This month, as in every December since he took office, President Bush sent out cards with a generic end-of-the-year message, wishing 1.4 million of his close friends and supporters a happy “holiday season.”

Many people are thrilled to get a White House Christmas card, no matter what the greeting inside. But some conservative Christians are reacting as if Bush stuck coal in their stockings.

…Wildmon does not give retailers the same benefit of the doubt. This year, he has called for a consumer boycott of Target stores because the chain issued a holiday advertising circular that did not mention Christmas. Last year, he aimed a similar boycott at Macy’s Inc., which averted a repeat this December by proclaiming “Merry Christmas” in its advertising and in-store displays.

“It bothers me that the White House card leaves off any reference to Jesus, while we’ve got Ramadan celebrations in the White House,” Wildmon said. “What’s going on there?”

All I want for Christmas is a conservative Christian boycott of Georgie boy.

South Africa’s highest court ruled today that same-sex marriages enjoy the same legal status as those between men and women, effectively making the nation one of just five worldwide that have removed legal barriers to gay and lesbian unions.

But the Constitutional Court, as the high court is known, effectively stayed its ruling for one year to give the Parliament time to amend a 1961 marriage law to reflect its decision. Should the legislature balk, the court said, the law will be automatically changed to make its provisions gender-neutral.

Few expect the Parliament to resist, even though African nations are generally intolerant of gay relationships and many South Africans are conservative on social issues.

Yes, caveats abound, but I for one am heartened that a country that is basically socially conservative and that has only recently emerged from incredible hardship can make this positive move in recognizing the inherent human dignity of full civil rights.

How sad is it that there are many in our nation who still question the wisdom of civil rights legislation at all?

Apparently our fair city; the city of brotherly love, the city of the cheeseteak, the city of ‘youse guys’ has been identified as the number one election fraud ‘hot spot’ in America.

Even if the Sixers, Eagles, Flyers and Phillies can’t ascend to #1 greatness…we can all sleep easy knowing that we are #1 at something! Congrats!

But it’s not just the White House or Congress that have been complicit in this affair. Our education system is fully to blame as well. A recent study showed that high school students just don’t believe in the First Amendment anymore. A third of them think the 1st goes too far in the rights it guarantees with 32% believing that the press has too much freedom. A full 36% think that newspapers should need government approval to publish their stories, 21% think musicians shouldn’t be allowed to sing music with lyrics that might be offensive to some, and 74% think that burning the flag as a political statement should be disallowed.

This was brought into focus for me yesterday. It was a difficult day in Philadelphia with the city full of protesters and the related death of a police officer. Officer Paris Williams’ death has understandbly roiled the blood of many in a city that is already known for its passion, and yes, anger. But this morning in the Metro, the “man on the street” interview section saw all three interviewees denouncing the protesters and claiming they shouldn’t be allowed to protest for reasons as vague as annoyance. Now you may not agree with the protesters’ politics, their goals, or their methods but if you believe in the importance of our American democracy you must support them in their RIGHT to protest.

We need to restore American civics and history to a place of prominence in early childhood curriculum. Learning about American Government should not be left until the end of high school as it was for me and is for many today. Jake spelled it out for us last month but I’ll say it again. The only way to restore the values that this nation has stood for is to teach them to anyone and everyone from the time we begin teaching them. Teach the Bill of Rights. Teach WHY it’s important. Show students the history of slavery, civil rights, women’s suffrage, the New Deal, American journalism, WWI and WWII, the end of Vietnam, and the myriad lessons that history teaches us about why the American way is unique and invaluable.

When I first met my study abroad roommate, I tried to make conversation by talking about Bastard Out of Carolina (which I’d read on the plane). She responded, “Yeah, I don’t really like books.” I love books – reading them, talking about them, planning to read more (and that comment should have been my first clue that the roommate was psycho, but I digress).

I took a brief reading time-out right after I graduated (I’d effectively OD’ed on lit from some mandatory English major classes senior year). It was tough to get back on track, if only because for the first time in 22 years, I didn’t have anyone telling me what to read. Eventually, I settled on a pattern of ‘real’ books (tough novels, nonfiction) alternated with ‘fluff’ (chick lit, diy… ok, mostly chick lit). And when I started listening to The Namesake on my iPod, I was faced with where, exactly, it fell on my booklist. The Namesake is thought-provoking and complex; like other Lahiri writing, it deals with merging South Asian traditions and American daily life. At the same time, I couldn’t justify listing it as a ‘real’ book when I’d listened to it for days on the walk to work. This Times article addresses listening vs. reading and the growing popularity of audiobooks.

In other book news, I’ve been inspired by Jake’s project and Jason’s 52 books in 52 weeks project (he loves can’t stop won’t stop, which has been on my to-read list for a while). The Times also reviews Sean Wilsey’s memoirs – the New Yorker printed an excerpt recently and it was enthralling.

I’ve only briefly visited modern Kansas, but the Kansas of my imagination is a fiercely exotic ocean, a warm and savage sea richer than any place still extant. Try mentioning the magic word “Niobrara� to a paleontologist, or any enthusiast familiar with Mesozoic reptiles…their eyes will light up as it conjures visions of the world of 85 million years ago, a world well documented in the incredible fossil beds of Kansas. It’s a powerful, evocative word that links us to a wealth of evidence and a complex, fascinating history.

Reading about the ridiculous anti-evolution trial going on there was rather depressing. It isn’t just that the creationist arguments are so poor, but that they are making them in Kansas, where beneath their very feet are the relics of an ancient world that show them to be wrong. Don’t schoolchildren there take pride in the paleontological wealth of their home? Do the people bury their imaginations and avoid thinking about the history that surrounds them?

A lovely combination of paleontology and blogging. LINK.