American Christmas

I received this as an email today, and I like it so well, I'm going to post this.  Most of us are quilters, and "get" this already, but still, feel free to copy it into your email and pass it around.



Christmas 2011 -- Birth of a New Tradition


As the holidays approach, the giant Asian factories are kicking into high
gear to provide Americans with monstrous piles of cheaply produced goods --
merchandise that has been produced at the expense of American labor. This
year will be different. This year Americans will give the gift of genuine
concern for other Americans. There is no longer an excuse that, at gift
giving time, nothing can be found that is produced by American hands. Yes
there is!

It's time to think outside the box, people. Who says a gift needs to fit in
a shirt box, wrapped in Chinese produced wrapping paper?

Everyone -- yes EVERYONE gets their hair cut. How about gift certificates
from your local American hair salon or barber?

Gym membership? It's appropriate for all ages who are thinking about some
health improvement.

Who wouldn't appreciate getting their car detailed? Small, American owned
detail shops and car washes would love to sell you a gift certificate or a
book of gift certificates.

Are you one of those extravagant givers who think nothing of plonking down
the Benjamins on a Chinese made flat-screen? Perhaps that grateful gift
receiver would like his driveway sealed, or lawn mowed for the summer, or
driveway plowed all winter, or games at the local golf course.

There are a bazillion owner-run restaurants -- all offering gift
certificates. And, if your intended isn't the fancy eatery sort, what about
a half dozen breakfasts at the local breakfast joint. Remember, folks this
isn't about big National chains -- this is about supporting your home town
Americans with their financial lives on the line to keep their doors open.

How many people couldn't use an oil change for their car, truck or
motorcycle, done at a shop run by the American working guy?

Thinking about a heartfelt gift for mom? Mom would LOVE the services of a
local cleaning lady for a day.

My computer could use a tune-up, and I KNOW I can find some young guy who is
struggling to get his repair business up and running.

OK, you were looking for something more personal. Local crafts people spin
their own wool and knit them into scarves. They make jewelry, and pottery
and beautiful wooden boxes.


Plan your holiday outings at local, owner operated restaurants and leave
your server a nice tip. And, how about going out to see a play or ballet at
your hometown theatre.

Musicians need love too, so find a venue showcasing local bands.

Honestly, people, do you REALLY need to buy another ten thousand Chinese
lights for the house? When you buy a five dollar string of light, about
fifty cents stays in the community. If you have those kinds of bucks to
burn, leave the mailman, trash guy or babysitter a nice BIG tip.

You see, Christmas is no longer about draining American pockets so that
China can build another glittering city. Christmas is now about caring about
US, encouraging American small businesses to keep plugging away to follow
their dreams. And, when we care about other Americans, we care about our
communities, and the benefits come back to us in ways we couldn't imagine.

THIS is the new American Christmas tradition.

Forward this to everyone on your mailing list -- post it to discussion
groups -- throw up a post on Craigslist in the Rants and Raves section in
your city -- send it to the editor of your local paper and radio stations,
and TV news departments. This is a revolution of caring about each other,
and isn't that what Christmas is about?

Faith Restored

Good news here!

For those of you have been following the whole flag debate, and I do appreciate all your support, there has been a new, gratifying development.

I still will not identify the young lady or her blogsite, because I truly do not want to stir up any trouble or hard feelings. But she contacted Cookie, one of our Vietnam vets, and they both have given me permission to post her email:

Cookie,
I've been debating whether or not to respond. While I could go on and on why I don't think I'm hiding behind recycling, or address any of the other hurtful things that have been left by commenters in the last week, instead I'll just say this: I am so thankful for veterans. I am so incredibly grateful for you -- that you were selfless and served our country. In no way were my bags intended to suggest otherwise. I realize you don't know me, but please know this: I am exceptionally patriotic. I love my country and am proud of it. I have served in the Peace Corps and as a government employee. I am regularly traveling internationally and try with all my might to leave others with a good impression of Americans. I simply didn't realize what an offensive move this would be for so many others.
This flag issue taught me a good lesson; while I still do not think I'm wrong, I will not take what the flag means for others for granted again. Things (items) do not hold sacred value to me. Instead, the meaning behind them do. And while I realize we fundamentally disagree on this point, I will repeat I did not intend to offend you or any other veteran by sewing with a flag.
Again, my thanks for serving our country and for voicing your views.

Now THIS is the young lady I thought I'd grown to know a bit. And I'm sure it won't change her life any should she read this, but I am very proud of her response. I will enjoy her blog again, because she reminds me so much of my own daughter,which is why I began reading in the first place.

Okay, so how do we educate our young people? This is what I wrote on another friend's blog:
I don't know where my generation has failed in teaching these young people respect for those symbols of our freedom. Maybe it was the whole shameful anti-war, Vietnam, Woodstock era, where draft cards, bras and flags were burned with abandon, and amorality was embraced that influenced what we taught--or didn't teach--our children.

After all, we baby boomer/flower children grew up pledging allegiance in the schoolroom every single day, some of us the offspring of WWII vets, so it's not as if we can plead ignorance.

Somehow the flag has become insignificant to many young people. The fact that one commentor said she had found a lot to think about in the posts makes me think we have failed to convey to them what our parents and grandparents instilled in us.

But if we older Americans must learn to be more environmentally conscious as evidence of patriotism, (and I think that is reasonable and timely) the younger Americans must learn to understand the symbols and traditions that represent our country.

Maybe the children of this generation, the ones whose parents have served in the military, a non-drafted military will come to understand what it meant to them to see our flag flying while they were on foreign soil, not knowing if they would ever return. These men and women have volunteered to be there, so they believe in what they do. For them, the flag must be a tangible representation of all they hold dear.

And please understand, I am not undermining the Vietnam vets, just because they were draftees for the most part. In fact, I apologize to them for the sorry reception they received as they came back from an unpopular war. I never want to see this happen again. I believe that, as Americans, a strong, free country, we have a responsibility to protect the underdogs of the world, the oppressed, those who cannot stand up for themselves. There will always be bullies in the world, and the victims will always need someone to fight for them and show them they are worth fighting for. And those champions must always be supported, must be thanked for what they do.

I mourn for those who won't come back. I grieve for their families. I don't want any of our people to die for what they do. But I don't see world peace ever happening, not with human nature being what it is.

Well, I have strayed from my original subject, and I apologize for rambling on.

Just wanted to thank this gal for what she has done for this country, too.

Controversy

There is a young lady whose blog I have read from her first entry. Now, I haven't been in blogland that long, but I went through her archives and read every entry she's posted. She's bright, funny, giving, thrifty, hard-working, and loves her family. I have enjoyed reading about her work in 3rd world countries as well as her self-set goals to participate in a triathlon--which she did. I don't agree with her politics, but I appreciate that she is not apathetic about the world around her. I enjoy her cooking adventures and her ability to stretch her budget with imagination.

But last week, she purchased an old flag from a yard sale (where it never should have been in the first place, but that's another story), cut it up, and made it into 2 tote bags. Now, I figured she was just unaware of proper flag etiquette, because I have read enough of her blog to believe she had only the best intentions. So I told her that while I applauded her creativity, I felt she was in violation of flag etiquette, and linked to a source that, besides giving instructions on how to dispose of a flag, clearly states it is not to be used to wrap or carry or hold anything.

One of her commenters took issue with my comment and poked fun at it. Other commenters tried to explain what the flag meant to them, particularly as vets and families of current military personnel, and one offered to buy the bags from her, so he could properly dispose of them. Admittedly, some comments were a little abrasive, but for the most part, folks were kindly in their criticisms.


When she didn't immediately address these commenters, I took it to mean she was truly considering what was said and I expected to find an apologetic posting. Actually, she was out of town and didn't see the comments til she returned. And when she did comment, it was to acknowledge that not everyone agreed on everything, and she thanked them for leaving comments. That would have been fine, if she had never written the next sentence--in which she flippantly pointed out that there were gazillions of other blogs and the disagreers could surely find someone more to their liking elsewhere.

Her readers all applauded her "recycling", stating they felt that burning or burying the flag was odd, outdated, not for today's world, and not worthy of being adhered to. Some plan on copying her efforts. Those of us who disagreed were considered to be "close-minded oafs", "morons" who need to find something more useful to channel our "moral outrage" to, and were generally chastised for stating our opinions. One commenter ridiculed Cookie's analogy of cutting up a grandmother's treasured wedding dress, which I thought was an excellent parallel.

Did these young people never pledge allegiance in school? Have they forgotten the words, or did those words mean nothing to them?


Why do they think that, no matter what the etiquette is, they are under no obligation to follow it just because they consider it to be outdated? If people disagree, that's fine--lobby to have the guidelines changed. Until they are, they should be respected and followed. Maybe it's a shame there are no penalties or fines attached to the violation of these guidelines.

At no time did this young lady aplogize for offending veterans of military service, or those who have loved ones in service now. And that is what I find most disturbing. Some of the last people on this earth I would want to offend or hurt, are our vets and our troops. They are out there voluntarily, far away from the ones they love and who love them, away from the comforts some of us take for granted, in conditions not too far removed from those this girl strives to rectify in other countries, risking their lives to protect the underdogs from their oppressors. Whether or not you agree with the war, or any past wars, our vets and troops deserve to be respected and remembered. Not disregarded. Not ignored. Not derided.


And this is why I removed this young woman's blog from my list of favorites, and will no longer be reading her entries. I am very disappointed in her response, and in the responses of most of her fans, and just cannot support her site with my hits anymore. I support their right to post their opinions, whether agreeing or disagreeing, but I choose not to fill my time or my mind with them.

"I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for for which it stands: one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."


Edited 4/17 to add: I haven't mentioned the name of the blogger or her site, because I didn't want to stir up any trouble there. Let me say now that she has contacted one of her commentors and they have exchanged honest, respectful emails, and, though she feels the "thing" is not as important as what it represents, she understands now what the flag means to our military. The commentor, a vet himself, is satisfied that she did not mean any harm, and has published a follow-up response on her blog putting everything behind them. Let's us do the same.