Where is Christmas?

[45nut]

where is Christmas?

Twas the month before Christmas

When all through our land,

Not a Christian was praying

Nor taking a stand.

See the PC Police had taken away,

The reason for Christmas - no one could say.

The children were told by their schools not to sing,

About Shepherds and Wise Men and Angels and things.

It might hurt people's feelings, the teachers would say

December 25th is just a ' Holiday '.

Yet the shoppers were ready with cash, checks and credit

Pushing folks down to the floor just to get it!

CDs from Madonna, an X BOX, an I-pod

Something was changing, something quite odd!

Retailers promoted Ramadan and Kwanzaa

In hopes to sell books by Franken & Fonda.

As Targets were hanging their trees upside down

At Lowe's the word Christmas - was no where to be found.

At K-Mart and Staples and Penny's and Sears

You won't hear the word Christmas; it won't touch your ears.

Inclusive, sensitive, Di-ver-si-ty

Are words that were used to intimidate me.

Now Daschle, Now Darden, Now Sharpton, Wolf Blitzen

On Boxer, on Rather, on Kerry, on Clinton !

At the top of the Senate, there arose such a clatter

To eliminate Jesus, in all public matter.

And we spoke not a word, as they took away our faith

Forbidden to speak of salvation and grace

The true Gift of Christmas was exchanged and discarded

The reason for the season, stopped before it started.

So as you celebrate 'Winter Break' under your 'Dream Treee'

Sipping your Starbucks, listen to me.

Choose your words carefully, choose what you say

Shout MERRY CHRISTMAS ,

not Happy Holiday !

Please, all Christians join together and

wish everyone you meet during the

holidays a

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Christ is The Reason for the Christ-mas Season!

[SPRINGFIELDM141972]

Bravo!

[FISH4BUGS]

In Amherst MA, the home of the UMass Amherst campus, the Resident Assistants in the dorms have been instructed to not even say HAPPY HOLIDAYS. They have been instructed to say Happy Winter Season. I kid you not.
But this is from the same place that protested the UMass Minutemen football team's name and mascot because the Minutemen had GUNS!

[jhrosier]

....
But this is from the same place that protested the UMass Minutemen football team's name and mascot because the Minutemen had GUNS!

Or perhaps because they were MEN.
Some people feel threatened by that.

Jack

[happy7]

Well posted 45 nut.

[Ben]

Well Spoken 45 nut ! ! !

[badgeredd]

Ken,

I copied the text and pasted into an email to everyone in my address book. I hope that is okay with you...I suspect it is. Thank you for posting it.

Edd

[beagle]

45 Nut....Good post. But, you're preaching to the choir I think. All us old pharts go to church (sometimes), say Merry Christmas, take a snort occasionally, salute the flag and keep our powder dry and plenty of it when we can find it.

It's all them heathens that are out at the mall shopping, hugging bunnies amd singing cum ba ya while the nation sinks that we need to reach.

Still, some good thoughts there./beagle

[45nut]

Yeah,, I know beagle ,, but if I see something worthy of sharing like this was.. well I feel obligated.

I am blessed to be in the company of men and women that call this place home and share "hobbies" that we can all discuss.
When I fired up these forums I never expected the kind of membership numbers nor did I expect to be changed by the experience, but although times have been troubling for me personally I am truly a different man today and the support and friends from around the globe is simply amazing to behold.

Thanks seems meaningless sometimes in the face of the threats to us all, but the level of education I have from being here is better than any degree I could hang on a wall.

My staff, both past and present have been instrumental in my education, my thanks to them all.

Nearly twelve thousand members and still growing it seems clear the niche this forum fills was needed. May we continue on that journey for years to come!

[Sprue]

Merry Christmas to you all and thanks for the post.

My first thought though was/is...... we are only reaping what we have sewn and I'll leave it at that.

Additionally, since we are in the Christmas Spirit heres as poem that found its way to my inbox that I would like to share. I don't know where or who wrote this but I thought I would post it. I hope its ok Ken, no intention to over shadow the OP. ( and hopefully, no one has posted this here)

Yep, a bit lengthy but truly bold IMO.

The embers glowed softly, and in their dim light,
I gazed round the room and I cherished the sight.
My wife was asleep, her head on my chest,
My daughter beside me, angelic in rest.
Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white,
Transforming the yard to a winter delight.
The sparkling lights in the tree I believe,
Completed the magic that was Christmas Eve.
My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep,
Secure and surrounded by love I would sleep.
In perfect contentment, or so it would seem,
So I slumbered, perhaps I started to dream.
The sound wasn't loud, and it wasn't too near,
But I opened my eyes when it tickled my ear.
Perhaps just a cough, I didn't quite know,
Then the sure sound of footsteps outside in the snow.
My soul gave a tremble, I struggled to hear,
And I crept to the door just to see who was near.
Standing out in the cold and the dark of the night,
A lone figure stood, his face weary and tight.
A soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old,
Perhaps a Marine, huddled here in the cold.
Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled,
Standing watch over me, and my wife and my child
"What are you doing?" I asked without fear,
"Come in this moment, it's freezing out here!
Put down your pack, brush the snow from your sleeve,
You should be at home on a cold Christmas Eve!"
For barely a moment I saw his eyes shift,
Away from the cold and the snow blown in drifts..
To the window that danced with a warm fire's light
Then he sighed and he said "Its really all right,
I'm out here by choice. I'm here every night."
"It's my duty to stand at the front of the line,
That separates you from the darkest of times.
No one had to ask or beg or implore me,
I'm proud to stand here like my fathers before me.
My Gramps died at ' Pearl on a day in December,"
Then he sighed, "That's a Christmas 'Gram always remembers."
My dad stood his watch in the jungles of ' Nam ',
And now it is my turn and so, here I am.
I've not seen my own son in more than a while,
But my wife sends me pictures, he's sure got her smile.
Then he bent and he carefully pulled from his bag,
The red, white, and blue... an American flag.
I can live through the cold and the being alone,
Away from my family, my house and my home.
I can stand at my post through the rain and the sleet,
I can sleep in a foxhole with little to eat.
I can carry the weight of killing another,
Or lay down my life with my sister and brother..
Who stand at the front against any and all,
To ensure for all time that this flag will not fall."
" So go back inside," he said, "harbor no fright,
Your family is waiting and I'll be all right."
"But isn't there something I can do, at the least,
"Give you money," I asked, "or prepare you a feast?
It seems all too little for all that you've done,
For being away from your wife and your son."
Then his eye welled a tear that held no regret,
"Just tell us you love us, and never forget.
To fight for our rights back at home while we're gone,
To stand your own watch, no matter how long.
For when we come home, either standing or dead,
To know you remember we fought and we bled.
Is payment enough, and with that we will trust,
That we mattered to you as you mattered to us."

[Pat I.]

You want to put an end to this nonsense say no Christmas no Christmas shopping. No Christmas gifts, no special dinners, no new clothes for going to the relatives, no little extra for the teacher that's indocrinating your kids, nothing. Wish em a Happy Holiday and stroll right on by. One year of that and you'd be getting CHRISTMAS cards 365 days a year from every store, school board, and politician in the country.

[StarMetal]

To all members....you may not know it, but we're the new Revolutionists...the new minute men, the Colonists that said NO..no more. The day is coming soon. Let us prepare for it. We have yet begun to fight. Give me liberty or give me death. Don't fire until you see the whites of their eyes. We're still here boys, it's deep down inside of us. We're Americans....the real ones.

Joe

[walltube]

There are some places that largely ignore the PC ka-ka, and I happen to live in such a place. The folks here are oft reffered to as backward, redneck Bible banging hicks. Well, they ignore that too!

Displays celebrating the birth of Christ on government property will not be seen, but that does not faze all the Christian demoninations from having theirs. This is Bible Belt Mississippi. A Nativity scene here is as much a statement of resistance to the PC infidel as is honoring the Christ Child. A sort of 'molon labe' of faith if you will.

My Dearly Beloved drives a school bus for Pearl River County. She has yet to hear a 'happy holiday' from the kids. It's "Merry Christmas", ma'am or sir when addressing adults. One hears that salutation in the school building from staff and students as well.

Pearl River County isn't perfect and you can't buy whiskey here, but by G-D we cling to our Faith and our guns.

Thanks for listening,
Harold

[9.3X62AL]

Nice posts, both Ken and Sprue.

Joe, you might be right. At some point, the real people in this country--which make up a substantial majority of our population will stop saying "You gotta be kidding me!" and transition to "ENOUGH, ALREADY!" It will start with the 2010 election cycle.

[montana_charlie]

I am in total agreement with the sentiments expressed in this thread. I would be happy to read it...or even discuss it...in any forum section where I happen to be reading.

However...

I am waiting to hear from that select and vocal group which is always so quick to jerk on the moderator bell cord...in order to have any thread 'tarnished' by politics or religion moved to
'it's proper place'...so they don't have to be propgandized while trying to enjoy their 'hobby'.

I am surprised they haven't piped up, already...

CM

[45nut]

as site owner I can pretty much put things where-ever I please! :-)

[Firebricker]

As soon as I read this I asked my daughter if anyone at her school had said anything abought not saying Christmas. Thankfully the answer was no. In our district it's still "Cristmas break" Of course it we'll remain Christmas no matter what in my family. I think some of the anti-religion people seem to forget is not only freedom of religion but freedom of SPEACH. I sure don't like it half the time somebody at a store tell's me "Have a nice day" half heartedly but I sure don't call a lawyer and force them to stop it. FB

[geargnasher]

as site owner I can pretty much put things where-ever I please! :-)

Ken, that right there is the attitude that will save our country, if it can be saved. People are losing (or having beat and worn out of them) a sense of ownership, belonging, and allegiance. If a person loses the sense of pride and self then they have nothing to fight for, protect, or care about. When a person can say "That's mine, NOT yours, I EARNED it and you AREN'T going to rob me of it" and put their foot down then things will begin to change for the better. Proud but penitent men built this country, and only proud but penitent men can keep this country. The liberal socialist tofu-munching mentally-disconnected pipe-dreamers can't run it, because they can only imagine it as being something else they'd like to change it into.

Like Christmas.

I'm not a Christian, and I don't believe in God. Neither does my wife. But she and I spent the entire evening decorating our 7-foot Noble fir and finished it off with our traditional cornshuck angel on the top. We love Christmas. You can bet your socks its "Merry Christmas" in our house, it's "God bless you too, Sir/Ma'am" on the street and at work, and it comes from the heart. I don't have to believe what you believe to wish you well or speak the international language of Good Will, or to celebrate the birth of Jesus, for that matter. We all have our reasons.

Let's keep Christmas from becoming forbidden like images of the World Trade Center, the original Aunt Jemima, the original Brawny Man, the Stars and Bars, and so many other "Non-PC" things that PC people would like us to forget, right along with the fact that this country was established and MADE FREE by GUNS and men with the guts to use them to kill into extinction or submission those who opposed their basic human rights "....endowed by their Creator".

In other words, Merry Christmas to you, too, Ken, and to everyone here at Castboolits! :drinks::drinks::drinks:

Ian

[wire nut]

AMEN and Merry Christmas Ken. Here in Kentucky this year our Govenor wanted to call our state Christmas tree a holiday tree. Public outcry and changed that real quick.

[djohn]

Boy, this post sure looks like a political post to me.

[blackthorn]

QUOTE:
"Political?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Boy, this post sure looks like a political post to me."

Sometimes ya just gotta tell it like it is!!!
Good for you 45Nut and others!
MERRY CHRISTMAS to all!

[felix]

Correct you are. I would say this board grew in membership by 40 percent since our new president was elected. Could that be because you just now signed up? ... felix

[StarMetal]

Boy, this post sure looks like a political post to me.

The Government make Christmas a political thing, not us.

Joe

[Recluse]

The Government make Christmas a political thing, not us.

Joe

+1000

THAT, folks, is THE quote of the Season.

:coffee:

[Recluse]

Boy, this post sure looks like a political post to me.

I happened to notice this: Posts: 1

djohn, you're new in town, so pull up a chair for a minute.

For several years, I've been fond of calling this place The World's Biggest Small Town. It came about one night during a phone call with the site owner, Ken (45Nut), in which he confided his dreams and wishes for Cast Boolits. We've come a long ways towards those goals, and still have a long ways to go.

In some aspects, Cast Boolits has exceeded Ken's wildest expectations. But with success comes even bigger dreams and aspirations.

Yet the number one goal that Ken, and virtually everyone here strives to maintain is that this site be a welcoming oasis from the prolific snobbery, cliquish-laden, hostile, foul, profane forums that seem to dominate today's cyber universe.

We welcome all and take care of our own. That's what folks in a Small Town do. And many of us, if not most of us, were born and/or raised in small towns. Perhaps it is a prevailing reason we are the way we are here at Cast Boolits.

About taking care of our own, and not just at Christmas time, let me give you an example or two:

--Lloyd Smale, a longtime resident at Cast Boolits and a virtual casting, reloading and shooting machine, had a fire on his property that burned down his barn. Wiped him out reloading-wise. Sure, he had some insurance, but all of that takes time, and sometimes you win, sometimes you don't with insurance.

Within thirty minutes of Lloyd sharing with us what had happened, the good citizens here in this small boolit-casting town began gathering up spare brass, boolits, primers, dies and reloading accessories and putting them in the mail to Lloyd.

He didn't ask for that--we just did it.

--Another citizen here who frequents our Swapping & Selling section lost his wife very unexpectedly. Again, we rallied. I will not go into details, but Mike knew he had ten-thousand strong praying for him and offering him whatever help and assistance he needed.

He didn't ask for that--we just did it.

--Ken (45nut), the Mayor of Cast Boolits, gets our support unequivocally. As he mentioned earlier, it's been a damn challenging few years for him. Last year, we held a Christmas drive and raised a decent sum of money that was sent to the Mayor.

He didn't ask for that--we just did it.

Anything you read here at Cast Boolits can be considered political. Lead is a sworn enemy of the environmental wackjobs. We smelt, cast and shoot lead in defiance of the wackjobs.

Hell, few things in the U.S. are more political than guns. Here in Cast Boolits, we own 'em, reload for 'em, cast boolits for 'em and shoot 'em. Most of us also belong to associations and organizations that exist to defend that Constitutional right. THAT'S political.

Look on your calendar, djohn. The month is December. For many of us, it is significant because on the 25th day of December, many of us celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. It's not a "holiday" or "winter break" to many of us, it's a Holy Day.

We're a friendly, typical small town, djohn. But upon moving in, if your first utterance to the longtime citizens is a criticism of how the town is or how things work, you're going to find very few diners willing to serve you, few doctors willing to treat you and even fewer neighbors willing to visit with you.

In short, like most small towns, the same road that brought you into town will also take you out of town with equal ease.

:coffee:

[462]

Recluse,

Thank you!!

[felix]

Could not have said it better with a post-graduate doctorate, official or honorary, in Communications and/or Letters from the University of Missouri Journalism School, the majorest of major colleges in this field. ... felix

[HORNET]

Pretty eloquent for an ill-Tempered Texan....well said.

[Cherokee]

I say Merry Christmas, too bad if it bothers someone.

[largom]

MERRY CHRISTMAS MERRY CHRISTMAS MERRY CHRISTMAS

Larry

[boatdoc55]

Recluse, I 'm pretty new here but that has got to be one of the most thought out, well written replies I have EVER read on any forum I subscribe to. You my friend, hit the nail on the head and I enjoyed every word of your post.
I hope I'm wrong by thinking the only way we get our Country back is the way our for-fathers did it, but if we must, we must.
Thank you very much and Merry Christmas to all.

[Blacksmith]

Ken
A very Merry Christmas to you and yours and thank you for the Cast Boolits present you have given all of us.
Blacksmith

[Frank46]

Well as a member of our small town I'd like to wish each and everyone of you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New year. Frank

[fatelk]

I think I'm going to like it here. :) Merry Christmas everyone!

I'm a long-time member of another forum. I like it a lot for all the good info, but the forum as a whole is quite intolerant of anything like this. There seems to be a very vocal contingent of O-voters and militant atheists that shut down anything from a more traditional perspective ASAP, especially around election time. Seems a little odd for a gun forum. I think they don't realize that tolerance is a two way street.

Great site, lots of great info and good people here!

[markinalpine]

This is 3 years old, but still (in)appropriate:bigsmyl2:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WDG2wHNdqg

Merry Christmas!

Mark :mrgreen:

[countglockula]

I'm just a new guy but I wanted to say that the folks here are the kind I was brought up around as a young man. The small town where I spent my summers was just a wide spot on route 66 but everyone was your neighbor and your friend.

I have seen the same attitude here and greatly appreciate having a place to hang my hat where I can talk about guns, boolits, hunting and God and not be thought of as a freak or weirdo.

So my hat's off to the founder and mayor of this fine little community. I am very glad to be a resident here, and hope to learn a bit, and maybe pass along a few things I have picked up in the last sixty-odd years.

I never thought Christmas and our Christian beliefs would be under such an attack, especially here in the USA. However, it has happened, for whatever reason, and we must resist the 'PC' wave and still call a spade a spade, even if it offends someones feelings. My general wish of 'Merry Christmas' recently caused me to be booted from a mailing list I had long been a member of. The reason? Making 'inappropriate comments regarding religion'.

I do not believe I'll encounter that here, so my best wishes to all here for a Merry Christmas! Let's remember the reason for the season, and give thanks for the freedoms we still have, and ask God for the strength to take back our country from those that would destroy the principals it was founded upon.

God Bless,

Ron

[Sprue]

Hello, Welcome and Merry Christmas to you and yours too Ron.

[alamogunr]

Merry Christmas to all on Cast Boolets.

I don't celebrate the birth of Jesus on December 25th. I celebrate His birth 365 days a year and every 4th year I get to celebrate an extra day. Having said that, If only one day a year people stop and think about Him and His sacrifice for all of us, even those who don't believe in Him, who am I to object.

Besides, it is a good reason to think about a lot of things that we can do to make this world a better place.

Thanks for the post, 45 Nut. And you too. Sprue

Again: Merry Christmas!

John
W.TN

[smoked turkey]

I too want to wish everyone a MERRY CHRIST-MAS. Special thanks to Ken for his post that started this thread and his vision and determination to make this site a reality. Also thanks to Sprue for his poem. After reading through the comments I can see why I am proud to be a citizen of this small town. I can't imagine hanging my hat anywhere else. This is the only site I frequent. I tried some others but as mentioned, they didn't feel right. Seems people were always gunnin for someone if others had a comment or thought that was different than their mainstream. My thanks to everyone who has contributed to my hobby in such a significient way with their knowledge, thoughts and comments.

[Edubya]

Thank you all!
As I read the posts here I got a little choked up and had to leave and come back later to finish reading.

I too will stand up when a person crosses the line, but I could never do it as well as Recluse has done it. That was an example for all of us.

I was born and raised in south Texas small towns and have since lived in mostly small towns around the world (career Air Force). The world is full of these small communities and if we learn to accept others for what they are, without condemning but without losing our morals we can live in somewhat peace. This peace is from being what and who we were meant to be. I believe the struggle is, for most, to find the truth as to what and who we are suppose to be. The struggle is caused from peer pressure of people that are faced with the very same struggles and it starts at a very early age.

The testimonials here made me wake up a little. I realized that I'm not very "Christ like", that is the definition of "Christian" isn't it? And when you think about the New Testament, it is teaching us what Christ did when faced with various challenges. When He found the money exchangers were using His Father's house of worship for their profits', what did he do? Did he walk away? No, He turned the tables, literally and figuratively, on them! But, on the other hand, when nailed to the cross He asked God for their for their forgiveness, "for they know not what they do".

I will henceforth try harder to uphold the "Ten Commandments" and try to abide by the "Golden Rule".
Merry Christmas and God Bless all.
EW

[Oldtimer]

Great stuff from everyone. MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL. Bob