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Letters, 12/28: Christmas not for selfishness

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Friday, Dec 28, 2007 - 08:50:55 am CST

Christmas not for selfishness

I am absolutely disgusted and frustrated with the Lincoln Journal Star and writer Micah Mertes’ article Dec. 25, “If you’re stuck here, you can still have a perfect Christmas.”

With so many young people who will have time to pick up the paper on Christmas day, why do you tell them that sleeping late, indulging only themselves and ending the day at the bars is a perfect way to celebrate Christmas? 

Christmas is a Christian holiday that emphasizes love, peace and giving to others. Why did this young man not find some way to include service to others in his “perfect day”? There are many places in Lincoln where he might find the opportunity to connect with others on this holiday of love. He might try that sometime and then suggest it to others in his age group. 

I guarantee that he will find more satisfaction in living a day devoted to giving than he will ever find in hanging out in a bar until he has consumed so much he needs to “walk home.”

Journal Star, you must be held accountable for the articles you publish and the impact they have on our youth. Is Micah Mertes speaking for you and your values?

Surely you see that you could be a great teaching tool instead of spreading the “common myth” that all young people are lazy, self-centered and drinking heavily on Christmas night.

You definitely need to correct this mistake!

Mary Schwab, Lincoln

Let’s all slow down a little bit

After being turned away at the movies on Christmas Day because they were sold out, we decided to go home, have a bowl of chili and just relax.

On our venture home, we needed to stop at the Walgreens on South Street to purchase some saltines to go with our meal. At 2:22 p.m. Christmas day, people were frantically grabbing their last-minute items they forgot to buy.

The salespeople were tearing down the Christmas displays at such a fast pace, it seemed to me they were on a speed mission. I couldn’t figure out why they were in such a hurry until I turned around to see the Valentine items being quickly, and I do mean quickly, put on the shelves. 

After months of therapy and Lexapro, I was finally able to diagnose my own neurotic behavior. We don’t even get through one holiday until the next one is thrown in our face.

Priorities have got to change before we all become so materialistic and neurotic that we don’t even stop to smell the roses in life. 

Valarie J. Parris, Lincoln

Democrats are not to blame

If not for the fact that Wayne Simpson is probably serious, his letter (LJS, Dec. 23) would be laughable.

He blames Democrats and Congress for the deficits accumulated by the Bush administration and the Republican-controlled Congress, and the cost of the war in Iraq is not included in any of the yearly deficits since it was not included in any yearly budget.

One has to wonder how the Democrats could be remotely responsible for any of the spending since the Republicans have controlled Congress until January of this year. 

One also has to wonder what planet Simpson has been living on since January 2001, when Bush took office.

His letter reads as though it was taken from the book of Republican talking points written by someone the caliber of Karl Rove.

Richard Geist, Alliance


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Ryan wrote on December 28, 2007 9:07 am:
" I happen to enjoy Micah's articles quite a bit and he is a welcome and fresh addition to the JS. I'm curious, though, what everyone at home, opening presents did for others than their own families... You preach so adamantly that Micah is being selfish and should go help others, but what did YOU do for anyone other than your direct family? I happen to be one of those people with no family to spend the day with and I found lots of humour in the recommendation to spend the night at ABC video. Heck, I was pondering going to the Night Before lounge that night. And, please, let me remind you that, beyond the fact that Christmas actually subverted many other religions' holidays to plant their own here, a lot of people aren't religious and don't really care for spending their day in church. Micah Mertes, welcome aboard. We're glad to have you in Lincoln to entertain us heathen, family-less folk. "
David wrote on December 28, 2007 10:16 am:
" I feel sad that Valerie went through months of therapy, taking an anti-depressant and still had to diagnose herself! I liked her letter. Mary needs to lighten up. I think she may be one of those people that Valerie was talking about. "
Taking the middle ground wrote on December 28, 2007 10:18 am:
" Ryan...I''m sorry that you were alone on Christmas or any other day for that matter. I see your point as to finding humor is an article and respect your viewpoint, but I also see Mary's. She wasn't for a moment suggesting that you spend your day in church. She was simply saying that people should include in their holiday efforts to support others less fortunate. How can that be wrong? To have a heart for others does not require religion, it only requires humanity. Your quick, judgmental reaction shines a less than kind light on yourself and in a way magnifies her point for the need for good will towards men. "
micah wrote on December 28, 2007 10:48 am:
" Nothing was said by Micah about drinking heavily...a tongue in cheek article..why feel the need to put words in his mouth? "
MarkyMark wrote on December 28, 2007 11:01 am:
" Richard, for living in the sticks of Nebraska, you are indeed a wise man....Karl Rove gets an A+ for politics but an F- for policy. By the way politics is imaginary and policy is real life. The redistribution of wealth in this administration has never been matched. "
Barry Walker wrote on December 28, 2007 11:19 am:
" Valarie, I know what you mean about things needing to slow down a bit. I think maybe the reason the Valentine's displays were being brought out so early is due to so much corporate greed that is out there. I found it amazing how many times on the news they reported that holiday spending this year was down, and how bad it is for our economy. Even though spending increased from last year (this year's increase was much less than years past). They talk like it's such a bad thing that consumers are spending less on Christmas this year. I think its a good thing becuase way too many people get caught up in consuming materialistic things they don't need. Why not save your money and buy only things you need, what a novel concept. I wonder how many families bought gifts such as toys for their kids and financed it on a credit card. I don't know about you, but paying 18% interest so your kid could have a dumb toy they'll forget about in 2 weeks seems pretty foolish. That's my rant for the day! "
Debra wrote on December 28, 2007 11:28 am:
" There's a lot of judging going on here today. If I understand Ryan correctly he wasn't saying that there was anything wrong with helping others, he was pointing out the hypocrisy of someone that was so angry about someone else not helping others when they most likely didn't do anything for the less-fortunate herself. Most people are cozy and warm with their immediate families, and there is nothing wrong with that, but there is something wrong with one of those cozy people being upset at someone else for not doing what they most likely didn't do themself. And that's not very kind toward men, now is it? "
Grundle wrote on December 28, 2007 1:09 pm:
" Debra, do you have evidence that Ms. Schwab didn't do anything to help those less fortunate? You sure seem fit to speculate, and I just wondered if there was anything you could present as a basis for that speculation. I don't think Ms. Schwab was upset at people for not helping the less fortunate, she seemed to be more upset at the fact that the article by Micah Mertes didn't contain more constructive suggestions than to go out and drink, then check out some pornography. Maybe, just maybe, instead of doing the latter activities, one could hit up a soup kitchen and work at remembering the reason for the season. Giving and showing compassion shouldn't just be a religious thing, it should be a human thing. "
Karl wrote on December 28, 2007 1:31 pm:
" If drinking responsibly and looking at naked people is what someone is interested in... it IS being constructive. Everybody seems to be mad at everyone else for not going to help at a soup kitchen that day but how many of us actually did? Not me. But it also doesn't mean I was being selfish. It just means I did other things that day. "
Laurie wrote on December 28, 2007 4:31 pm:
" Mary, Christmas is a secular holiday that emphasizes avarice, consumerism and excess and pays lip service to Christianity in order to justify it all. For many people, it is a day of petty conflict and vague disappointment, not to mention the interminable wait for the outside world to start up again after the presents, food, and movie are done. You think Valerie REALLY needed those saltines, or was she just frantically grabbing in order to prolong the high? I thought Micah's article was funny and informative. The truth is gonna set us free. "
Cole wrote on December 28, 2007 5:20 pm:
" I LOVED Mertes' article. Humorous and informative. I had no idea this eclectic set of businesses and activities opened up on Christmas day. During the month of December you'd be hard-pressed to open the paper and NOT find an article and information about local altruism, organized or not. So this article was a nice change of pace. But it's nice to see Mary Schwab and others of her ilk predictably pointing fingers, self-righteously judging the values of the newspaper staff and publicly demanding a correction. "...love, peace and giving to others." Mary sets a fine example. The warmth of Christmas radiates from her words and I feel deprived that I was unable to spend the day with her. "
Nifkin wrote on December 28, 2007 11:25 pm:
" Those columns in the 402 are completely out of line with morals of most Nebraskans. We have to stand up for is right, otherwise all standards of decency will be eroded. If the paper continues printing articles that promote going to pornographic shops on Christmas, no less, then they might as well abandon all standards whatsoever. Forget that you represent Lincoln to the rest of the State. Forget that you are what will live in history as the greatest journalism Lincoln that has to offer 2007. Forget rules of the English language. Our society is held together by the high standards we set for ourselves. Evidently, the Lincoln Journal Star has none. "
Hot Carl wrote on December 29, 2007 12:33 am:
" I totally loved Micah Mertes' columns. They are a creative breathe fresh life into this stuffy conservative newspaper. A person can only handle so many articles about how Lincoln has binge drinking problems, there are too many bars, the police have to arrest so many drunk drivers, alcoholics are making their kids to drive their vehicles, college students dying of alcohol poisoning, blah, blah, blah. It's fun to cut loose every now and again, and I appreciate the fact that the LJS allows its reporters to do so. "
Lindsay wrote on December 29, 2007 10:14 am:
" I don't know about Lincoln, but the volunteer opportunities fill up quickly on Christmas in Chicago. While organizations usually have a surplus of volunteers during the holidays, there is a terrible dearth during the rest of the year. I spent the holiday by myself, and I enjoyed it thoroughly...even stopping at the local bar and having a couple cold ones along with a crowd of others my age who couldn't make it home for the holidays. I am also then volunteering in January for several programs after the spurt of people who only show up to feel good about themselves during the holiday season leave. "
Jackie Bonch wrote on December 29, 2007 11:29 am:
" It's true; Christmas is not for the selfish. But be should also remember that Hanukkah is not for the shellfish. Loosen up and get a sense of humour, folks! "
Mary wrote on January 1, 2008 7:20 pm:
" -Surely you see that you could be a great teaching tool instead of spreading the “common myth” that all young people are lazy, self-centered and drinking heavily on Christmas night.-
Well, you don't generalize much. I guess that must be what I did since I am a young person and read the article. Get a sense of humor. The point was to bring up things you might not have thought about- the things you mentioned are those that are widely known. If you don't like the article, stop reading. If you don't want to do what it tells you, than don't. Do you think we are all that suggestible?
"
Chris Bradley, Hogebeintum, Netherlands. wrote on January 8, 2008 1:34 pm:
" Well said, Valarie Parris. Why can't they all slow down. There's no need to run around like headless chickens. As Barry Walker has said - only buy what you really need when you really need it. "
Douglas Novak wrote on January 10, 2008 7:11 am:
" Thank you Mary S. for your opinion of what Christmas should be for you. I celebrate the bounty given to me by God with lavish extra-ordinary spending, gving, and over indulgance of food and drink for as long as I can at Christmas time. I am extremely grateful for the opportunites God has given me but the visually outward display of the financial opportunity can never trumph my internal gratitude for the mental balance he has given me. You can't see my gratitude but it has 100 times the strength of the US dollar. I can waste my money because it means little in the long term of my eternal life and contributes nothing to my spiritual beliefs. "

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