The area of south west Missouri, including the city of Branson, celebrates “Ozark Mountain Christmas” every year between Nov.1 and Dec. 31. It spends tens of thousands of taxpayer dollars advertising “Ozark Mountain Christmas” and attracts hundred of thousands of visitors who spend millions of dollars, yet, in this world of being politically correct and not wanting to offend anyone, one is more likely to hear the greeting, “Happy Holidays” rather than “Merry Christmas” the very name of the holiday that is being advertised and promised. Shouldn’t it be the other way around?

http://explorebranson.com/whatsnew/christmas/

When Massachusetts Institute of Technology biologist Nancy Hopkins, an attendee at a “two-day, invitation-only conference of the Cambridge-based National Bureau of Economic Research,” walked out during the comments of Harvard President Larry Summers because, according to Hopkins, “this kind of bias makes me physically ill,” she testified as to the success of what Summers had been asked to do by the conference organizers, “to be provocative.” At the time Hopkins walked out Summers was discussing “Hypotheses based on the scholarly work that had been assembled for the conference” and “had cited research showing that more high school boys than girls tend to score at very high and very low levels on standardized math tests, and that it was important to consider the possibility that such differences may stem from biological differences between the sexes.” Hum, on second thought, maybe her actions illustrate more than Summers ability to provoke.

A recent story entitled “24 making nice with Muslims,” appearing in the Sunday Jan. 12 edition of E! Online, reported that “Rabiah Ahmed, spokeswoman for the Council on American-Islamic Relations, told Broadcasting and Cable that the show [Fox’s ‘24’] is “taking everyday American Muslim families and making them suspects ….It’s very dangerous and very disturbing.” The current Fox series 24 depicts the all too possible scenario, of a Muslim extremist family, appearing to be like just any other American family, performing terrorist acts, such as blowing up trains, killing people at random, kidnapping the Secretary of Defense, etc. within the United States. If the situation described by Ahmed does exist an Ole Seagull would suggest that it is the actions of certain Muslim extremists on “9/11” that are the primary cause and not “24” or any other TV show.

In a Jan.13 opinion column, entitled “Roots grow deeper on the Supreme Court,” about the life tenure of Supreme Court justices, Tony Mauro said, “To a growing number of legal scholars, the trend toward longer-serving justices has resulted in an increasingly unaccountable Supreme Court.” To that an Ole Seagull would say, “Amen” and add “Ditto for the entire federal judiciary.” Isn’t it amazing, the 25th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution provides for the removal of the president if “unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office” but there is no similar provision for the Supreme Court or other federal judges?

As Missouri’s new governor, Matt Blunt, took office on January 10, one portion of his inaugural address, to an Ole Seagull, defined the man, his philosophy, and his convictions. He said, “I took the oath with my hand upon two Bibles. One is the Book I turn to each day. It will remind me of the solemn pledge I have made before God and my fellow citizens. The other is a Bible that Melanie and I will give to our son upon his birth. It will remind me that what we do today, tomorrow and across the next four years will help define the future opportunities of every Missouri child.

“May God grant that in the days of prosperity and contentment, He will fill our hearts with praise and that in moments of trial, we will remember to seek His aid.

“Together, we will chart a new course for our state. With your prayers, encouragement and support, we will succeed. May God bless Missouri and the United States of America.”

Some might say, “Well that’s not politically correct and violates the separation of church and state.” To that an Ole Seagull would say, “It just might be the epitome of the political correctness and since when can a persons expression of what they believe, the guiding principles that they live their lives by possibly be a violation of the separation of church and state?”

What a difference in the quiet dignity of a Payton Manning, as he stuck to business and guided his team on victory after throwing an NFL record breaking touchdown pass and the antics of a Randy Moss who did a simulated “mooning” of the Green Bay Packer fans after catching a touchdown during a recent playoff game. Moss says he was “just having fun with the boys” but other have called it “disgusting” and Peter Schmuck of the Baltimore Sun called “Moss’ version of a not-so-full-moon” childish and crude. Why can’t we just play football and leave all the dancing, “fun,” and showboating etc. to others. A “champion” is, to an Ole Seagull a matter of heart and dignity as well as technical proficiency.

Sundays column, “A cartoon, a consent order, and a Branson Landing Bingo,” about the alleged illegal electioneering activities of one of the principals with the developer of the Branson Landing Project and Convention Center in Branson, Missouri, gives yet another example of how those with money and influence can flout the law to their economic advantage. But, in the final analysis, can any reasonable person really believe that it will be any different in any other place where hundreds of millions of dollars is involved?

Bill O’Reilly’s recent column, entitled “The culture war is getting hotter,” acknowledged a growing national trend when he said “Back home, we are coming off a Christmas season where the federal holiday was bruised and battered by secular forces that see any Christian public display as an affront.” He went on to point out that “The unbelievable nonsense surrounding the culture war is not going to end soon. Billionaire secularist George Soros is pouring millions into the American Civil Liberties Union so it can sue your butt off if you step out of the politically correct line.” An Ole Seagull would suggest that the “culture war” has always been with us, it is the battle of ones perceived “right” against their perceived “wrong” and will be with us until Christ comes again. Unfortunately, if the results of the “war” thus far are any indication, it appears, that God’s army seems more concerned with doing that which is politically correct or financially expedient rather than standing up and fighting for that which they know is “right.” What’s the effectual difference between having an army that won’t fight and having no army? From an Ole Seagull’s perspective, not much, not much at all.

On Dec. 22, 2004, a family court judge in Rochester, New York ordered a drug addicted women to have no more children until she could take care of the seven other children she had birthed and who “were removed from her care and custody because she could not and did not take care of them.” At last a ray of hope, with rights comes responsibility and that is particularly so with the “right” to have children.

What do faith and moral values have to do with the success of a small town in the Ozarks, called Branson, Missouri? Perhaps as much as it did with getting President Bush reelected.