The American Spectator

At Large

(Page 2 of 2)

Of course, this is only how my wife's Christian friends in Chad celebrated. But 51% of all Chadians are Muslims and no they don't "know it's Christmastime at all," thank you. Nor do they care. They don't worship Christ. They believe one of His disciples was crucified in his stead and that He moved to India to father a large brood. That doesn't mean they are less deserving of Christian love, of course. But it is either the height of cultural arrogance to expect Christian reverence from Muslims or it is the final act of the secularization of Christmas to insist that they feel and emote and celebrate and cheer the way we do on December 25th.

Then comes the most tasteless lyric of them all:

Well, tonight thank God it's them instead of you.

In no way do I speak for the Lord, but I'm reasonably certain the above verse does not reflect the true spirit of Christmas. As incompletely as these folks understand Africa, they are even more ignorant about the nature of Christian prayer.

It goes on like this:

And there won't be snow in Africa this Christmastime.

Is there usually? Are Africans living in "a world of dread and fear" and feeling "the bitter sting of tears" because they are left but to dream of a white Christmas? If so, then we have millions of Americans in the Southeast and West Coast who are in need of melodic treacle, as well. But that's not the point, is it? This is just a silly, thoughtless string of words to fill space on the radio.

The greatest gift they'll get this year is life.

Which -- and I know this point is eternally lost on the likes of Bob Geldof and Bono -- is the greatest gift of all.

But the lyrics are only a symptom of the real problem, which is the entertainment media's belief that they can wish away global problems. The song's very essence reeks of misplaced sanctimony. The brand of celebrity activist this song has lured into the recording studio during each of its three manifestations is from the same ilk as those who scream "Bush is Hitler" and decry "American hyper-power." And yet if these folks truly care about suffering in the third world -- and I imagine at some level they really do -- then they should put their star power behind U.S. efforts to foster democracy around the world, end the sprawl of militant Islam and encourage free trade across the globe.

p> Patrick Hynes is a senior account executive and for the Republican consulting firm Marsh Copsey + Scott and the proprietor of CrushKerry.com. br> /p>

topics:
Trade, Islam, Africa