Happy Holidays?

Happy Holidays? Why are many holiday family gatherings marked by tension and unhappiness?
Posted by Sally Quinn and Jon Meacham on November 21, 2007 5:16 AM

Readers’ Responses to Our Question (21)

Will Jones :

Concerned The Christian Now Liberated :

Will Jones,

Ok, start by listing the references to support your apparent beyond "left wing" rhetoric.

44 years ago today

George H.W. Bush,
Viz: internetpiratedotcom/bushdothtm Two FBI memos place him in the org that a Fed'l Dist Ct Jury determined committed the crime, and on the phone to the FBI, on the subject, 75 min after the hit...though he stated to a credentialed journalist while VP that he could not recall his whereabouts upon hearing of the crime.

Richard Nixon,
Fabricated, in print, three different and false places, in describing his "learning" of JFK's assassination...the truth is that he was in the passenger cabin of a commercial jet taxiing Dallas' Love Field runway when the Captain announced the treason.

and the Roman Catholic CIA
"Hunt v. Liberty Lobby" Jury found the CIA had committed the crime. A second-generation CIA employee explained, in detail, that the CIA is predominantly Roman Catholic...which explains why they cooperated with Knight of Malta Wm Casey in Reagan/Bush's "October Surprise." Carter had "let go" 70,000 CIA employees...no doubt because at some level he knew what a threat the org had become...and why.

assassinated President John F. Kennedy to put Rome's bankers of the Fed back in charge of our money supply
JFK's Executive Order 11,110

and to reverse JFK's Vietnam withdrawal order, to send 58,000 of us to die for papal interests in Indochina.
NSAM263

Not everyone is okay with that...even at Thanksgiving Day tables including Republican fascist supporters of the pResident who has gone on to commit 9-11
PhD David Ray Griffin: "The New Pearl Harbor."

to precipitate a false war for oil, heroin and the Saudi ruling elite.
Common Knowledge

The "tension" will only be resolved when justice is done at the end of a noose following Bush/Cheney treason convictions.
Common Sense

P.S. Nixon was protege of Hitler's banker Knight of Malta Prescott Bush; Bushes have fronted for Vatican-banker Rockefellers since Standard Oil was built on unredressed murder and arson in 1870's Cleveland.

The above outlined Fifth Column cabal has succeeded to this point because their primary client is the Roman Catholic Church's "Black Aristocracy," recognized by America's Founder, Thomas Jefferson, as "the real Anti-Christ."

Concerned The Christian Now Liberated :

Victoria, Victoria, Victoria,

The truth will win out.

Muslim women with courage will hopefully "deflaw" the warmongering, anti-female passages of the koran that are supported by the likes of the Shiite terror and torture theocracy of Iran and the Sunni "Wannabees" of Saudi Arabia.

Ayaan Hirsi Ali is a good example for Victoria, The Jihadist, Mischka and Pamela to follow as shown by a summary of Ayaan's book, Infidel:

"Thus begins the extraordinary story of a woman born into a family of desert nomads, circumcised as a child, educated by radical imams in Kenya and Saudi Arabia, taught to believe that if she uncovered her hair, terrible tragedies would ensue. It's a story that, with a few different twists, really could have led to a wretched life and a lonely death, as her grandmother warned. But instead, Hirsi Ali escaped -- and transformed herself into an internationally renowned spokeswoman for the rights of Muslim women."

ref: Washington Post book review


ananymous :

The worst you can hear as the anasthetic starts to hit, "Lord of This World, Father of Lies, Prince of Darkness, accept this, our sacrifice..."

victoria :

im honestly thankful that live in a country where no matter how inane, senselessly reactionary and mindlessly sheeplike one chooses to bleat endlessly- still they have the right to drone on-

i also have the right to ignore it- or repsond to it- or just have fun with it-

as liberated constructs his new redundant and boring list to annoy will with (youll be seeing it endlessly repasted here will)

im grateful that he can do so

Concerned The Christian Now Liberated :

Will Jones,

Ok, start by listing the references to support your apparent beyond "left wing" rhetoric.

ananymous :

It has been an complicated chapter in human development. Balancing the material as spiritual be no easy task. Hence,it having been an great testing time in the brains development. within a good fouandation based on true democracy, put to practice as intended,then further development will cause, minimum of conflict destruction loss of life. The USA is the worlds leading democracy as military power, this an great responsability on the USA, recent events shown the USA having faced much critisiced on the international stage,in regard to political decisions, military actions. There be problems in the Islamic world, where the values of democracy not given focus as attention deserved, placing democracy a somewhat very poor substitute, that of extreme religious teaching, resulting in great divide between people's, as nations. There being faults on all sides,where all capable of doing better, hopefuly the next chapter in human development make far better reading. Lest we forget, reminding, we are one family. The ultimate aim in human development, being the continuation of our Spiritual Development, the ending, Spiritual enlightenment... .. .

Soja John Thaikattil, Sydney, Australia :

Happy Thanksgiving Weekend to all in the US and to Americans living outside the US!

daniel :

I celebrated Thanksgiving with only a few friends rather than family this time around. Not at all that family is a problem--I made a couple phone calls to family. I eat and play with the kids when with family.

This time around I ate Turkey with friends although I am a vegetarian. The turkey was accidently placed in the oven in a plastic container and Dan here had to clean the oven but the turkey turned out ok. Coca-cola was spilled in the stuffing but it too turned out ok. I ate three and a half helpings. I could have eaten more...

I have another reason to be thankful: of all things my cd player went bad on thanksgiving but a few weeks back a friend gave me one simply saying "if you ever need it..."

It was a good thanksgiving. I just hope another friend of mine gets health problems, etc. in order because it was not entirely a happy thanksgiving for him. The saddest thing about thanksgiving for me is that I always feel inadequate, that I really cannot be the type of person that people are thankful for.

I think we all should strive to do more and be thankful for what little we do have.

Tom Munro :

Most family occasions are probably reasonably happy. The problem is of course that if you have family you can't choose them. If you turn up to a Christmas function the fact that you and uncle Norbet have had a big falling out does not mean that the rest of your family will not invite him. With your friends you can choose them.

With your family there can be scars, unresolved issues some touchy points. These sometimes can become issues other times not.

Will Jones :

Betraying the Path of Righteousness we who established this country shall lose our ancestors' posterity with nothing but Doom awaiting us. The pedophile Roman BIG OIL and false money Anti-Christ rules us now, allied with sodomite Saudi Islam and but a corrupt faction of false "Jews" in the State of Israel. America should be the fulfillment of the prophesied New Israel but the Beast must be cast into the Pit by The People. Bush/Cheney's 9-11 and false war treason must be fully rectified. Then, once again, Annuit Coeptis.

Ibrahim Mahfouz :

re: happy Holiday


Thanksgiving 2007
It is hard to believe that in only four centuries the few shivering colonists who had braved the harsh elements of a newly discovered continent grew into over 300 million strong. Their descendents are now the citizens of the greatest and wealthiest country that this planet had ever known. That calls now for thanksgiving, yet those few courageous pioneering souls offered thanks to the Almighty even then. In fact it is they who started the tradition. If those early colonists felt the need to give thanks to the little they had then, Americans must not be any less enthusiastic about giving thanks to the bounty they have now.
While most other countries are increasing only in population numbers, enterprising America is actively engaged in increasing its knowledge and harnessing it for the improvement of the quality of life for all humanity. The superficial observer who believes that America’s achievements are only materialistic needs to probe further down toward the core of the values that elevated it from being only rich to further being great. Those values are derived from its work ethic and traditions of democracy, liberty, justice, tolerance and the respect for human dignity.
The people of this country are not only prosperous but they are charitable. Many people around the world criticize them for one thing or another, but everybody envies them. While many countries put walls around them to prevent their people from leaving, the United States of America is being forced to put fences around it to prevent outsiders from trampling it. God blessed America and made it the only superpower because America is good. No one sees that more clearly than those who like me were raised outside its borders. May she always stay good and may the Almighty always bless her

Will Jones :

CTCNL (Is that - "Concerned," the Christian NOW liberated?): If the transparent and provable truth is more difficult than you are able to grasp, I'm happy to provide a complete elucidation of any element, or elements, you wish to intelligently question.

Concerned The Christian Now Liberated :

Will Jones,

Wow, somewhere you were brainwashed beyond the normal liberal rhetoric. Or are you simply still suffering from voting for Gore and Kerry??

Will Jones :

44 years ago today George H.W. Bush, Richard Nixon, and the Roman Catholic CIA assassinated President John F. Kennedy to put Rome's bankers of the Fed back in charge of our money supply and to reverse JFK's Vietnam withdrawal order, to send 58,000 of us to die for papal interests in Indochina.

Not everyone is okay with that...even at Thanksgiving Day tables including Republican fascist supporters of the pResident who has gone on to commit 9-11 to precipitate a false war for oil, heroin and the Saudi ruling elite.

The "tension" will only be resolved when justice is done at the end of a noose following Bush/Cheney treason convictions.

terra :

I am amazed by the wisdom of our first president's words. Our country was founded on principles which although dissipated, still stand today. For that- I am sincerely thankful.

"The proclamation by President Washington in 1789, was a recommendation of a resolution established by both Houses of Congress establishing the first national Thanksgiving Day on November 26, 1789.

The reason for establishing Thanksgiving was "to recommend to the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness. Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be--That we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks--for His kind care and protection of the People of this Country previous to their becoming a Nation--for the signal and manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions of His Providence which we experienced in the tranquillity, union, and plenty, which we have since enjoyed--for the peaceable and rational manner, in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national One now lately instituted--for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed; and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and in general for all the great and various favors which He hath been pleased to confer upon us."

(signed) G. Washington, The Massachusetts Sentinel, Wednesday, October 14, 1789.

Concerned The Christian Now Liberated :

On topic: Why are many holiday family gatherings marked by tension and unhappiness???

Money, religious differences and/or political opinions.

About Thanksgiving: I am thankful that I can reiterate the following quotes etc. without fear of Islamic death squads or riots promoted by dark age imams and clerics:

"Until the koran is "deflawed", no one is safe."

"Gators vs. Muslims??? Gators definitely will kill. With Muslims, it depends but with the koran as their operating manual can we trust any of them???"

"Thus begins the extraordinary story of a woman born into a family of desert nomads, circumcised as a child, educated by radical imams in Kenya and Saudi Arabia, taught to believe that if she uncovered her hair, terrible tragedies would ensue. It's a story that, with a few different twists, really could have led to a wretched life and a lonely death, as her grandmother warned. But instead, Hirsi Ali escaped -- and transformed herself into an internationally renowned spokeswoman for the rights of Muslim women."

ref: Washington Post review of Ayaan Hirsi Ali's book, Infidel

"The Islamic theocracy and terror state of warmongering Iran aka the Third Axis of Evil" says it all about the current state of affairs with the warmongerning "religion" established by the hallucinating, womanizing, illiterate Arab named Mohammed and his plagiarizing scribes.

ananymous :

An elderly bloke goes to his doctor to get the result of his check-ups. He sits down, and notices the doctor has a grave look on his face. "Some bad news, I'm afraid. The worst of it is you have cancer, and only six months to live." The elderly bloke is devastated. "Is there more, doctor ?" "Yes, I,m afraid so," replies the doctor. "You have Alzheimer's." The elderly bloke's face lights up. "Thank God! I was sure I had cancer!"

Galatians :

Thanksgiving is uniquely American. It is a time for families to gather together in prayer around the table. As you join with family and friends, take time and reflect on that first Thanksgiving. William Bradford, Governor of Plymouth, proclaimed the first official day of Thanksgiving in October of 1621. What were they thankful for? One year after arriving, the Pilgrims stood at about half their original number. Not quite one year earlier they had arrived in New England from Holland after a 66-day journey across the North Atlantic. During that first winter 47 of the 102 Pilgrims were lost to disease and starvation. If it hadn't been for Squanto, the young Patuxent Indian, the second winter might have claimed them all. Squanto had been taken captive by slave traders, but monks in Spain purchased his freedom and taught him the Christian faith. He made his way to England, learned our language, and thence returned to America. He was there to welcome the Pilgrims shortly after their arrival. Squanto taught them how to plant corn in New England's rocky soil. He shared his special knowledge of forests and rivers. Governor Bradford said Squanto had been sent by God to be the little band's Joseph.

We trace not only our Christian heritage to this brave band of Pilgrims, but also our country's solid foundation of self-government. The Mayflower Compact was signed even before the Pilgrims landed. It laid out the ideals of government by consent of the governed and made clear their purpose, "undertaken for the Glory of God, and Advancement of the Christian Faith." Plymouth Rock is the place where those Pilgrims first set foot on America's shores. The great French political scientist Alexis de Tocqueville wrote about this scene. In his classic 1835 book, Democracy in America:

This rock has become an object of veneration in the United States…Does this not show very clearly that the power and greatness of man is wholly in his soul? Here is the stone that the feet of some miserable persons touched for an instant, and this stone becomes celebrated; it attracts the regard of a great people; they venerate its remnants; they parcel out its dust in the distance. What has become of the thresholds of so many palaces? Who cares about them?

Tocqueville was one of the first Europeans to recognize the change that was taking place "in the course of human events" in America. He wrote that religious freedom was the key to understanding democracy in America. Today, there are those who think that religion and democracy are at odds with one another. Tocqueville knew that a firm foundation of faith was essential to the rise of democracy.

ananymous :

Holidays are blessed "HOLY DAYS" where families having the oppertunity of coming together. Free from the materal whirlwing, enabled to give real quality time in prayer as readings from the holy scripture, Raising the voice in songs of praise.

JC :

I rarely quote others in my posts but I think that a little book by Dennis Prager titled Happiness is a Serious Problem has a good answer.

It does not specifically address holidays but one of the great obstacles he mentions to happiness is comparisons. I think as Mr. Prager would probably attest that holidays are difficult because we compare our Christmas/Thanksgiving/Passover, etc... to the movies, songs and greeting cards. Well, the majority of the world doesn't celebrate these days the way we perceive we are supposed to.

Once we realize that our lives will simply not match, nor do they need to match the images fed us we will feel happier. My Thanksgiving this year will be celebrated in a foreign land where no one knows about Thanksgiving and if they do they don't really give a flip. That has made me a little sad but I have resolved to keep it special for me and my family and we will celebrate as we are able. There are no trees turning golden, there are no football games, no pecans for pies but we are going to celebrate it conforming to our present reality.

Additionally, holidays are difficult because as adults we get to be who we want to be when we are out there on our own. But when I know when we get together as a family as much as I love it, it is also somewhat stressful because for one everyone is comparing themselves to each other. (She's lost so much weight, he's got a new car, they're going to get a divorce, blah, blah, blah) And second as soon as many of us are thrown into a room with parents, siblings, cousins, etc... we lose our adult self we have worked so hard to establish and in the eyes of those of knew us "when" are reduced our dorky, akward preadolescent selves that we try so desperately hard to put behing us.

That's it.

Henry James :

So I will have material for my novels?

The second story in western culture is Cain and Abel. Does that tell us anything?

Daddy always loved William best.

There usually is not enough love and food to go around. Thanksgiving is one day when there is more than enough food, but we can't ever get enough love.

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