While we were all enjoying the holidays, the North Carolina KKK was busy with recruitment.

Courtesy of The News and Observer:  

Some Triangle residents found a delivery in their driveways on Christmas Eve that clearly didn’t come from FedEx. 

People in the White Oak area of Garner woke up Sunday morning to plastic bags containing propaganda from the East Coast Knights of the True Invisible Empire, a statewide chapter of the Ku Klux Klan. 

Some of the bags distributed in the Hillandale neighborhood contained flyers that read, “White pride doesn’t mean hate! It’s OK, you can say it! I’m proud to be white! There is no need to feel guilty because of the past!” 

The flyer asks, “Why can’t pro-white rights organizations exist without being labeled racist?” and, “Why are other races in this country allowed these rights, as they SHOULD, but not the folk of European ancestory (sic)?”

The bags also contained business cards, mints and rocks used to weigh them down.

I think the rocks are a nice touch.

You know just in case you wanted to stone any of your neighbors for daring to not be white. 

Apparently if you call the number they ask you to leave a voice message. And I imagine they received some rather colorful recorded messages.

Look there is nothing inherently wrong with being proud of your heritage.

However to call for ethnic pride usually suggests that there was some reason that you were oppressed due to the color of your skin, that is simply not the case when it comes to being a Caucasian.

Instead our pigment has served as a blessing that typically affords us far more opportunities than our darker brothers and sisters.

And to be honest the KKK was NEVER about celebrating whiteness, it was about terrorizing and oppressing those who were not blessed lily white skin.

Christmas is over so Donald Trump is back attacking the FBI and attempting to undermine the Russian dossier.

WOW, @foxandfrlends “Dossier is bogus. Clinton Campaign, DNC funded Dossier. FBI CANNOT (after all of this time) VERIFY CLAIMS IN DOSSIER OF RUSSIA/TRUMP COLLUSION. FBI TAINTED.” And they used this Crooked Hillary pile of garbage as the basis for going after the Trump Campaign!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 26, 2017

Well gee if Fox and Friends said it then it must be true. Right?

As you may remember Trump also went after the bureau on the 23rd of December and then after Deputy FBI Director Andrew McCabe on Christmas Eve.

And now that he has finished playing with all of the coal from his stockings he is apparently back at it.

Unfortunately for Trump, nothing in the dossier has been proven false. At least not so far.

And quite a lot of it is right on the money.

Whatever you do, don’t retweet this analysis I did of the Trump-Russia Dossier. It will ruin Trump’s day & make him absolutely furious.

On second thought, retweet the F out of it. The Dossier & Christopher Steele are more credible than Trump’ll ever be. https://t.co/VUqENFacBY

— Scott Dworkin (@funder) December 26, 2017

Perhaps Donald Trump is just really pissed off this morning because his Merry Christmas tweet received infinitely fewer likes than this one did.

On behalf of the Obama family, Merry Christmas! We wish you joy and peace this holiday season. pic.twitter.com/CNFUZrhrBj

— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) December 25, 2017

 So once again that Obama guy seems to have pissed in Trump's Christmas eggnog. 

You know how Trump is always bragging that he brought Merry Christmas back? Yeah, not so much.

People are proud to be saying Merry Christmas again. I am proud to have led the charge against the assault of our cherished and beautiful phrase. MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 25, 2017

This is what Trump tweeted yesterday.

However as usual his "facts" are complete reindeer shit.

WATCH: President Obama say #MerryChristmas 17 times over the years. RT if you wish he were still President. 🎅🎄 pic.twitter.com/ATnOWdpqGf

— Scott Dworkin (@funder) December 25, 2017

Not only has Christmas always been with us, but until this year we even had more reason to celebrate.

And in fact this is the Obama family's Merry Christmas tweet for this year.

On behalf of the Obama family, Merry Christmas! We wish you joy and peace this holiday season. pic.twitter.com/CNFUZrhrBj

— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) December 25, 2017

Best President ever! And the best First Lady as well.

Obama is always telling us that we are a great country, and that we can survive and overcome anything.

In deference to this holiday season I am choosing to believe that is true. 

Co-author of the book "Hacking ISIS: How to Destroy the Cyber Jihad" has a little redo of the poem “Twas the night before Christmas” to share. And it will make your day.

Twas the night before Christmas, when through the White House
Not a Kushner was resting, not even his spouse;
The documents were hung by the shredder with care,
In fears that Bob Mueller soon would be there; 1/14

— Chris Sampson (@TAPSTRIMEDIA) December 24, 2017

I won't ask you to read the entire thing in tweets.

Fortunately the folks at Raw Story have transcribed the entire thing for us.

Twas the night before Christmas, when through the White House 
Not a Kushner was resting, not even his spouse; 
The documents were hung by the shredder with care, 
In fears that Bob Mueller soon would be there; 

The staffers were nestled all snug in their beds, 
While visions of subpoenas danced in their heads; 
And Melania in her babushka, and Trump in his cap, 
Flew to Mar-a-Lago for a long winter’s nap, 

When on the TV there remained such a matter, 
There was Brennan, Podesta and man named Jim Clapper. 
With bribes fresh in hand, they flew like the flash, 
The greedy corporations did suck up the cash. 

The Congress rejoiced the records will show 
Feigned promises of riches to the peasants below, 
When, what to amazement FoxNews should appear, 
Took aim at Bob Mueller, with permission to smear, 

With disinfo flying, so rapid and thick, 
I knew in a moment it must be Bolshevik. 
More rapid than vultures his hackers they came, 
And they posted and trolled, as they sought to defame; 

“Now, Fancy! now, Cozy! now, Seaduke and BlackEnergy! 
On, Havex! on Sandworm! on, Skipper and CrouchingYeti! 
To the DNC server! Past the paper’s firewall! 
Now exfiltrate, exfiltrate, exfiltrate all!” 

Then the Kremlin called Julian, their reliable guy, 
To leak to the world, the docs that they plied, 
And the Stone who was named Roger bragged on it too, 
With the dirty tricks methods that Vladi knew. 

And they carried on lying that there was never the proof, 
They fogged and distracted and acted aloof. 
But their plan would unravel, spin wild to the ground, 
And the FBI went digging and looking all around. 

Then came the big man, he was Special Counsel to be, 
And he hired top lawyers, and then empaneled grand jury; 
There were interviews and hearings, this man would not slack, 
And he pressed forward justly, with a determined knack. 

His eyes were like eagles, they missed not a thing, 
His presence was heavy, his targets would sing! 
His sleuthing was famous, if you must know, 
And his integrity was solid, like the ground below; 

The facts that were surfaced he held tight in his teeth, 
And as he dug for truth morsels that were buried beneath; 
He was focused on the crooked, the wretched and smelly, 
They did shake full of fear as we watched on the tele. 

He questioned each of them from the son to the elf, 
And I rejoiced at the justice, then I thought to myself; 
Under orange little man with weird hair on his head, 
The great justice of America was certainly not dead, 

He did push and did pull but it just would not work, 
And did hit Twitter daily, to act like a jerk, 
And he threw little tizzy fits, like a toddler in chief, 
But we saw he was crooked, though no ordinary thief; 

Though it took time, and labor we could would no longer bristle, 
As we finally saw Congress call for his dismissal. 
And as justice was served, he was hauled out of sight, 
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL, AND TO ALL A GOOD-NIGHT!

You know, I think I kind of like it better than the original. 

Donald Trump causes tension, impacts tourism, in Bethlehem. So Christian of him.

Damaged Virgin Mary statue in Bethlehem.

Courtesy of Vanguard:  

With Christmas just some hours away, tensions are simmering in the city of Bethlehem, Jesus birthplace and the region over President Donald Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. 

The controversial December 6 announcement by Trump unleashed demonstrations and clashes, including in the Israeli-occupied Bethlehem, where Christians will mark the birth of Jesus in a midnight mass. 

Bethlehem is normally flooded by tourists at this time of year, but has at times appeared almost empty of visitors as nearby clashes between Palestinian protesters and the Israeli army keep people away. 

Archbishop Pierbattista Pizzaballa, apostolic administrator of the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, said “dozens” of groups had pulled out of planned visits after being scared off by the announcement and subsequent violence. 

“Of course this created a tension around Jerusalem and this diverted attention from Christmas,” the Catholic church’s top official in Jerusalem said of Trump’s announcement, but stressing that Christmas celebrations would go ahead as planned. 

Of course the official word is that tourism is up, but that is from Netanyahu's ministry of tourism, so much like what comes out of the Trump White House it should probably be completely disregarded.

That is of course unless you would choose to believe a government official trying to tamp down fears of possible violence in such a sacred place, or an archbishop who is merely observing the facts on the ground.

I really think this declaring of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel is going to have long term negative effects on the region that could long outlive Trump's hopefully brief presidency.

Happy Saturnalia!

I actually typically have no problem wishing people a Merry Christmas.

But since Trump decided to brag about bringing Christmas back, I simply had to defy that orange tinted, anus mouthed, POS.

Besides of course Saturnalia was the true holiday before those uptight Christians hijacked it in order to spread their capitalist religion around the world.

And it might never have taken off quite as well if Clement Clarke Moore had not written that poem in 1823, and Coca Cola had not altered the look of St. Nick from this rather grim looking fellow...

....into this jolly elf.

Oh well, stolen celebrations, reinvented historical figures, evil capitalist underpinnings, what does it really matter if we are celebrating with loved ones and taking this opportunity to share our bounty
with the less fortunate?

I love this holiday, and hope that you and yours have a wonderful day. 

California man arrested for planning a terrorist attack on Christmas Day.

Courtesy of NBC News: 

A California man was charged Friday with plotting to aid ISIS by traveling to Syria or staging an attack in San Francisco on Christmas Day, though court documents suggest he later got cold feet. 

Everitt Aaron Jameson, 26, of Modesto was arrested earlier in the day and charged with providing support to a terrorist organization. Law enforcement officials say the FBI began investigating him in September, after a tipster reported that Jameson was making pro-jihadi comments in a Facebook posting. 

Court documents said when undercover FBI informants and employees began communicating with him in October, he praised ISIS and the deadly Oct. 31 truck attack on a New York City bicycle path.

Investigators said he told them he had the money it would take to go to Syria to join ISIS but later he began to talk about carrying out some kind of attack in the U.S., using skills he learned in the Marine Corps. 

The FBI said he eventually began talking about attacking Pier 39 in San Francisco, a popular tourist attraction, because he knew it to be a crowded area. Court documents said he told the undercover operatives that he had no escape plan because he was ready to die.

Does not appear that Trump's Muslim ban would have done a damn thing to keep Americans safe from an attack like this.

Not only is this dude white, but he received his training from America's military.

Certainly does not fit the profile that we are told identifies a terrorist these days.

Well good thing the FBI is still doing its job, despite constant criticism from the new commander-in-chief. 

The creepiest thing you might see today is this ad of "totally not paid actors pretending to be average Americans" thanking Donald Trump for making America great again.

Courtesy of Think Progress:  

A pro-Trump nonprofit says it is spending $1 million to air a new pro-Trump ad that concludes with a little girl saying, “Thank you President Trump for letting us say ‘Merry Christmas’ again!” 

America First Policies — a group including Trump’s digital and data director Brad Parscale, freshly-indicted former deputy campaign manager Rick Gates, and former Mike Pence campaign advisers — says the “ad blitz” will begin on Christmas day.

And the conservatives claim that President Obama ruined Christmas.

If I have to see this bullshit on my TV while feasting on Mom's delicious food I may throw up in my mouth a little.

Here, this should help to start your day off right.

"There's no better time than the holidays to reach out and give back to our communities," former Pres. Obama says, showing up with a bundle of presents to surprise a group of middle schoolers pic.twitter.com/PfqTsxI8Fr

— CBS News (@CBSNews) December 15, 2017

The conservative argument that Barack and Michelle Obama were not pro-Christmas was always ridiculous.

And look here they are demonstrating the Christmas spirit far more effectively than some people we could mention. 

Laura Ingraham is concerned that the #MeToo movement might "killing all the fun of Christmas."

Courtesy of Share Blue: 

Fox News host and Trump cheerleader Laura Ingraham is concerned about the growing number of women who are coming forward to report incidents of sexual assault and harassment. 

Well, she’s not actually concerned about the women — she’s worried that they might ruin office Christmas parties this year. 

“Is the #MeToo movement becoming a spoiler for this season’s Christmas parties?” Ingraham asked Friday evening during a segment on Fox News’ The Ingraham Angle. 

Speaking with comedian Jimmy Failla, Ingraham said she was worried that women who feel empowered to report sexual misconduct might ruin the holiday season by making office Christmas parties less festive. 

“I can see this year it might be — a little less festive, let’s say that. No alcohol and no fun and no lampshades and, I don’t know, maybe that’s better,” she said. 

“Is this just killing all the fun of Christmas?” she wondered absurdly.

Yeah, what a shame that male employees can no longer drunkenly grope their female counterparts or attempt to drag them into a dark corner to sexually molest them.

Keep in kind that this idiot is currently employed at Fox News, which had to fire both founder Roger Ailes and top cable news host Bill O'Reilly for being perverts, as well as paying out millions of dollars in settlements to keep the female victims quiet.

Democratic Congressman pledges that there will be an impeachment vote before Christmas.

Courtesy of The Hill:

Rep. Al Green (D-Texas) announced on Wednesday that he will force a vote on the House floor to impeach President Trump before Christmas. 

“I now announce that before Christmas, there will be a vote on the chief inciter of racism, bigotry, hatred, xenophobia, sexism, ethnocentrism. There will be a vote in the U.S. House of Representatives on the impeachment of the president,” Green said in a House floor speech. 

Green had previously unveiled articles of impeachment last month. But he held off from forcing a vote at the time, citing a desire for the public to have a chance to consider them. 

The Texas Democrat did not offer a specific date for when he would force a vote, saying only that it would be before the December holiday.

The article goes on to say that of course the measure will not pass, but that it could really split the Democrats. 

I'm not sure that is precisely correct, and I actually think that by the time we get to around Christmas time that there may be a whole lot more support for Trump's impeachment.

There is also the possibility that the Mueller investigation will provide some heretofore unknown revelations that will take this right out of the hands of Congress and make it more of a situation for law enforcement.

All I know for sure is that something big is most definitely on the horizon.

Did the RNC suggest that Donald Trump was the second coming of Christ? On Christmas? Maybe.

#MerryChristmas pic.twitter.com/5GgDmJrGMS

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 25, 2016

The above was Trump's season greetings to his deplorable followers.(Yes I know he has decreed that we all say "Merry Christmas," that's why I didn't!)

As you might imagine he was mocked mercilessly over that tweet, as well he should have been.

@realDonaldTrump pic.twitter.com/kX0nzR2ktt

— Orli Matlow (@HireMeImFunny) December 25, 2016

However even more disturbing was this message from the RNC:

In a holiday message sent out by the GOP, Reince Priebus, the outgoing RNC Chairman and incoming chief of staff, wished a "Merry Christmas to all!" 

"Over two millennia ago, a new hope was born into the world, a Savior who would offer the promise of salvation to all mankind. Just as the three wise men did on that night, this Christmas heralds a time to celebrate the good news of a new King," the message said. "We hope Americans celebrating Christmas today will enjoy a day of festivities and a renewed closeness with family and friends."

 "Just as the three wise men did on that night, this Christmas heralds a time to celebrate the good news of a new King."

 Say what?

Now I don't know about you but that seemed to say that not only does Donald Trump want to take ownership of the phrase "Merry Christmas," but that he would like to co-opt the entire season and make it all about him.

"Who needs that Jesus Christ dude now that you have a new savior in town?"

Spokesguy Sean Spicer was quick to correct the record.

Christ is the King. He was born today so we could be saved. Its sad & disappointing you are politicizing such a holy day. https://t.co/NEOkLNd1Mz

— Sean Spicer (@seanspicer) December 25, 2016

Yeah, fuck us for simply using reading comprehension and NOT utilizing our Republican to English phrase book.

So according to this guy Donald Trump is NOT trying to replace Jesus in the hearts and minds of the American people.

At least no yet, but I think we all know that is on the agenda.

Here I am thinking that nothing, and I mean NOTHING, can get me into the holiday spirit. But then I forgot about these two.

In 2008 this country got perhaps one of the greatest gifts in its short history.

So instead of lamenting the loss of that gift, instead perhaps we should simply take pride in knowing that we lived in time when Barack Obama led this great nation.

I don't know what the future may bring, but I know how amazing these past eight years have been.

And I would not have missed them for the world.

Merry Christmas my friends.

I saved this just for today.

You hold those loved ones close my friends, because who knows next year we might be celebrating the holidays in an underground bunker.

Happy Saturnalia everybody!

You know I am really going to miss Christmas, it was one of my favorite holidays.

But now that he who must not be named has trademarked it, and spoiled it for everybody, I guess it's time to return to our roots and party like it's 3 AD all over again.

I mean sure I'll miss the tree, the presents, and the eggnog, but I am sure I will soon get used to the gambling, role playing, and of course heavy drinking that are Saturnalia traditions.

But just you watch, in no time at all this will just be another over commercialized holiday like all the rest.

Vladimir Putin sends Christmas greetings to his presidential puppet.

Pres.-elect Trump releases letter he received from Putin. "A very nice letter...his thoughts are so correct." pic.twitter.com/o8OTpAsIxi

— ABC News (@ABC) December 23, 2016

Gee, look how cooperative Putin is, and how willing he is to work with America, now that his Manchurian candidate is in place.

I'm sure that Trump was careful to respond in a dignified manner so as not to give the impression that he is a Putin fanboy.

Trump: "A very nice letter from Vladimir Putin; his thoughts are so correct. I hope both sides are able to live up to these thoughts" https://t.co/PSjdvrKJZg

— Sam Stein (@samsteinhp) December 23, 2016

Nope he might as well be wearing an "I Love Pootie" t-shirt and writing in his diary about how handsome he is on horseback.

You know I think Benedict Arnold at least PRETENDED like he was not working for the British.

By the way in one of his press conferences Putin claims that "only Moscow" beleived in Trump's chances of winning. Gee I wonder why?

Courtesy of Reuters:   

Putin dismissed suggestions Moscow had helped Trump to victory in any way however. 

"It's not like that," he said. "All of this (the accusations) speaks of the current administration's systemic problems."

However right after saying that, Putin added this: 

Putin, who spoke positively of Trump before his election win, said that only Moscow had believed in his victory however. 

"Trump understood the mood of the people and kept going until the end, when nobody believed in him," Putin said, adding with a smile. "Except for you and me."

Wow, virtually every poll in the country suggested that Trump was going to lose, and that he was going to lose big, but Putin and his pals in Moscow were totally confident he was going to win? 

Gee nothing at all suspicious about that, right?

In other parts of the news conference Putin launched scathing attacks against the Democrats sounding far more like a contributor to Breitbart than as the leader of a sovereign nation.

Which I am sure also means absolutely nothing.

Well she finally did it. Sarah Palin destroyed Christmas.

I am not even religious but I know sacrilege when I see it.

This picture of Willow was posted on Palin's Facebook page.

You remember Sarah Palin don't you? The lady who had a book ghostwritten for her about protecting Christmas from crass commercialism and from those who would detract from it's ties to Christianity.

Well clearly THAT was before Donald Trump came along and decided to take ownership of the phrase "Merry Christmas."

Works for me, Christians had just about ruined the holiday as it is.

So Happy Saturnalia everybody!

Perhaps one of the saddest things you will see all day, the Obama's last Christmas card as the first family. Update!

This is the last one, gonna miss them... #realtears #Obama #Potus #flotus #firstfamily

A photo posted by Akilah (@arensley) on Dec 9, 2016 at 5:28am PST

Courtesy of Yahoo: 

It’s safe to say we’re going to miss the Obamas a hell of a lot when they leave the White House. Seeing their 2016 White House Christmas card — their last one! — only made that sinking feeling come a lot sooner. They chose to include a picture from the Canada State Dinner that took place this past spring, featuring President Barack Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama, and their daughters Sasha and Malia, smiling their contagious smiles and bringing us a whole lot of Christmas cheer.

I think this may be one of the saddest Christmases of my life.

And I actually had a dog die right before Christmas once.

Update: Unbelievably Sarah Palin just attacked the First Family for not including the words "Merry Christmas" on this card.

A raving jealous bitch until the end.

Ted Cruz supporters explain how President Obama ruined America and Christmas. Oh no, not Christmas!

"We don't need a President like Obama no more. He's ruined our country...he's ruined Christmas..he's let the Muslims in...we can't say that word, we got to be ashamed of everything. And we're not ashamed people, we're a proud people and we're going to take our country back. So watch out Obama we're coming." 

Yep, I think that is a fair representation of the type of people attracted to the Ted Cruz campaign.

By the way somebody reach out to Sarah Palin and tell her that she can stop wondering where all of her supporters went, cause we found'em.

More tragic gun stories to help bring you down from that holiday high.

My inbox is so full of these that I'm almost surprised it doesn't just roll up into the fetal position.

This first one is from Missouri:

A Missouri teen who was accidentally shot by her father has died after being taken off of life support Christmas Eve. 

 Kaitlyn Pullam, 17, was shot the night of December 21 at her Poplar Bluff, Missouri home, KFVS reported. 

Butler County Sheriff Mark Dobbs told the television station that Pullam's father thought the gun was not loaded and it inadvertently went off. 

She was found unresponsive in her bedroom with what appeared to be a single gunshot wound to her face, authorities said. 

And another from Oregon:

A 2-year-old girl in Oregon was rushed to the hospital after being shot in the face on Christmas morning by her uncle. 

The Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office said officers received a 911 call just after 11:00 a.m. on Friday informing them that a child had been shot in the face with a handgun. The shooting occurred at a home near Molalla. 

The uncle who shot her, 24-year-old Luke Andrew Bowman, reportedly was cleaning a .45 caliber handgun when it went off, striking the girl in the cheek. 

A sheriff’s deputy told KGW the uncle had been given a gun cleaning kit for Christmas.

The next one comes to us from Las Vegas:

An off-duty Metro officer and her husband accidentally shot their relative just before Christmas Day came to an end. 

North Las Vegas police responded to a call about 11:30 p.m. Friday in the 3600 block of Kelcie Marie Avenue, according to Officer Aaron Patty. 

The off-duty officer and her husband were asleep in the home, when their relative, who lives in the house, came home unexpectedly, according to police. 

The officer and her husband both shot at their relative with seperate weapons, Patty said. 

The shot woman was taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries, police said.

As it turns out these three were far from the only shootings on Christmas in America. Not  even close.

Courtesy of the Washington Post:

In a grim reminder that violence in America never takes a holiday, 27 people were killed and 63 injured in shooting incidents on Christmas Day this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive. This tally does not include people who shot themselves in suicide. 

The number of Americans killed in gun homicides on Christmas Day is comparable to the number of people killed in gun homicides in an entire year in places like Australia or Britain. The 27 people killed by guns in America on Christmas this year is equal to the total number of people killed in gun homicides in an entire year in Austria, New Zealand, Norway, Slovenia, Estonia, Bermuda, Hong Kong and Iceland, combined.

And if you think that's bad, and you would have to be an idiot not to think that's bad, don't forget that even a fake gun can prove fatal.

Especially if the police are involved, and you are a person of color: 

An Ohio grand jury has decided not to return an indictment in the 2014 police shooting death of 12-year-old Tamir Rice, prosecutor Tim McGinty said Monday. 

A recent FBI video analysis shows Tamir "was drawing his gun from his waist as the police slid toward him and Officer Loehmann exited the car," McGinty said. After the shooting, officers discovered it was in fact a toy gun.

Now I think many of us legitimately blamed the police officer for this unnecessary death, and he certainly deserves his share of the blame and I think should have been indicted. But playing devil's advocate for a moment remember that he is trying to uphold the law in a country where he is not only surrounded by people with guns, but often with enough guns to murder him and every single officer in his precinct.

That has to keep every police officer on edge, and expecting that at ANY moment there might be a bullet with their name on it would tend to make them trigger happy.

After all this post is chock full of people who lost their lives to just such a bullet.

So did the police officer use poor judgment? In my opinion yes. 

However does the fact that America is bulging at the seams with firearms make such an outcome more likely than in probably every other civilized part of the world? Again I say yes.