What Christmas Means to Me In The Time of Trump

It's Christmas Day in Canada, and now that the shopping frenzy is over, and with snow on the ground in the place where I live, the country has never seemed so peaceful and so beautiful.

But this year even those colourful lights can't blot out the darkness threatening to envelop us.

The darkness of those who would appeal to the worst angels of our nature.

And of course the darkness of Trump.



Who would pose as a pious predator to win the support of the religious right, and is now preparing to use the Bible as a weapon against his enemies.

By packing his cabinet full of religious fanatics and homophobes.

Who are determined to roll back the rights of women, and continue their never-ending war on gay Americans.

Even though Trump is the furthest thing from a Christian.

And even though he once held up a ragged rainbow flag, and declared that he not Hillary Clinton was the "real friend" of the LGBT community...



Which puts a damper on my Christmas, makes it a bit harder for me explain what this day means to me. 

And forces me to revise a post I wrote years ago, and run every year on this day.

But here is the latest version... 



It's Christmas Day, and although I'm an atheist, and I believe that our beautiful planet is our heaven and our hell. And that it's up to us to decide what world we want to live in. 

Not up to some invisible deity, or some bloodthirsty Godzilla. 

And although I hate the shopping and the greed. And although I know it can be a sad and lonely time for many...



The homeless, those who live alone and don't have families or friends, or don't want to, or can't go home...



Like the thousands of LGBT kids thrown out of their homes by their own parents, 

And although I realize that insane hatred is still largely fuelled by organized religion, I still celebrate the earthly message of Jesus the revolutionary, and his vision of a kinder, gentler, more just world. 

Because that's the kind of world I believe in, and the only one that can save our burning planet. 

A world where men can restrain their primal urge to kill each other, or abuse and assault women. One where racism and religious bigotry are buried in the garbage can of history.

A world where humans treat the only home we have with respect, instead of trying to torch it. 

And yes, a place where fathers accept their gay sons, instead of throwing them into the street...



And where love trumps hate every day of the year. 

In the ugly bigoted time we live in, those are the kind of values that need to be defended stronger than ever. And not just defended.

Sent soaring towards the heavens like some of the Christmas songs I used to sing. 

When I was a budding juvenile delinquent dressed up as an angel. 

The angel with a black eye, in a choir like this one..



The words never did, and still don't mean much to me. But isn't the sound of gentle humanity GLORIOUS?

Imagine what a beautiful world we could build, if more boys were raised to be strong and gentle, not brutish and violent. If we were really our brother and sister's keeper. And there really was peace on earth.

If we can't dream about that kind of world, or hope for it, or if we succumb to despair, we will never have it. And this planet is really doomed.

From me and my wonderful companion Sébastien, who inspires me to believe that we can have that earthly paradise if we fight for it hard enough.

Thank you all for reading this blog, encouraging me so much, and contributing so many interesting comments. I love you all.

We will have that better world, not even Trump can stop us.

Merry Christmas, Joyeux Noël, Happy Holidays everybody !!!!