Any Day is the Right Day to Vote Yes on 1

              Today is a unique convergence in Tennessee for two groups of unborn children. As such, I think it appropriate to bring my views on one of the constitutional amendments that we Tennesseans are voting on to the screen today. Perhaps you share one of more of my angles. Perhaps I’ll throw you a new thought or two. Feel free to share. These are conversation worth having with yourself even if not with others.
               Today begins early voting in Tennessee. The first day Tennesseans can now make their voices heard on (among other things) what is commonly referred to as “Amendment 1,” an amendment to our State’s constitution relative to the issue of abortion. Whether you vote “yes” or “no” on 1, today is your first opportunity. [And whether you vote today or not, be sure to vote if you are eligible.] I choose to vote “yes” on Amendment 1. I do so knowing that the passage of this constitutional amendment does not mean the end of abortion in my home state. However, as a person who wants to see legalized abortion end and who prefers to see laws made by legislatures and not judges, I would cast no other vote here. To those who consider themselves “pro-choice,” I remind you that the amendment to be applied to the constitution says nothing about ending or outlawing abortion in Tennessee. It simply states that:

“Nothing in this Constitution secures or protects a right to abortion or requires the funding of an abortion. The people retain the right through their elected state representatives and state senators to enact, amend, or repeal statutes regarding abortion, including, but not limited to, circumstances of pregnancy resulting from rape or incest or when necessary to save the life of the mother."

                One could say that this is the unique codification of the ability of the people, through our duly elected representatives, to decide when and how they wish if something shall be treated as constitutional or unconstitutional so long as it is within the dictates of federal law. In the American framework of a democratic republic, that sounds like good policy to me, if exercised carefully. In short, it keeps the real power over a very sensitive issue in the hands of those who deserve it – the people. Judges don’t speak for the people individually or collectively and should not always be the final word on everything. Even some who disagree with me on abortion can agree on that. Vote “yes” on 1 for good government. Many who call themselves “pro-choice” make their primary arguments based on notions of women’s rights and health and safety. Under the current judicial climate in Tennessee, abortion providers are barely regulated, rarely inspected, and virtually unsupervised for purposes of maintaining proper safety and health standards. If the safety and health of women is really a chief concern to you, whether you are alright with the practice of abortion or not, then this amendment opens the door to offer that safety. Vote “yes” on 1 for women’s health. Whether you like abortion or not, there is reason enough for anyone to vote “yes” on Amendment 1.
              I am alive today to vote “yes” on Amendment 1, and to vote on anything else, because I was born (simple logic) and not lost as a fetus through any fault of my mother’s or by any occurrence apart from her or my father’s control. That leads me to the other significant point of today. As passionate as people get about the loss or potential loss of unborn children through abortion, they often forget those lost by natural causes. Today, October 15, is also Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day. So many parents, some with other children of their own and some without, have suffered the loss of children they did not decide or want to lose while many others simply declare it a matter of choice to give up the physical life for which they are responsible. Whether by miscarriage or stillbirth, the loss of a baby is tragic and should not be overlooked or trivialized, particularly by those who spend so much energy fighting for and talking about whether or not babies can or should be aborted (it happens all too often). To my pro-life friends, remember, if “life begins at conception” then an aborted fetus is worth just as much as the miscarried one or the stillborn child or the adult into which any of those could grow. While this is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day across the country, I find it ironic that it falls on the first day of early voting in Tennessee this year. I hope that my fellow Tennesseans recognize that as they begin the trek to their early voting sites and are reminded that while the issue of abortion has created a beast of political discourse and conflict over the last few decades, unborn children themselves are not political tools and can be lost by many means. They are equals. To my pro-life friends who plan to vote “yes” on 1 (though I reiterate that pro-choice folks and those without a label have ample reason to do the same), I encourage you to do it in honor of the unborn children whose arrival into this world would’ve had nothing to do with the issue on which you are voting - they had as little choice of their own as any other baby that was lost. And, if you have a friend or family member who has suffered a miscarriage or stillbirth, remember to pray for their comfort and strength today. Their loss was not a choice and their burden will never easily be forgotten. Casting a vote on an issue only takes a minute. But, learning about a situation you may never understand in your own life and helping others live with it can take a lifetime.
              This October 15, think about two things with me. Tennesseans, whether or not you’ve made your decision on the question of Amendment 1, I encourage you to learn more about the amendment, the issue, and why it’s the right idea to add this language to Tennessee’s constitution. The time to vote on it has begun. Yes, it’s about our state’s handling of the issue of abortion, but it is also about our state properly making its own laws. Start the process at www.yeson1tn.org. Second, whether you’re a Tennessee voter or not, learn more about this day that has been set aside to remember the babies who were lost before they got to see the face of their dad or mom. While there have been government proclamations recognizing this day (and, actually, the entire month of October), the real effort to solidify it and increase awareness has been through a volunteer force. The folks behind www.october15th.com have done a great job honoring their own little ones and millions of others. If you have ever suffered such a loss, they also make some beautiful items to honor your little one. Take care of yourselves and take care of each other. And vote “yes” on 1 to take care of our state!

Let He Who Is With or Without Complaint Cast the First Vote

        Any of you who know me (or have read much this blog) know that I am a bit of a political enthusiast. So, naturally, that’s why I want to spend a post reminding you to vote next month. Right? Wrong. Absolutely wrong! I am writing about voting today because I am a human being blessed to be an American citizen with the God-given right and personal responsibility to participate in the management of my government which affects my everyday life. Thus, I am writing for the same reason any of you should. (And you’re reading because you are nice people.) While I could (and later might) spend many paragraphs writing and philosophizing about the value and importance of our votes, the election process, and the flawed beauty of our representative democracy, I really just want to give two simple but vital reminders.
        First, to my fellow registered voters, remember that November 4 is the next federal Election Day. Here in Tennessee, as in most states, it is also a state Election Day. Many important decisions will be made – by us. Take it seriously and do your duty. Regardless of who you vote for, your opinion has virtually no value after an election if you did not participate in the collective decision-making in which we as a community and society engage. To my fellow Tennesseans, remember that there are more than just office-holder elections on this ballot. Four state constitutional amendments will be put before us too. During my years of working for the General Assembly, I actually witnessed the beginnings of some of those amendments in process. I now remind us all to participate in the most important step – the direct addition of our voices. Though November 4 is Election Day, remember that the convenience of early voting adds to your ability to be extra sure your vote is cast, counted, and unhindered. I always vote early (less rush, smaller crowds). For this election cycle, October 15 through October 30 will serve as the early voting period in Tennessee. To learn more about time and voting cites, contact your County Election Commission. Regardless of when or where or for whom, just VOTE!

        Second, to those reading who are not yet registered to vote, I offer this… Ask yourself “How old am I?” If the answer is 18 or any age beyond that, then ask yourself another question, “Am I registered to vote?” If the answer is “No,” then you have work to do tomorrow. In Tennessee, tomorrow, October 6, is the deadline to register to vote in the November 4 election. You must personally submit a registration form to your County Election Commission or have a mail-in form postmarked tomorrow. The registration process in incredibly simple (and, frankly, you should have done it the day you turned 18). Note that if you have moved since you last voted, you must follow the same basic process to change your registration. I want to give a shoutout to my friend and Tennessee’s Coordinator of Elections, Mark Goins, who not only does a terrific job managing a complicated process statewide but has dedicated much effort to encouraging new voter registrations. September was Voter Registration Month and, through his efforts, hundreds of new voters registered in time for the coming elections within just a few weeks. Just as important, they are ready to vote in every election to come and begin feeling more connected to the communities for which we are responsible. Through multiple forms of media, Mark has taken the promotion of voter registration to the streets and reminded us that everyone should register and vote (often by showing us who already has). If you are of age and a Tennessee resident and are not yet registered, you can print the form found at http://www.tn.gov/sos/election/forms/ss-3010.pdf, fill it out and mail it (early tomorrow!) to your County Election Commission office. Better yet, visit the office in person. It’s always good to get to know the folks we trust with one of the most precious duties in our local governments. You can find your local election office at http://tnsos.org/elections/election_commissions.php. For more details and info, visit the Secretary of State’s (Tre Hargett, another awesome guy) voter registration information page at http://www.tennessee.gov/sos/election/registration.htm. Please register. Please vote. You’re the only person who can make America the America that you want.        

    Whether you are already registered or need to register (tomorrow!), if you are a qualified voter, I hope to see YOU at the polls on Election Day or during early voting. Too many people who have registered don’t vote, and too many adults who could register never do or wait too long. We must change both trends. For all the public service announcements that are out there about talking to your kids about sex or smoking or talking to your friends about drinking and drugs (all very important) and other things, perhaps there will one day be room for a PSA about voter apathy. Fellow voters, talk to your friends and family about their voter registration AND participation level. If you’re not comfortable talking about politics, then don’t. Just talk about voting. Voting is a right to be respected, a privilege bought by many lives, and a duty to be taken seriously so that we as a people can still control our destiny. Don’t miss the boat – GO VOTE!

Hey, I don't just vote in Nashville... I also watch it on TV.
Glad to see Chip Esten, a great actor/musician, promoting voter registration.
Thanks, Deacon!

Whoa! Imperial defectors. Goins reaches every corner of the universe.
Glad to see some of the Emperor's old followers have seen the light.
"Anakin, my allegiance is to the Republic - to democracy!"

Facebook After A Decade - A Wonder, A Weapon, and A World Unto Itself

            With Facebook hitting its tenth anniversary this year and generating a lot of celebratory hype, I’ve been thinking a lot about what a social, technological, and commercial phenomenon it has been.  To put it in my own historical perspective, Facebook has now been around for the last third of my life, and I’ve been a user/member of the site for about that long. 

I remember, when I first joined, only being able to add other students or alumni of the University of Memphis because Facebook (or “The” Facebook at that time) only allowed networking within one’s own school and was exclusive to those possessing a college-based e-mail address.  It was nice because it was a kind of members-only club for college students.  It was also the only way we knew Facebook.  In the beginning, it was a useful tool for sharing information with folks in a specific community – your school.  It also allowed someone to get to know unfamiliar classmates a bit better and promote campus events.  It quickly grew into far more.

 It was quite a boom when all the member schools joined on one universal Facebook, but that paled in comparison to the point when Facebook’s exclusivity was eliminated and EVERYONE could join.  Indeed, everyone seemed to do so.  I remember that year well.  Many of the high school students with which I worked at the Governor’s School joined after their summer with us and there were long lists of “friend requests” for all of the counselors from students that had not yet graduated.  Facebook became a great way to keep track of the students that had made an impact on our lives from year to year.  I still get news and messages from those students that were with us in Memphis as long ago as 2004, during my first summer as a counselor.  I may not have seen them in person in as many years, but we are linked across the miles in an impressive way.  On the flipside of the high school Facebook boom, there were also adults of all ages (whether having attended college or not) who joined up when the virtual doors flew open.  Across the country, there was a collective reciting by high school and college students of “My dad just added me on Facebook,” or “My mom just friended me,” or “Gosh, I didn’t think my parents would sign up.”  In the years since, there are a lot kids on the network that don’t really remember its beginning and parents who knew how to use it before they sent many regular e-mails.  That, in fact, is one of the things that makes Facebook such a phenomenon – it is its own Internet experience.  Many people seem to communicate directly with other individuals more via Facebook than through a traditional e-mail account.  Contests are entered, pictures and videos and music are shared, and fan bases are established and tracked through Facebook as much (or more) as any other medium.  It’s even gone commercial for its users, hosting several venues by which goods and services are sold.  It also, naturally, hosts advertisements that lead to purchases from established businesses.  In all these ways and others, Facebook has come a long way and proven to be its own online world separate from, yet often connected to, any other website or forum.

I shouldn’t even venture into what Facebook has done to and for political discourse in the world.  In the last few years, many candidates and political organization have credited social media, particularly Facebook, with their rises and falls.  The line “Look what they did with social media” has been used to describe, now, multiple political victories.  But the way this has been made possible is as much a symptom of the other advantages and social norms of Facebook as it is its own concept.

On Facebook, we each have our own online identity.  Unlike some earlier forms of online activity, this identity is kept in check by the network of people, including those who we actually know, that we build as users (you can only fudge so much about yourself if people you live with, work with, hang out with, etc. are on your friend list).  As Facebook’s functions and ease of use have evolved and we as a society have come to treat it as the most common of online forums, there has been a marked change in what people share and how they share it.  Sometimes, this is where Facebook proves to be a blessing and a curse.  Generally speaking, we share everything now!  Particularly with Facebook’s linkage to most smartphones, it is almost possible to feed every waking thought some people have into their pages.  Some seem to try it.  It gets to be too much.  But, I guess it’s one of those “to each his own” points of online existence.  In the beginning, there were statuses, and statuses gave a general statement about a person’s day or overall activity or whatever.  I liked it when the status was automatically a sentence starting with you name.  All I had to do was end the sentence “Chuck Grimes is _______.”  It was a creative little online blip.  Kind of like MadLibs, but you had to come up with a few more words.  Many folks updated their status once a day as, kind of, their daily report to the world as it remained lodged on top of their profile page.  I fell in line with the crowd that used the status to identify a geographic location (a lot of us did back then) and usually set mine to say “Chuck Grimes is somewhere you’re not.”  It was true for most folks when they saw it.  As Facebook got more common, its user base broader, and the ease of operation even simpler, folks started seeming to post every move they made, thought they had, or miniscule step in their day-to-day life.  My running joke used to be that someone would wake up and post “I just woke up.”  Then, they would post “Trying to decide what to eat for breakfast.”  A few minutes later, they would post “Eating cereal for breakfast… again.”  Later posts might include “Getting dressed for work,” “Leaving for work,” “Just got to work. Why am I here?!”  Only exaggerating a bit, I knew some who took to Facebook that heavily and still catch some posts from time to time with that kind of ridiculous play-by-play which makes me wonder what they watch on television to give them the idea that such a script is entertaining or even interesting (it’s not like Peter Griffin narrating his day). 

From self-generated reports on all the news that ain’t news, more Facebook users seem to lean toward putting the formerly called “status update” to use for the display of opinions.  What’s the old line about opinions?  Everybody has one, just like an @#*!^%e.  Yes, we all have them (ask me anytime and I’ll share several… opinions, that is).  Thanks to Facebook, however, we’ve turned into a culture of constant opinion declarations with no spelling or grammar checks.  Call me old fashioned, but I tend to respect a written statement of thought a lot more if it looks like it was proofread with, at least, the speed at which it was thought and written.  I’ve used it as a bulletin board for my own interpretations of the world, too, but still prefer a longer written format (like this) or a good old-fashioned verbal interaction (whatever those are now) for sharing my detailed views of anything, whether my views matter or not (This is the part where I thank you for reading.).  Sometimes, folks prove that they, too, need another forum, or perhaps a companion guide to their Facebook wall, to explain the source of posts that are clearly written with a specific life event, person, or backstory in mind.  Why post the end or moral of the story with some type of reference or hint of the tale’s beginning but give no explanation?  Not everyone on a person’s Facebook list is well-versed in that person’s daily life or offline interactions to understand it all.  Facebook is a conversation with the world.  So, don’t you want your conversation partners to understand what you put before them?  My theory (which I’m not posting as a Facebook status) is that we have developed the Internet equivalent to walking into a room and letting out a loud sigh just for the purpose of soliciting an obligatory “What’s wrong?” from whoever is around.  I’ve often called this a manifestation of “Got-the-Vapors Syndrome.”  We all display it in some form at some time but, yes, there are those for whom it is rather commonplace for a variety of reasons.  Facebook has just formalized it. 

In a more positive light, however, Facebook does allow for the mass informing of relatives and friends when a loved one is very sick or injured or has passed away.  It’s good to reach out to those who wouldn’t necessarily be called quickly but should be made aware of such things.  I’ve grown very accustomed to seeing the daily string of prayer requests from friends and family and hope that those who always “like” those notices (doesn’t always seem like the appropriate word to click) or write “prayers” as a one-word comment are actually praying and supporting their loved ones in need.  Facebook can easily become host to faith and attention in word or for show only if folks don’t think about what they are clicking and/or writing. 

A negative byproduct that I see in the clouds floating between the practice of Facebook-based “Got-the-Vapors Syndrome” and sharing news of unfortunate events that others genuinely want and need to know about, however, is the irresponsible appointing of ourselves as a combination news reporter, judge, jury, and executioner.  I’m sure I did some of this in the early years of Facebook and openly admit to being such a person in my offline life without a mouse and keyboard, but it has become widespread to a scary degree online.  Growing up in the locale of the tragic disappearance of Holly Bobo but now living 100 miles away, I followed the case as much through Facebook as any other medium.  Friends and relatives would post every news article or related video clip over the 3 years after her disappearance, and I never had to perform an Internet search to find them.  Again, prayer requests and pleas from the Bobo family were often displayed online, as along the streets of Decatur County and Henderson County.  Most of these things were constructive and kept the effort to find answers very much alive.  When the prime suspect in her murder was finally arrested recently, the media in much of the state took notice once again and the Facebook traffic increased from heavy to massively enormous.  I only say that it increased because it did.  But, it really didn’t have to increase much, as it always existed at an impressively high level.  According to the media and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, evidence was found and a criminal was caught.  I truly hope and pray that the TBI got it right, as a confusing aftermath to the tragedy of the past three years would be a separate and gut-wrenching tragedy on its own.  However, many details of the investigation, arrest, and evidence in the case have still not been revealed.  That’s where Facebook comes in with the fury of a thousand clicks.  Media report an arrest.  They don’t conduct a trial and, even in many cases in which they report on a crime and an arrest, they don’t necessarily cover a trial and conviction thoroughly.  However, on Facebook, all we seem to need is an arrest.  Then, enter the deluge of guilty verdicts, punishment suggestions, and theories on every detail not yet exposed.  As a Facebook community, all we need is a “who done it” and then we fill in the blanks on “how he done it” and follow up with “what’s gonna get done with him.”  This is a sad case to view as an example, as I truly hope that the arrest was valid.  If so, I hope the verdict comes quickly and would have no problem with the killer getting the chair for what he is charged with doing.  However, the version of public discourse that Facebook nurtures in this case and many others frightens me.  There have been other cases – with less time, exposure, or detail – that have and continue to generate instant guilty verdicts from the court of public opinion simply because a few folks post and repost a news story or what they heard “in town.”  I fear that Facebook becomes a pre-emptive weapon to damage lives that haven’t been given a fair examination by the people who should, and even the people who should not, conduct such examination.  I’ve never been good at thinking before I speak, but I always thought anyone could think before they type.  Do we?  Do we not?  Or does Facebook just show us how little some folks think at all? 

For some things on Facebook, we need not think too much.  As when the Internet became widely used in schools, businesses, and homes, it is simply a great way to communicate across the miles.  I remember the commercials for America Online and other web services in the 1990s that would show parents talking about e-mailing their kid in college or the grandparents who loved getting pictures of the grandkids soon after the camera snapped.  Facebook allows those functions in advanced form and so much more.  It’s fun and useful all the time.  And, as it allows a “conversation with the world,” you can easily spread a general message, picture, or shoutout of any kind to as many people as you want.  Everyone has their style of “Facebooking.”  My two favorite things to do with it, publicly, are share songs or videos from cool celebrities on their birthdays and, most importantly, show off pictures of my son.  Some folks follow one or both of those things pretty closely.  Sometimes, we just catch a post here and there as they pop up in newsfeeds.  As “Facebookers,” we can be anything from casual observers to dedicated stalkers (Haha! Had them and been one. It’s a trade-off, I guess.) in each other’s lives.  Then again, maybe we’re all Facebook stalkers of varying degrees.  No casual observers on the net, right?

In the years I have used it, I have had a love-hate relationship with Facebook.  I miss the old exclusivity but have enjoyed using it for more mass communication with those I might not otherwise connect with so much.  It gets cluttered with advertisements and page suggestions, but such things exist for a purpose and have brought some good products, movies, music, and events to my attention.  Private messages are often a convenient alternative to e-mail but have a “big brother” feel now that they automatically show when they’ve been read.  Outside of the private messaging function on Facebook, I remind us all that the program is very much a conversation with the world and should be treated as such.  If you need to pull someone aside to say something to them, do it.  Not everything has to be a post on a wall or a comment to a post.  However, if you’ve got something cool to share – share it!  No matter what, don’t let real communication die just because the Internet makes its life support system look good with a site like Facebook.  Pick up the phone once in a while.  Go visiting now and then.  Human presence and a human voice is still the best way to interact, whenever possible.  But, when that’s not an option, look me up on Facebook.  I’ll be watching.

One of my earliest profile pictures.

This photo is older than Facebook itself, though.

Let's Not Hear It For The Boys

Though it has been a while since we last spoke, I decided it was time to address an important issue (because I saw a commercial that disturbed me tonight) - sexism. Am I about to call someone or something out for being sexist? Not really. I'm going to be sexist. What can I say? It's my blog and I'll whine if I want to. But, this may be more a message for my fellow men. So, ladies, take this with a dash of salt, please.
Have y'all seen the new Kay Jewelers commercial? It sucks! Granted, most of their commercials do little to tickle my fancy, but I also don't go buying jewelry all that much either. However, this new one really gives me pause to wonder if they've got a clue about to whom they are advertising and if they understand that women's jewelry is typically bought as a gift for a woman by a MAN (not a woman... with some exceptions... and Anne Heche... we're still figuring her out). Seriously, have you seen it? Here, watch it.
Did you watch it? Did you nearly throw up (or as some of my dear high school classmates used to say "Did you up-chuck?")? Me too. Never before have the people at Kay Jewelers been more artificial in their depiction of a romantic relationship and the giving of jewelry. They've created a ridiculously fake 30-second soap operatic mini-drama to push necklaces - as if the woman watching it is doing the buying. Yes, I'm generally a sexist pig anyway, but please agree with me here. The man is supposed to buy the woman a woman's piece of jewelry. The necklace they advertise is pretty, but it would look awful on me. Therefore, advertise it to make ME want to buy it as a surprise for the lady in my life. Don't advertise as if a woman is supposed to see the commercial and walk up to me and say "This is what you're buying me for Valentine's Day because I want to be like the people in that commercial." That's the easiest way to get some other gift from me. If you want to be like the couple in a commercial, let's go back to the days of those mini-series-style Taster's Choice commercials. Now, that was art. One cup... One brand of coffee... For the rest of their lives. But, I digest.
If you want to sell a product that is commonly used as a gift, advertise to the buyer as much or more as to the recipient. Watch the commercial again. These 30 seconds of Chuck's-gonna-hurl are geared toward the female viewers. No matter how many times I've kept a piece of name-brand jewelry on hand for the possibility that bad weather will strike and, obviously, create the perfect opportunity to surprise my lady fair with it, it becomes a jinx and the sky stays clear. Therefore, I choose not to buy from Kay in anticipation of such a weekend getaway-gone-stormy. Given their blatant disregard for the male money-spenders in the jewelry-buying public, I may not shop with Kay again anyway, unless they get a clue. Who's with me?
I know. I'm nuts. But that's the view from Chuckonia, where every kiss doesn't necessarily begin with Kay.

Here's to A Carolina Christmas!

We hope all of you had the merriest of Christmases! In Chuckonia, we enjoyed much celebration and even a little relaxation. Over the season, we heard from a wise scholar from the east (North Carolina) who recently wrote a brilliant article for the John William Pope Center for Higher Education Policy regarding one of the, now, all too common attacks on Christmas statements and displays. We invite the readers of Chuckonia to check it out at: http://popecenter.org/commentaries/article.html?id=2110
Our good friend Mr. Bryson has written some other great pieces for the Pope Center, and we encourage you to browse his other works. Until next time, that's what the view from Chuckonia looks like tonight. Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas To All, You Punks!

Chuckonia would be holding back far too much if we didn't address the newly-amplified push to neutralized the Christmas season and show a politically-correct level of respect for those who do not celebrate based on a Christian-influenced holiday concept. We say "Christian-influenced holiday" rather than "Christian" as we know that many non-Christians, even atheists, celebrate the holiday which originated upon the birth of Jesus Christ. Why wouldn't they? If you had no religious grounding or adhered to a faith without a major gift-giving holiday, wouldn't you want to get in on the action of a festive event complete with great food and lots of merchandise? While we know this is not the true intent of the holiday, it becomes the secular focus for those without a bond to the real reason for the season. That in itself is cause enough to get fed up with the constant injection of "Season's Greetings" and "Happy Holidays" where a hearty "Merry Christmas" once stood proudly and seldom opposed. We don't believe for a second that a vast throng of atheists, agnostics, and non-Christians of other faiths got together and petitioned corporate America (we're primarily talking about retail vendors and the media here) to be less imposing on those who do not celebrate one of the particular holidays found in the winter season or to be more neutral in their declarations of goodwill on behalf of those who do not claim a particular religion. In some parts of America, it is probably very common to hear "Happy Hanukkah" rather than "Merry Christmas." If one is in such a community but not one who celebrates the holiday, be happy, someone wished you a "happy something." Wish them a "happy something" back - your choice - and go on living.
We do not want it to go unnoticed that this debate, this practice, and this fear of ostracizing patrons has gone on for some years now. However, it has been particularly strong this year, as many companies are being put in the spotlight by religious leaders who are against their kicking Christmas out of their vocabularies, and while more companies seem to be doing it on a policy-based and company-wide level. Perhaps it is because religion is a more newsworthy issue again in light of the pending presidential race. Perhaps it is simply the newest battle in the continuing commercialization of Christmas. Or perhaps Rosie and Donald weren't enough and there just needs to be a new national argument. Whatever it is that kicked this into high gear for 2007, the battle rages now more than ever, and we think it needs to stop. Whether someone says "Merry Christmas," "Happy Holidays," "Happy Hanukkah," "Season's Greetings," (Does anyone actually say that? Or does it just show up on cards?) or even "Happy Kwanzaa," it's a statement of friendliness and goodwill and should be seen as such, even if it is not one which specifically addresses the recipient's faith or lack thereof.
Does this mean Chuckonians are all about hearing "Happy Holidays" now and forever? No way! We are in favor of a store clerk exercising his or her freedom of speech and using whatever greeting they see fit to come forth from the mouth. We want Christians in whatever capacity they live and work to say "Merry Christmas!" without fear or even a thought of consequences. We want our Jewish friends and neighbors to shout "Happy Hanukkah!" to whomever they choose. We want non-religious folks to say whatever they want in reply to whatever we say. You'd be surprised at what some of them might reply with. We just want the melting pot of holidays to enjoy its mixing as we shop for gifts and attend festivities amongst those of varying beliefs while still letting the beliefs enjoy their individuality. There was actually a time when "Merry Christmas" was the neutral holiday declaration, and it didn't necessarily infringe upon anyone's freedom of or freedom from religion. When Eddie Murphy portrayed Gumby on Saturday Night Live in the 1980s, the famous green claymation Jew hosted a television special called "Merry Christmas Dammit!" Crude as it may have been, it makes us think "How could they be so bold in dealing with a Jewish character in such a way?" Because little boldness was necessary in addressing holidays, even then (less than 30 years ago).
Few people have been offended by the "incorrect" declaration of holiday greetings, but many people have participated in the development of this specific offense. This brings us to our last point. Our readers must forgive us, as this thought goes out primarily to our Christian friends. For all the soapbox proclamations we have made in this writing, we do not do it to resume the universal usage of "Merry Christmas" by those who mean it or not. As was stated, people should feel comfortable to speak freely in the spirit of the season, whatever spirit they feel during the season. However, for all our fellow Christians who lead the fight to maintain "Merry Christmas" as a seasonal norm, there are many who contribute to its absence. This occurs all the way to the top of the national ladder, as is exhibited by President and Mrs. Bush's 2007 choice for the First Family's holiday card. It never uses the word "Christmas" at all. While there is no rule stating that all Christians must send specifically "Christmas" cards (a few of ours did not say the word), it is interesting to us that a President who has invoked God in so many ways throughout his political life and presidency chose to leave Him off his cards of holiday greeting during the final Christmas season of his final term in office. We do not totally begrudge the President for this. But it should make Christians think about what they are putting out there to contribute to the CHRISTMAS season.
So, to all our readers and casual observers, regardless of race, religion, color, or creed, read these words and realize that they were meant for more than just readers of the original story - "MERRY CHRISTMAS to all, and to all a good night!" ...And a Happy New Year too.

From the Hearts of Chuckonia

We are shocked and saddened about the events at Virginia Tech this week. No words can express the hurt we feel for the campus community or the families of the victims there. Too often, we are reminded of the devastation that can be caused by a madman's rage and lack of thought, feeling, or love for their fellow man. We pray for a healing to the lives and community that has been shattered by this tragedy and a return to the successful life of Virginia Tech University. The greatest tribute to the fallen victims will be a strong future for those left behind.
"We here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain." -Abraham Lincoln
God bless the Commonwealth of Virginia. God bless America.

We're From the Country and We STILL Like It That Way

We heard something on television this week that shocked, troubled, and surprised us in Chuckonia. At our current place of employment (the Tennessee State Capitol), one of our superiors likes to watch Court TV. On Thursday morning, they broadcast the sentencing of a 16-year-old boy who murdered his father at age 14. The real question was, naturally, should the boy (Cody Posey) be sentenced as an adult or as a juvenile. Sentencing him as a juvenile would basically make him a free young man on his 21st birthday. The judge, under New Mexico law, sentenced him to detention and treatment/counseling as a minor. Not knowing enough specifics of the case, except that the father severely abused his son/killer, we are not here to comment on the rightness or wrongness of sentencing young Cody as a minor. We rather seek to discuss part of the judge's reasoning for his overall sentencing "package deal."
While announcing his ruling, the judge presented to the parties of the case the list of factors he took into account when determining if the defendant would respond to treatment if sentenced as a minor and, in fact, whether or not he believed that Cody Posey would kill again. One of the factors by which the judge determined that Cody would not kill again was that his "rural upbringing contributed to a general lack of street smarts." Having been brought up in a rural setting also, we applaud the fact that such a past, apparently, reduces our amount of responsibility and potential as a repeat murderer. However, in a vague attempt at objectivity, it is troubling that such a factor even came into consideration by the judge when developing his ruling. We would be very concerned about the state of American jurisprudence if an urban youth under the same at-home circumstances killed his father but was put away for the rest of his life because he had more access to street smarts and, therefore, was considered more of a risk to kill again. In conclusion, we're proud of our country(ish), non-urban heritage but do not wish to put it to the test on trial for murder.
The moral of our ramblings - country folk, please don't kill. It's hazardous to someone's health (maybe your own).

But In the South, It's A Religion

It's time I addressed a topic that stirs some of my most passionate opinions - sports. Specifically, sports in our public schools and universities. Here's a screenful of Chuck's-gonna-piss-someone-off-and-he-don't-care. So, take a look at the way we see things in Chuckonia...
I am from the South. I love the South - the food, the people, the language, the music, and the culture. Most of the culture, that is. Here in the South, sports are very important.... Too important.... Way too important. Don't get me wrong, sports have their place in the lives of many well-rounded individuals. They encourage competition and fun, which we heartily believe in here. They are an excellent way to exercise. And on the large scale, they create cultural events that bring people together and have the same effect as a holiday parade or county fair. As good as all of that is, we have a problem with how devoted our society is to sports as opposed to other matters. The basic question here is balls vs. books. Sports-lovers and football-watching alumni can argue with me all they want, but in the final analysis, they can be proven to show more devotion to a pigskin than a bookworm. It's time for that to change. It's time to stop over-funding our athletic departments while under-funding the hard-working academics that send well-rounded and well-prepared individuals out into the world. We need smaller student-to-teacher ratios and larger coach-to-player ratios. It amazed me a few days ago when I saw 6 football coaches at the UofM, knowing that there are more. 6 different coaches?! This confuses, amazes, and angers me. My state sales tax dollars, tuition, and university access fees are paying for that. And yet, every time an important class is not offered or not offered conveniently, I'm supposed to be understanding when the excuse is "budget cuts." I've heard the gloom and doom of budget cuts so much when it comes to education in this state that I'm almost immune, except when I see such calamities as the too well-supplied athletic departments here at the UofM and elsewhere. Cut their budgets; it won't hurt them. In fact, cut all tuition and tax-dollar flow from every public school (elementary thru college) sports team in America and then watch them turn even bigger profits. "Impossible," you say? Let's break it down. For three semesters of college, before joining the hallowed ranks of resident advisors, I was a "Phonathon operator" - basically, the guy who called University of Memphis alumni and begged (with lots of style) for contributions to our academic scholarship funds. I enjoyed what I did, and I think I was kinda good at it. It bothered me, however, when I noticed certain trends in the refusal reasons of the graduates. Chief among them was "I've bought my season tickets," or "I'm a member of the Football Boosters," or any variation of the "I give to athletics and that's enough" excuse. It was infuriating. It certainly was not my first exposure to the balls over books mentality, but one of the worst. I was used to that attitude at my small-town Southern high school. But, as cruel as it sounds, most of the people exhibiting that attitude then were not college-educated nor expected to be as well-off financially. When I called college graduates (often with Masters degrees) who had more earning potential, I expected them to be more generous in general and intelligent enough to understand the true base purpose of an educational institution. Unfortunately, such enlightenment is still not widespread. But, back to the profit-making sports argument. My exposure to the "give me sports or give me death" mentality, topped off by my work experience in college, finally made me realize that the majority of Americans, especially Southerners, will bend over backwards and sell the farm to keep sports in our schools. Such devotion could only be increased by pity. The pity that would come from eliminating all public funding from athletic programs in elementary schools, middle schools, high schools, and colleges. When the fans and alumni hear of such a tragedy, their checkbooks will open wider that Mick Jagger's mouth and the athletes will have more money than their coaches would know what to do with. The profits will keep them all sitting pretty.
Again, I remind you that sports have their place in society and in the lives of well-rounded individuals, but they should be completely funded by their own earnings and private interests. And if you try to point fingers at the fine arts, I point them back, knowing that they have never been as thoroughly funded by the school systems as sports are. So, the next time you have the option of funding scholastics or athletics, please remember which one is the true purpose of a school, which one produces the true leaders and thinkers and world-savers, and which needs it the most. I am proud to be a Christian here in the Bible Belt, but I also feel shame because I know that that is only the secondary faith of the region. As the old saying goes about football, "But in the South, it's a religion."

In The Wake of Katrina, Wake Up!

"This is our tsunami." I heard that on TV a few nights ago, and it's the most apt description I have found of what's going on along the Gulf coast right now. Not only in terms of devastation but also as far as national attention and concern. When I say "national" attention, however, I mean people, not necessarily the government. Before I get into that however, I'd like to give my recent personal perspective and limited experience with Katrina's victims.
The University of Memphis, at which I am a student and resident advisor, has generously invited any students of universities affected by the hurricane to enroll with us for no extra tuition. We are also providing them with accommodations in our residence halls. In addition, a dorm that had been shut down for two years has been refurnished and put online for over 200 non-student evacuees to have lodging as they escape the ruined cities further south. Yesterday, in my capacity as a resident advisor, I met three of the students from the University of New Orleans who will be living in the apartment complex in which I work. When the third one arrived to check in to her room, I gave her the information sheet that all new residents fill out and proceeded to spout off the usual check-in instructions. A couple of minutes later, I noticed that she had put the sheet down on the table without filling out much of it. Primarily, the section for an off-campus address and family contact info was blank. I couldn't bring myself to question it or even mention that I noticed it, because I realized that she probably didn't want to note an address that may not exist anymore. It broke my heart, and I fought some tears. Fortunately, the burden lightened when I realized that she had misunderstood and simply didn't think she was supposed to fill out the whole thing. Mistaken or not, it really made me think. And this is what I thought about...
First, when are all the countries that we have supported in time of natural crisis going to return the favor? I haven't heard any Asians or Europeans announce that they're sending anybody. As cold as it may sound, I believe that all US Government entities still working in Southeast Asia on tsunami relief and any completely American-staffed private agencies should pull out immediately to help here at home. At least then, the Asians would have something to do and a valid excuse for not coming here to help us.
Second and most important, when is the United States Government going to speed up its priorities? A good Republican though I try to be, I've never accused George W. Bush of being a good organizer. As large as the federal government is, one would think that it could handle multiple tasks at once. And maybe it just looks like it on TV, but it seems more and more as time goes on that they only work on one thing at a time. As soon as the Mayor of New Orleans made the evacuation order public, the President of the United States should have been ringing his phone. In time of crisis, it's a bad sign to hear from the head man at CNN before the head of the Executive Branch. Let's play with some hypotheticals here. With the worries over lack of military personnel to "staff" the new Iraq and base closings here in America for budget reasons, the government was afraid to commit more than it had. Furthermore, the Iraq operation-devotees are probably shaking in their boots at the thought of having to risk the loss of numbers in the Middle East to help the work here IN OUR OWN COUNTRY. Don't get me wrong, I supported the war and still do, but in times like this, it's the post-war occupation that I have a problem with. Groups like the Red Cross are, as always, wonderful right now. But no private organization should be ahead of the most powerful government on Earth when arriving at the site of a disaster. This is not my queue to start ripping the war issue apart and bashing the administration. But, in short, our own people need a lot more help than anyone else in American eyes right now. We've gotta take an old-fashioned "America for the Americans" approach and focus on the ravaged areas of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama.
It's easy for me to sit here in dry, clear-skied Memphis and pass all these judgments, but the bottom line is that we can't spend all our time reading the stories that ask "Is Your City Ready For the Big One?" Instead, we need to pay more attention to the ones that say "This Is What You Can Do To Help Now." No shoulda-coulda-wouldas will help us. So, to all our readers (listen to me acting like I have a huge fan base), find some way to help. Contribute money, blood, food, supplies, and even shelter if you have friends along the coast. Just do something! And, to all our friends in the storm-ravaged area and its surroundings (especially our dear old friends in Cajun Country), we're praying for you and looking forward to the return to normalcy in the Southeast. As we await that time, you've always got friends here.

Who's Gonna Fill Their Shoes? - Volume 1

We begin what will be (from time to time) an ongoing series of cultural commentary from Chuckonia. We seek to answer the question posed by George Jones, "Who's gonna fill their shoes?" We ask that question of several cultural staples of our youth, which we believe were far more culturally beneficial in their own way than some "advancements" of the 21st Century. For the purpose of this series, it is important to note that we were born in 1983, we remember the end of the Cold War, the Challenger explosion (vaguely), the first Gulf War (America kicked major tail back then), and the beginning of TGIF as it stood on ABC's Friday night line-up. That's the generation from which we speak. We also recognize, as was often so eloquently stated by Gladys Knight before singing "The Way We Were" that "As bad as we think they are, these will become the good old days for our children." Therefore, not only do we acknowledge that the past of which we speak was not and, probably, still is not seen as kindly as we see it, but that the present which we criticize will, one day, be viewed with higher regard by those younger than us. With all that in mind, we first discuss a favorite indoor pastime - video games. Here's the historical view from Chuckonia...
Around 1985, Japan made one of the great cultural contributions of the 20th Century - the Nintendo Entertainment System. Yes kids, we're only talking about the NES. Some of you never knew that such a thing existed without "Super" in front of the name or "64" behind it. And, no, we had yet to hear of anything called X-Box or Playstation. All we needed on a controller was A, B, Start, Select, Up, Down, Left, and Right to create hours (and I do mean many hours) of fun for friends and family of all ages. We spent many a sleepover as a young Chuckonian staying up literally all night with our royal friends to keep Link, Mario, Luigi, Mega Man, and others fighting for freedom in their worlds. Video games of the past had a uniting effect for us. We were able to feel like freedom fighters, conquerors, defenders, and victors in the comfort of our own home and in the company of our friends. We saw the characters we controlled and knew that their every move was on our shoulders. Those were the days of our lives.
Now, we find that video games have taken several turns for the worse. Instead of jumping on turtles and renegade mushrooms to save a princess, games are won by stealing the most cars and shooting the most prostitutes. That is deplorable. We also find among the crimes of modern video game makers that skill and adventure have been replaced by boring scenarios and pointlessness. We find the complex controllers of the Nintendo 64 and many of its modern sister systems unfathomable. And, is it only in Chuckonia that we prefer to see the character that we control on the screen? Having a God-complex is not so bad if it's contained inside the television set, as the player's ultimate power is. By seeing through the character's eyes, one loses the sense of care that players used to have and replaces it with a glazed-over lack of attention to detail.
Maybe these are just ramblings that are as pointless as the first-person-view games themselves, but we feel that America's children really were better off with the games of old. Not just because they didn't teach violence so realistically and bluntly, but because people actually thought and strategized while playing them. There aren't enough 2-player games anymore either. Video games used to bring people together. They were like the "front porch" of the world on days when it rained outside. Do yourself a favor sometime, if you're of our generation or younger, find a classic NES and play a few hours and remember the difference. And, if you're a parent, find a 2-player game and have some healthy competition with your child. Life is all about competition (whether with oneself, another, or an outside force), so why not practice competing a little and have some fun at the same time? That's the way we see it here, where classic Nintendo is still a way of life (since we own our fourth classic console) and flower power has nothing to do with Hippies but, rather, with fire flowers as it should everywhere - here, in nostalgic Chuckonia.