‘Tis the season to spend money

BONNIE CLOSSEY GUEST WRITER BMC724@CABRINI EDU

how? Kerry isn’t such a bad guy. He was an altar boy and even saved the life of a fellow soldier in Vietnam. Yet the red states have the perception that Bush was the moral candidate for some reason.

Could the Democratic party still carry the stigma of Bill Clinton’s indecretion with a White House intern?

Heartland voters also don’t like the idea of gay marriage. I’m all for gay marriage. Why not let gay people be just as miserable as the straight people, I say. Plus, divorce lawyers will surely be happy for the additional revenue.

I hate to sound like a city slicker condemning these Godfearing, hardworking people who save me the trouble of growing and killing my own food. Thanks to them, I’m allowed to live my fantasy that meat comes from the supermarket wrapped in styrofoam and clear plastic.

I just realize that those in the Heartland have different lives and values – and thereby voting choices – from mine. It’s easier to ignore urban issues the farther away you live from an urban area.

However, I now feel like I’m just along for the ride because the Heartland is obviously calling the shots in this country. They did in the 2000 presidential election and again in 2004. We live in a country of divided interests, and it seems that we in the blue states do not have much of a voice right now.

I suppose it’s somewhat appropriate that a country founded by people seeking freedom from religious persecution still hold religion in such high regard during a presidential election.

But have the once persecuted now become the persecutioners?

From now until Dec. 1 WYBF will be collecting much -needed supplies to send th 250 •die rs in Iraq an A~~~·-"· t

Yes, it will soon be that time of the year again. The snow will blanket the earth, families will gather together to celebrate the holiday season and dollar bills will fly out of our wallets quicker than we can put them in there.

The holiday season means different things to different people. To some, it is the time to embrace the religious importance of this time of year. Others enjoy the time off from school or work.

Yet it is becoming increasingly more and more apparent that most people are thinking about just what to buy for those important people in their lives.

Generally speaking, college students’wallets are not usually overflowing with extra money. However, we still recognize that it is important to buy gifts for our families and friends to show our appreciation for them. Many students hold part-time jobs in addition to being a full-time student and it is necessary to be watchful of our spending.

But is the day after Halloween too soon to begin to think about Christmas?

Department stores and other businesses seem to have forgotten the holiday that comes after Halloween and before Christmas. The spotlight that once beamed on congregating together for the Thanksgiving holiday is slowly dimming and we are already hearing Christmas carols in stores and on local radio stations.

The hustle and bustle of the holiday season and the stress that goes along with it is more pressure that we are going to be faced with. This season is filled with joy and beauty, and the focus should be kept on that; not concentrated on the profits department stores and toy stores can make.

I encourage all of you to sit back and enjoy the majesty of the holiday season without all of the added stress. Embrace this time of the year. Fa la la la la la la la.