We had it all planned. Today would begin our first Quarterly Fundraiser for 2015.
We spent last week discussing themes and dividing labor; had it pretty well nailed down. But the situation in Europe changed all that. It’s difficult to go about business as usual while The Eternally Aggrieved are beginning their bloody payback for imaginary slights.
I’ve not seen the Baron looking this tired before. The massacre in Paris and subsequent longer-than-normal hours have taken their toll on his usual resilient self. Thus when he wondered aloud on Saturday whether we ought to postpone the Fundraiser, I quickly wrote it in stone. Frankly I was relieved he was willing to give himself a break.
Since I’d already told a few people we were to begin today it seemed best to post this notice about our change in plans.
Besides… it would hardly be good form to start when we’ve yet to manage taking down the Christmas tree.
I prescribe for the patient a nice tumbler of hot toddy & an early night. If the symptoms persist, then take another in the morning.
Maybe this is the time for us to remember what we are losing.
The Christmas season has come and gone but I think our losses are rather fresh in our minds, especially due to the latest carnage in Europe.
How much longer will Christmas trees be presented in your town square? How much longer will Christmas Carols be allowed in your country? How much longer will demonstrative acts of Christian charity and culture be allowed?
Even though Christmas has come and gone, make some Christmas cookies and give them to a friend. Tell them that you are celebrating the season and wish them good will.
Then, when push comes to shove, ask them to stand with you for your shared culture. Only when you demonstrate the culture will others follow. And that is really the point… In the absence of a strong culture something else will fill it. In our time, Islam is doing that.
You might ask me well, what did you do?
Cranberries are indigenous to Northern America. I made cranberry bread and muffins as well as dried cranberries that can be put in oatmeal and eaten out of hand. I made it clear to my loved ones that this is a food of our culture dating back to the first settlers.
Do something to remind your neighbors and loved ones what your country is all about.
Dry some fish or cream some herring… I don’t know, just keep your culture alive or we will all be eating at kabob stands.
BTW, as far as I have been told the pecan is the only indigenous nut in north America, being found in the south east portion of our country. So, every one in the US, go for the pecans!
Easter is the next big Christian holiday. I would be very interested in learning what the cultural celebrations are. Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, The Netherlands, Brussels, France, Spain, Italy, Germany, the UK.
What do you traditionally do to celebrate this holiday with food and activities?
We need to bolster these activities, what ever they are, to keep our communal culture going.
Part of my in-laws are first generation Italians and I would like to share at least one dish that has had a significant impact on their celebrations. I am sure that just about everyone reading this has at least one heritage dish that they could share.
I understand that this is somewhat off the trail of GOV however, after so many years of reading the down side of our culture and the infiltration of Islam into it, I feel a bit like we have let our cultures down…
What we need to do is bolster our cultures, even if you are an atheist. Support your culture or, as I said a comment ago you will be eating at a kabob shop on Easter Sunday…
Even if you make some kind of coconut cake with candy eggs on top… That is what you do and it sure beats anything the muslim world has in store for us!
Food is the great divider. We in the west have a certain heritage which is opposed to those that wish to slay sheep in the streets until their blood runs down the gutters…
Let’s share our heritage and try to continue it.
If we allow a vacuum, islam will overcome us.
All the Christian holidays repoaced the old pagan feast days. Christmas, Xmas, Yuletide and so on. I know you know.
And that means what to the culture? I guess that is all you got. If you would like to supply a “pagan feast meal” go ahead. Maybe you can give the recipes to your muslim overlords.
Oops! Sorry Babs. I am a Christian who agrees with you. Just mentioning something that would better not have been said.
In a time when Fems have pushed many men into resolute solitude, it is hard to celebrate the foods of different cultures since they all take/took place within the context of kin groups.
As a first generation American, I became interested at a young age in the regional cuisines here. They were so varied and amazing. My mother liked American food – except ketchup. We’d buy an annual bottle and replace the old, discolored one from the year before.
Cajun food is mighty fine. Better than the northern Canuck food from which it is descended since the former took in Creole food too.
All over the South, at least in the coastal regions, there are variations on Hoppin’ John. It’s a black-eyed peas and ham hocks dish served on New Year’s for good luck.
The Baron learned to like curry while living in England. Eventually I learned to cook that, also.
Many years ago, my landlady was Greek. Her in-laws were Armenian and Russian. I got many good dishes from them.
The years I spent in New England were mostly a return to the Irish “cuisine” there, but I found German niches and lots of Italian dishes. A sister-in-law always saved me a stuffed artichoke at Christmas. It was there I learned the difference between Northern and Southern Italian food. Chestnut flour, anyone?
Northern Virginia has the widest variety of ethnic foods I’ve seen. Mongolian goat curry is mighty fine as are the varieties of Thai food.
I love Jewish food. Make a great sweet and sour cabbage roll, and latkes.
But again, I’m borrowing from long traditions – not from cultures but from *families*. Now that I’m living in a large black rural area, I get to have collard greens again. And I can even buy organic ham hocks and chicken feet. People give me venison and sometimes share blackberries.
Food = families = culture (in the aggregate).
I suggest the book “Nourishing Traditions” to see the four pillars of all cultures’ foods.
A whole new generation is entering our regiments battling against the global political order Baron. Soon we will take some of that weight of your shoulders.
Beginneth truth eventually to dribble out?
(ment to be conjunctive)
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download pdf
Religious Fundamentalism and Hostility against Out-groups: A Comparison of
Muslims and Christians in Western Europe
Ruud Koopmans
Published online: 21 Jul 2014.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/1369183X.2014.935307
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two very interesting graphs on pages 43+47
You guys work from an office or your homes ? Hey if you need anyy assistance let me know ,currently wondering around France doing voluntery work for food and bed
I have just made a contribution to help kick off your fundraiser. Thanks for being here. No surrender!
I will make a contribution this week! Baron and Dymphna, you do good work, excellent work! I believe we tend to put our money where our interests are. I do not want my grandchildren bowing to Mecca.
And Dymphna, if you aren’t familiar with Hungarian food, I can help you there — there is nothing like chicken paprikas and Hungarian stuffed cabbage.