I really love the holiday season — the lights, the decorations, the parties, the caroling, the festive feeling, the gathering of loved ones, the ugly Christmas sweaters, the eggnog, the glühwein, the roast beast. But it’s a little bit harder to get in the holiday spirit this year, when the country feels so divided and the nanny-state threatens coal in every child’s stocking.
For close to two years, we have been scared out of our wits by “experts” warning that this global pandemic is so deadly we can’t venture out our front doors, even alone and in the open air. People wear masks while gardening alone, kids wear masks while running up and down the soccer field, drivers wear masks inside their own cars. Lest we laugh out loud at the obvious absurdity, the experts scold us as if we are school children. We’ve been told, quite literally, that if we don’t follow these rules, we are likely to get very sick, possibly die — and even if we feel just fine, we’ll certainly kill grandma.
The next phase of trauma came from the vaccine, of course – and we tobogganed down the slippery slope like a kid in a Norman Rockwell painting. First, the vaccine was rationed out to just the most vulnerable. Once the frenzy heated up, the vaccine was available to everyone — and not just one shot, but two. And then a third. And then the rules started emerging: you can’t travel without a vaccine. You can’t go to a concert or a football game without a vaccine. You can’t keep your job without a vaccine. You can’t go to school without a vaccine. Meanwhile, the variants proliferated as CNN rushed to update its death count.
Happy holidays.
Growing up in New England, I associate the holidays with snowy weather, boots and mittens. So I enjoy a good snowball fight as much as the next guy, but even the fighting has sunk to a new low.
Today’s headlines accuse Donald Trump of “going on an anti-semitic rant” for saying that most American Jews don’t like Israel. So, Trump is anti-semitic because he called someone anti-semitic? Does anyone feel like they’re back on the third grade playground? “You’re an anti-semite. No, you’re an anti-semite. I know you are, but what am I?”
Never mind that what Trump said is true – most American Jews are anti-Israel. They are shockingly hostile and woefully misinformed, a dangerous combination.
It was well past third grade, but in my college law class, I seem to remember learning that truth was the ultimate defense. As I got older, I learned that truth might win the court case, but it can’t prevent someone crazy from suing you. And it can’t prevent someone from calling you names. In fact, that’s often a sure sign that what you’ve said is true; it’s just not the truth they want to hear.
Which brings us back to the unfortunate disquiet of this holiday season. I think most people would love to let down their guard, relax, spend time with family and friends, and not be assaulted for speaking truth. We are sick of the media turning every single story into a political battle or a litmus test for how “tolerant” you are. We don’t want to be lectured by the President, the media, celebrities and even our own family members about masks and vaccines and viruses. We are tired of the constant fear-mongering, the relentless mandates and the insufferable self-righteousness.
Stop treating us like children. And stop acting like the bully at the playground. Because eventually, as every third grader knows, there is only one way to stop a bully — and it’s not by having a conversation.
Third grade was a tough year for my youngest daughter; we had a family tragedy and she was just 9 years old. But she often reminds us that she did learn one thing in third grade that has stuck with her. And honestly, I can’t tell you anything specific I learned in third grade, so I figure her year wasn’t a total loss. Here’s what her third grade teacher taught the class: “If someone offers you a mint, take it.”
Now there’s a little gem for your Christmas stocking.