiday.
I’ll make a deal with you Phil. If you want to take the day off, I will coach for you for the $122,000 you get per game. I will even provide my own transportation to Los Angeles. Heck, with Kobe Bryant on the Lakers, the team basically coaches itself. Jackson will make over $10 million dollars to coach the Lakers this year.
http://www.nesn.com/2010/12/phil-jackson-in-no-position-to-complain-about-working-on-christmas-day.html Do I begrudge him his salary? No. But his complaints about working on Christmas are out of touch and belittles all hard-working Americans.
Who here feels sad for Republican Senators and Representatives who had to do the hard job of voting no on bills before Christmas? Many Americans work up to the 24th of December, get Christmas off, and if they don’t take vacation days, go back to work the next business day or the 26th, whichever is sooner. Senator Kyl and Senator DeMint are “outraged” by this intrusion into the Christmas season by making them work as much as other Americans who still have jobs do every year.
http://www.politicususa.com/en/gop-christmas-hypocrisy "It is impossible to do all of the things that the majority leader laid out without doing - frankly, without disrespecting the institution and without disrespecting one of the two holiest of holidays for Christians and the families of all of the Senate, not just the senators themselves but all of the staff," Kyl said Tuesday.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2010/12/15/senators-argue-over-christmas/ How dare Senator Reid and Representative Pelosi make these poor beleaguered Christians work. Kyl and DeMint must see themselves as Christians who are being put upon by Herod, the Democrats, and they are the innocent Christian babies in Bethlehem or the Christians in the Coliseum fighting lions.
While I don’t call myself a Christian, I was taught that Christians, and Christ, are on earth to help others. By passing unemployment insurance, ending DADT, and passing the START treaty during December, Congress has help millions be able to eat, serve without discrimination or breaking the eighth commandment injunction against bearing false witness and increased peace on earth by reducing the number of nuclear weapons on our planet. Working during December to better the planet is a great Christian act. At least that is what this Taoist leaning humanist learned about authentic Christians.
A few other things to note: First, humans are the one’s who sanctified Dec. 25th. There is nothing more sacred about that day than any other except there is common agreement on its value. Second, why didn’t we hear Joe Liebermann or Bernie Sanders complain when they worked on days of Hanukkah? Perhaps they see their duty as Senators is something worth taking seriously? Perhaps they aren’t looking for an excuse to avoid work? What about Ralph Ellison, the only openly Muslim Congress Member? He worked during Ramadan without a peep. Why? Because like it is in Christianity, the call to service in Islam is strong.
What about the pagans that worked on the Solstice, or the atheists that had to put up with the Christian ramblings during Senate hearings? How about the unemployed, homeless, poor, and other suffering Americans who would gratefully work any job on the holidays? Do Republican Senators really care?
When is the best day to help others, to be of service, to talk with whatever god you believe in, to be kind to someone? Today is the best day.
Peace,
Tex Shelters
P.S. Tex Shelters will be posting against next week, on the 27 or 28 of December.