The Solstice and other secular holidays

In honor of today's being the winter solstice...


These days the separation of church and state seems to be endangered, even though most of the brightest countries on Earth think this separation a civic and legal virtue. (It seems obvious that laws and the legal system, enacted by government, can't really give "fair and equal" treatment if our leaders act on any religious doctrines or prejudices. Keeping things as secular as possible is the best way to protect the fairness and equality of the system.)

SO, how about, to prove we (some of us blue state/better nation types) mean business, how about we stand by eliminating religious holidays and instead offer a clean slate of secular holidays?

As sentimental as I can be about Christmas, I'm all for replacing it with a holiday on the winter solstice. The solstice is an astronomical phenomenon, not a supernatural fantasy. We could all be left to celebrate however we wanted, and no alternative, secondary, "un-American" (non-Christian) religions would have the chance to feel slighted or excluded.

In fact, I'm for having the first day of each season (the two solstices and the two equinoxes) be federal holidays. And that goes for shopping, too.

This shopping thing has gotten out of hand. Debt and snide materialism prove that every second. So maybe, in addition to the four seasonal holidays, we should have shopping holidays on the first day of every month. Yep, blue laws, essentially, saying that nothing but essentials can be sold on the first of the month - and, no, nothing is essential except food, fuel and travel services. More or less SLOW the country down a couple of dozen days a year, and give people a REST - and a chance to really prove they are enjoying life by spedning some quality time with themselves, their family and friends.

I could even go for "no movies and no entertainment tv" on those days, too. (Dare I add televised sports, sports fiends?) If all this makes some people twitch, those are just the outward symptoms of the shopping and media-entertainment addicts. Don't be addicted. To be free, you gotta give it up some of the time!

How about the solstices, equinoxes and the last full week of the year, for starters, from Friday at 6 'til Monday at 9?

Happy holidays, one and ALL!!!

Lorenzo Elf