The Stream

The Brew: Harking Angels and Honking Travelers

By Al Perrotta Published on December 22, 2023 •

Al Perrotta

Happy Friday Before Christmas!

The Stream has some special Christmas offerings lined up for you. Nancy Flory touches the heart and offers hope with “She Was Young, Unmarried and Pregnant — But Had a Faithful God.”

Annemarie McLean has an absolutely beautiful “The Light the Darkness Cannot Overcome.”

Coming up in the coming hours, I share “He Came For ‘Em All,” and Tom Gilson brings “Wishing Our Progressive Friends a Merrier Christmas.” That’s just for starters.

The Stars are Shining Brightly

Even the stars say “Merry Christmas.” NASA has released a stunning photo of what they call “The Christmas Tree Cluster” … a cluster of stars surrounded by gas that resembles … well … a Christmas Tree.

The “Christmas Tree” — technically known as NGC 2264 — is some 2,500 light-years away. Which makes putting ornaments on it a bit difficult.

All-Woman’s Catholic College Reverses Course, Will NOT Allow Biological Males

St. Mary’s in South Bend, Indiana, is an all-women’s Catholic college. Last month, the school decided that “all-women” would include males who identify as women starting fall 2024. Parents, students and alumni, naturally, shouted that “all women” means “women” and demanded St. Mary’s reverse the new policy. The pressure worked. The Daily Signal reports St. Mary’s College has corrected course, and will not be admitting dudes who identify as transgender into their all-girls college.

“I’m so proud of the women at Saint Mary’s who were willing to stand up against this anti-women, anti-Catholic policy,” St. Mary’s junior Clare Bettag told The Daily Signal. “God’s truth will always win.”

California Lt. Gov. Pushing to Remove Trump From Ballot in Golden State

Colorado’s Supreme Court didn’t just open a Pandora’s Box by booting Trump off the ballot. They opened Stalin’s tool chest. California’s Lt. Governor Eleni Kounalakis now wants California to follow Colorado’s lead in stripping citizens of the right to vote for their chosen candidate. (The first question you’ve got to ask: Are Democrats scared California is in play?)

Adding to the absurdity — while wanting to misuse the Constitution to keep Trump off the ballot, Kounalakis BLOWS the actual Constitutional requirements to be president. In her statement, Kounalakis declares one has to be “40 years old” to be U.S. President. The Constitution actually requires a candidate be 35.

Oopseee! Before you shred the thing, maybe you want to read the thing.

She also might want to read Victor Davis Hanson’s X post on the Colorado reading.

Please Support The Stream: Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.

In very related news, the Democrats in Massachusetts will only allow Joe Biden on the ballot for the commonwealth’s March 5 primary. Democratic candidate Marianne Williamson is seeing red, calling it a “flagrant violation of DNC rules and processes.”

Also related, Democratic Rep. Dean Phillips is challenging the DNC’s refusal to put him on the ballot in Florida, North Carolina and Tennessee.

Headline: “Numerals ‘2024’ Arrive in Times Square in Preparation for New Year’s Eve.”

The number 4 was promptly shoved into the path of an oncoming bus.

115.2 Million Americans Traveling Over the Christmas-New Years Holiday

We’re hitting the roads and skies, heading over the river and through the woods. And Old Man Winter and dysfunctional airlines, don’t try to stop us!

Some 115.2 million Americans will travel over 50 miles this Christmas, AAA is projecting. That’s up about 2.5 million from last year. A record 7.5 million of those holiday travelers will be flying. Ah, but how many will be traveling by one-horse open sleigh?

As of right now, weather is not predicted to be too much of a factor in traveling this year … unlike the massive storms and snafus that turned air travel into a nightmare last year.

Quick travel question: How many of you only agreed to drive a long distance for Christmas so you’d have an excuse to stop at a Buck-ee’s? It’s soooo worth having to put up with crazy Aunt Edna yapping about how turkey is racist and Jesus was an undocumented immigrant.

In related news, according to the American Heart Association, 63% of respondents say the holiday season is more stressful than tax season. (A majority — 51% to be precise — say it takes weeks to recover.)

Sure. The IRS may put the squeeze on you, but nothing like relatives. “Now why aren’t you married?” “Did you really pick that color for the wall?” “You don’t mind if we brought our 100-pound drooling dog over too, do you?” “How come your spaghetti sauce isn’t as good as my mother’s?” “Wait, was it 400 degrees for three hours or 300 degrees for 4 hours?” “Maybe you want to cut back on the Christmas cookies, dear. That sweater is looking a bit tight.”

Seriously, wherever you find yourself this Christmas, may you enjoy safe travels and joyful times. And, of course, keep your heart on the reason for the season.

“Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.”

Merry Christmas from The Stream family!

 

Al Perrotta is the Managing Editor of The Stream, co-author, with John Zmirak, of The Politically Incorrect Guide to Immigration and co-author of the counter-terrorism memoir Hostile Intent: Protecting Yourself Against Terrorism.

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