I was checking out at a store earlier this week and as the transaction was coming to a close the cashier handed my receipt to me and said, “Happy Holidays!” I looked into her smiling face and asked, “What holiday?” She looked at me with a quizzical look and said, reminiscent of Tiny Tim of A Christmas Carol lore, “Why, Christmas, of course.” With a big grin I said, “Indeed!” We both knew exactly what I meant by both the question and the answer.
It is easy, as we navigate our daily lives, to forget about things that, in the end, are more important than the many lesser and/or trivial things that we elevate to crisis. While the attacks on our nation from nefarious forces, both ensconced in our governmental complex and from abroad, are important issues, and ones we should indeed concern ourselves with, many of us forget to count our blessing each day; we forget to be thankful for all that we have. Even in these trying economic times, there are genuinely more valuable and precious things among our immediate surroundings; things like family, friends and the many things held in common by those who love our country; by those who love life.
The subject matter we address daily on these pages is always of a serious nature; of subjects that present clear and present dangers to freedom, to liberty and to our very unique American way of life. We, as the editor’s, writers and publishers, expect our readers to be more than consumers of the information we provide, we expect you to be advocates for freedom, liberty, fair opportunity for all and for our Charters of Freedom; we expect you to be advocates for honesty and truth; we expect – and we trust that you are – role models for all that you would like our nation and our society to be.
I had the opportunity – and it was a uniquely precious opportunity – to discuss with someone I hold dear the importance of owning happiness. Too many times we allow the circumstances that present to us each day to dictate whether or not we get to be happy, when, in fact, it is we who have the power to be happy. If one predicates their happiness on the events of the world aligning to their liking there is absolutely no way that person can ever be happy. But, when someone can find something good in even the darkest moments; when one can find the chorus of life even in the quietest moments, then that person has a gift that no other can match: self-derived happiness, and something that no one; that no event, can affect.
It is the truly free that can look at a hopeless situation and find hope. It is only those truly emancipated from tyranny, truly gifted with the understanding of liberty, that can look at a less that optimal event and divine an opportunity to transform that event from something that, if left to its own devices, would otherwise provide suffering, misery and despair. In no small way, this is one of the many incredible attributes of Americanism. But, what is Americanism if it is not the full sum of its citizenry?
As we embrace this Christmas Season, let us remember just a few important things.
We have the power to affect our own happiness, today, tomorrow, forever. It is a decision. We have the power and the only way we are deprived of that power is if we abdicate that power.
Freedom, liberty; both are not free.
They require sacrifice. Whether it is the sacrifice of those with the wherewithal to allow publications like ours to flourish, or the sacrifice of those who don’t posses monetary wealth, but who affect freedom and liberty by lifting their voices, by educating, by championing the lesser, it doesn’t take much to make a difference, it takes the will to make the difference; the will to do so.
And, lastly, that the reason for the season is not gift buying or decorations or parties, it isn’t the stimulation of the economy or materialism; it is the celebration of the birth of the Baby Jesus.
Whether you believe in the Christ Child or not; whether you are a Christian or not, it would be a tragedy not to recognize the opportunity in the celebration of His birth to embrace the reason for human brotherhood: peace on earth, goodwill toward men.
(RSN Editor Note: Watch this)
As we prepare to celebrate Christmas, let us all be aware that we, as Americans, have more in common than we do in difference. If We the People embrace the power of happiness that lives in each and every one of us; if we own our freedom, our liberty and our Charters of Freedom, and, therefore, realize we own our government and political system; if we own humility and brotherhood rather than narcissism and elitism, then we will be blessed to understand peace on earth, goodwill toward men.
From all of us to all of you and yours, Merry Christmas and may God Bless you all.
Frank Salvato is the Executive Director for BasicsProject.org a non-partisan, 501(c)(3) research and education initiative focusing on Constitutional Literacy and the threats of Islamic jihadism and Progressive neo-Marxism. His writing has been recognized by the US House International Relations Committee and the Japan Center for Conflict Prevention. His organization, BasicsProject.org, partnered in producing the original national symposium series addressing the root causes of radical Islamist terrorism. He is a member of the International Analyst Network and has been a featured guest on al Jazeera's Listening Post and on Russia Today. He also serves as the managing editor for The New Media Journal. Mr. Salvato has appeared on The O'Reilly Factor on FOX News Channel, and was featured in the documentary, “Ezekiel and the MidEast ‘Piece’ Process: Israel’s Neighbor States.” He is a regular guest on talk radio including on The Captain's America Radio Show, nationally syndicated by the Genesis and Phoenix Broadcasting Networks, catering to the US Armed Forces around the world. Mr. Salvato is also heard weekly on The Roth Show with Dr. Laurie Roth syndicated nationally on the IRN-USA Radio Network. His opinion-editorials have been published by The American Enterprise Institute, The Washington Times, Accuracy in Media, Human Events, and are syndicated nationally. He is a featured political writer for EducationNews.org, BigGovernment.com and Examiner.com and is occasionally quoted in The Federalist. Mr. Salvato is available for public speaking engagements. He can be contacted at contact@newmediajournal.us.
