Merry Christmas to ALL of the Goon's World Readership! (RW77)

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah and Happy Holidays to everyone who reads this site (and those who don't but they won't know won't they?)!

It's been a crazy year and already we're almost to the end of 2011. We have already seen Fire Hakstol threads for consecutive years (He's getting close to the all time record for Fire Coach Threads... I think if he continues for 2 or 3 more seasons, he'll tie or set the record with Tim Whitehead of Maine and one other I'm forgetting).

We've seen CHL vs. NCAA debates, bolting and dismissals of players out East, the capitulation and resurrection (in the span of what... 2 weeks?) of a DI hockey program.

We also had to endure Goon's team, the Bruins, winning the Stanley Cup. And they're on a roll again. I only hope my Red Wings can keep up (so far they're alright).

On a down note: Goon's World Readership hasn't had to endure as many Redwing77 rants as they are used to. That's ok, my New Year's Resolution is to garner as much comment section hate mail as Goon has. :)

Ok, now for the message:

The World is not a great place right now. We have terrorists in power, gaining power, or on the cusp of getting power in the Middle East. We have apathy towards terrorists if not outright sympathy growing around the World. We have political leaders who are drunk on power and care little for their constituency. And the list can go on and on and on. But one thing everyone needs to know:

This is the time of year where you have to set aside those differences, those troubles, those worries. This is the time that you spend with people you love and care about. The time to settle differences among family members and come together because that's all we've got in this World. Some use religious rhetoric to justify but I'm a secular man. I argue that if religious reasons help you bring about togetherness, then Go Church Go. If it doesn't, then I hope something else does bring about the same feelings.

My thoughts are for those who do not have a warm home to come to, no family to be together with, those who cannot be with friends and/or family due to obligations of a greater variety (such as defending our country), and for those who live in environments where you live by Carpe Diem every day because driving to the border in every direction will bring you closest to those who want you dead (See Israel). Most of all, I think about those who have died to give us these togetherness moments and try not to be angered by all these Americans who do not understand or try to damage or destroy their memory.

But here's to all of us who do understand. Here's to our families and our friends. Here's to a new year where hopefully progress will be made to alleviate or marginalize our enemies and their stances. Martin Luther King Jr. had a dream. We all can have one too.

Good luck. God Bless. Happy Holidays everyone.