A Minor Rant Re: Halloween

[the_gneech]

I get so sick of the never-ending assault on Halloween. Otherwise sane, sensible people who have no objections to Christmas or Easter are constantly trying to eradicate Halloween due to its "pagan" origins, and it burns me up.

A related idiot is the "Halloween Is Too Dangerous!" parent. If you are one of these people who complains about the degradation of the neighborhood as a social unit and the decay of communities in general, and then won't let your kids go trick-or-treating because you're afraid they might find a razorblade in their apple, then bend over, because you're due a serious butt-kicking. It's all YOUR fault.

As for "mall-o-ween," I don't even want to dignify it with comment, but if I don't, some fool will think I approve. I bear no malice towards the well-wishing shopping mall owners who initiated the concept, nor even malice towards the not-so-well-wishing shopping mall owners who see halloween as just another gimmick to get people's wallets in the door. But I do bear malice towards the scared-bunny parents who would take advantage of "mall-o-ween," on the grounds that it's somehow safer than walking your little tykes around to meet the people on your block and say, "Trick or treat!"

Honestly, people. 90% of the folks around you are wonderful, kind people who'd love nothing better than to meet their neighbors and rot the kiddies' teeth with prepackaged sugary goodness. Yeah, you've got to watch out for the other 10% ... but dammit, that's life! The world is not a safe place. But you've got to live in it anyway! And nobody's going to make it safer if you don't.

-The Gneech

PS: I am dressed up like Dr. Who today. :) Happy Halloween, everybody!

Comments

[chastmastr.livejournal.com]

Which incarnation of the good Doctor? :)

[praeriedog.livejournal.com]

      Why, Tom Baker, of course. Complete with 5 mile long scarf.

[lady-anne.livejournal.com]

My favourite, on both counts.

[the-gneech.livejournal.com]

My mom knitted me an 18' or so long scarf as a present for me while I was in college. :) So all I need is a tweed blazer, a beat up hat, and khaki pants to make a passable 4th Doctor. :) -TG

[scixual.livejournal.com]

At a local church the sign reads: "Jesus is King, not Halloween!"

They are stupid.

[blacktigr.livejournal.com]

Not only do I agree with you, but let me add in a second kind of lamer-than-lame Halloween alternative. The It's Not Really Halloween Church Party has got to be the dumbest idea anyone has ever come up with. It's not a good alternative to getting dressed up in costume, and what you do by forcing your kids to do that instead of trick or treat is take a bunch of years of innocent fun away from them and make it so that they don't celebrate a holiday that really wouldn't hurt them in the first place.

(Do I sound a little bitter?)

If I had anywhere to go today, I'd be choosing from my vast wardrobe of costume stuff that never gets worn...

[raemonde.livejournal.com]

Whoever said that THE MAUL was a safe place, anyway? Look at the name. Now sure, most people don't spell it that way, but only a Maul employee could know better. ;) If nothing else, it is a physically and socially draining place. Corporate haven. If you think that sucking money from people is the only evil there... you haven't worked in one.

More "Maul" terms:

• 'Consumers' - think about that, especially from an overworked employee's perspective.
• 'Shopping' - rhymes with 'chopping'.

Hell, I'd consider myself safer outside The Maul than in it; simply because there's less people.

--Most of this post was meant in jest. I'm going to try to find a bald wig and go as '47', the assassin from 'Hitman'.

.Rob
(Not a violent person! Really!) ;)

[tygermoonfoxx.livejournal.com]

Don't even get me started....some assclown on one of my pet lovers lists posted that sad old wheeze about pagans stealing black cats and children for their sacrificial rites on Halloween. Much as some of my cats might deserve to be sacrificial material at times, I love them a lot. Every year I have a fight with the local law enforcement and the local neighbors about my right to keep these beloved pets and companions. I treat my animals more humanely than most other folk, for goddess'sake!

[lediva.livejournal.com]

It's complete and total hogwash! Nobody's ever tried to steal me, not even once!

[jamesbarrett.livejournal.com]

I work at the mall and I can say that the whole mall-o-ween thing is one big pain in the butt. We don't really get all that much business during dinner on that day becuase the door is always blocked by the gaggle of cute dressed up urchins and they're ever watchful parents. -Frisk (was a wuss and did not dress up at work today)‘

i agrree!

[katsunewolf.livejournal.com]

Sadly, were also talking about a country thats becoming a "Sue because i feel like it an i dont like you" world. Wheres the love? *sigh*
I just got back form Trick or Treating. somthing i havent done in 6 years. I loved it. We went out, an had an actual tradional event like they had over 20 years ago. It was cool.
Neat costume. i hope oyu get photos of yourself.

(Btw, when i got back, i checked my email... for some reasion, i got "Mail undeilverble" when i tried to send you the Dr Roboto song you wanted.. I sent it to the comcast email you gave me. Is somthing up? let me know so i can send again.)

^~Kai

You Said It!!

[murrrmaiyd.livejournal.com]

I so totally agree with all of that....and as for not celebrating due to it's pagan origins..well, if they looked a little deeper they'd find that Easter, and Christmas, etc, existed long before they did, they just took over the existing pagan holidays in an effort to convert everyone to their religion. I could elaborate, but I won't here, after all, it's not my journal! :)

Still, I think it's awful, robbing kids of one of the things I remember as being some of the most enjoyable things about being a kid...dressing up and trick or treating, and scaring yourselves silly....I love Halloween! :)

Mur