On The Second Day Of Chalica True U*Us Gave To Me. . .
I somehow managed to let the first day of Chalica slip by me, as did a whole lot of U*Us no doubt. . . but this blog post about Chalica by Rev. Cynthia Landrum reminded me about this proposed seasonal celebration of the Seven Principles of Unitarian*Universalism. Of course if one single U*U had observed the first day of Chalica (which officially took place yesterday, it being the first Monday in December) by sending a gift to honour those U*Us do not understand / agree with / like such as a thank-you card celebrating our differences, or words of forgiveness / apology, or a peace offering I might have remembered it. ;-) Oh well, so much for one single U*U observing Chalica by doing something to honour my inherent worth and dignity. Of course chances are pretty good that very few U*Us actually observed Chalica by honouring anyone else's inherent worth and dignity either. . .
I wonder how many U*Us actually gave any gifts yesterday to honour those they do not understand, agree with, or like? I have a feeling Sarah Palin didn't receiving anything from Rev. Cynthia P. Cain or any other U*U for that matter. If anyone reading this blog post received a thank-you card from a U*U celebrating your differences with them, or received any words of forgiveness or an apology, or any other peace offering from a U*U please do let us know. I am pretty sure that the UUA did not celebrate Chalica by getting around to offering any bona fide restorative justice to victims of clergy misconduct committed by U*U ministers or anything like that. . .
How many U*Us actually observed the second day of Chalica today by spending time in a soup kitchen, or donating clothes to a worthy organization, or displaying kindness and care to those around them, or taking part in a political demonstration at city hall as suggested by the founder(s) of Chalica? Will any U*Us extend words of peace or seek forgiveness from a fellow Unitarian*Universalist who they may have hurt or "not understood" on the third day of Chalica tomorrow? U*Us who actually observe Chalica in one way or another this year are cordially invited to state just how they observed it by posting a comment to this thread.
Chalica's obvious "cultural appropriation" of Hanukkah aka Chanukah, to say nothing of Kwanzaa. . . brought Adam Sandler's Hanukkah song to mind when I first became aware of Chalica last year. Herewith, once again, The Emerson Avenger's misappropriation of Adam Sandler's Hanukkah song for use by U*Us -
The Chalica Song
Chorus:
Light your menorica
Here comes Chalica
So much funnica
To celebrate Chalica
Chalica is: the festival of U*Us
Instead of one day of presence
U*Us have seven empty principles
When you feel like/the only kid in town
Without a Christmas tree
Here's a list of people that are
U*Us like you and me:
Kurt Vonnegut Jr. finds the asterisk useful
So does Mary Bennett, Kalvin Drake
and this U*U quite abuseful
Guess who surfs the web with
Tim Berners Lee?
Chris Walton from Philocrites
And Al Gore from Tennessee! (not really a U*U)
William Ellery Channing was half U*U
and Hosea Ballou was half, too
Put them together,
What an extinct looking U*U!
You don't need to Deck the Halls
Or Jingle Bell Rock,
'Cause you can spin the story
With Chalica and other U*U schlock!
[Chorus]
George W. Bush [not a U*U]
But guess who was? Hall of Famer John Quincy Adams
U*Us got Vicky Weinstein and her
evil twin sister Peacebang,
Christopher Reeve was a super U*U
Not too lucky. . .
Some people think Ebenezer Scrooge is
Well, he's not, but guess who is -- These three U*Us!
[Chorus]
So few U*Us are in Show Biz
Adam Sandler isn't but I think Matt Groenig is
Tell your friend Dracula
It's time to celebrate Chalica
I hope I get a harmonica
On this lovely lovely Chalica
So drink your gin and tonica
And smoke lots of marijuanica
If you really really wannika
Have a Happy Happy Happy Happy Chalica
Happy Chalica Everybody!
Mary Xm*ass and Happy Chalica!
I wonder how many U*Us actually gave any gifts yesterday to honour those they do not understand, agree with, or like? I have a feeling Sarah Palin didn't receiving anything from Rev. Cynthia P. Cain or any other U*U for that matter. If anyone reading this blog post received a thank-you card from a U*U celebrating your differences with them, or received any words of forgiveness or an apology, or any other peace offering from a U*U please do let us know. I am pretty sure that the UUA did not celebrate Chalica by getting around to offering any bona fide restorative justice to victims of clergy misconduct committed by U*U ministers or anything like that. . .
How many U*Us actually observed the second day of Chalica today by spending time in a soup kitchen, or donating clothes to a worthy organization, or displaying kindness and care to those around them, or taking part in a political demonstration at city hall as suggested by the founder(s) of Chalica? Will any U*Us extend words of peace or seek forgiveness from a fellow Unitarian*Universalist who they may have hurt or "not understood" on the third day of Chalica tomorrow? U*Us who actually observe Chalica in one way or another this year are cordially invited to state just how they observed it by posting a comment to this thread.
Chalica's obvious "cultural appropriation" of Hanukkah aka Chanukah, to say nothing of Kwanzaa. . . brought Adam Sandler's Hanukkah song to mind when I first became aware of Chalica last year. Herewith, once again, The Emerson Avenger's misappropriation of Adam Sandler's Hanukkah song for use by U*Us -
The Chalica Song
Chorus:
Light your menorica
Here comes Chalica
So much funnica
To celebrate Chalica
Chalica is: the festival of U*Us
Instead of one day of presence
U*Us have seven empty principles
When you feel like/the only kid in town
Without a Christmas tree
Here's a list of people that are
U*Us like you and me:
Kurt Vonnegut Jr. finds the asterisk useful
So does Mary Bennett, Kalvin Drake
and this U*U quite abuseful
Guess who surfs the web with
Tim Berners Lee?
Chris Walton from Philocrites
And Al Gore from Tennessee! (not really a U*U)
William Ellery Channing was half U*U
and Hosea Ballou was half, too
Put them together,
What an extinct looking U*U!
You don't need to Deck the Halls
Or Jingle Bell Rock,
'Cause you can spin the story
With Chalica and other U*U schlock!
[Chorus]
George W. Bush [not a U*U]
But guess who was? Hall of Famer John Quincy Adams
U*Us got Vicky Weinstein and her
evil twin sister Peacebang,
Christopher Reeve was a super U*U
Not too lucky. . .
Some people think Ebenezer Scrooge is
Well, he's not, but guess who is -- These three U*Us!
[Chorus]
So few U*Us are in Show Biz
Adam Sandler isn't but I think Matt Groenig is
Tell your friend Dracula
It's time to celebrate Chalica
I hope I get a harmonica
On this lovely lovely Chalica
So drink your gin and tonica
And smoke lots of marijuanica
If you really really wannika
Have a Happy Happy Happy Happy Chalica
Happy Chalica Everybody!
Mary Xm*ass and Happy Chalica!
Comments
i appreciate the thoughts you've shared!
I would be, and am, quite honoured to accept your comment above as a note of peace between you and i, with mindfulness of the worth of both of us authors of somewhat different versions of 'The Chalica Song'*. ;-)
I have no quarrel with you personally.
It should be noted that my "pained relationship" is not with Unitarian*Universalism as a religion, but rather with Unitarian*Universalists whose words and actions, or lack thereof. . . make a total mockery of the purported principles and purposes of Unitarian*Universalism hence my -
U*Us have seven empty principles
line in my version of 'The Chalica Song'. As may be gleaned by my posts to this blog my "pained relationship" with hypocritical Unitarian*Universalists extends well beyond the community of the Unitarian Church of Montreal, indeed it extends to the hightest levels of the UUA administration at 25 Beacon Street in Boston, and to hypocritical U*Us scattered throughout the U*U World.
Yes, Chalica has passed this year, but the whole point of observances like Chalica or World Day of Conscience is to remind people to try to live up to the principles and purposes or other ideals that such observances try to "affirm and promote". Imagine if U*Us only made an effort to live up to the Seven Principles of U*Uism on the Seven Days of Chalica in December and ignored them and flaunted them on the 358 other days in the year. . . Imagine if people only examined their consciences when the total solar eclipse "Eye of God" put in an appearance somewhere in the world. So your slightly belated Chalica peace offering, which according to the official description of Chalica could have been made on the first day of Chalica last Monday, is more than welcome this Monday. You have the distinction of being the first, and so far only, Unitarian*Universalist to offer me one and I am genuinely honoured that the *other* author of 'The Chalica Song' was the first Unitarian*Universalist to offer me one.
I look forward to receiving more peace offerings from U*Us in the coming years, especially if they come from the leadership and "community" of the Unitarian Church of Montreal and appropriate representatives the UUA administration at 25 Beacon Street in Boston. In fact I would be very happy if I did not have to wait another year, or more. . . for words of apology and some genuine justice, equity and compassion from these outrageously hypocritical U*Us who have made (and continue to make) a total mockery of everything that Unitarian*Universalism purports to stand for in their rather inhuman human relations with me, to say nothing of other people who they have "hurt / not understood in the past". U*Us should be observing Chalica by putting the Seven Principles of U*Uism into concrete practice every day of the week and every week of the year.
* as inspired by Adam Sandler's original and unique 'Chanukkah Song' of course.
indeed, hypocrisy in any quarter is dreadfully damaging to personal integrity as well as to larger causes, movements, and organizations. i've seen peoples' understandings of hypocrisy evolve over time, and i've seen instances where it's only visible as hindsight. i don't mean to apologize for people with whom you're in conflict...i'm simply sharing my good fortune to know that hypocrisy is not always intended, nor is it something that anyone IS...it's something people sometimes DO.
i know you know this, and i join you in urging us all to live our values and principles - whatever they may be - each and every day. while your path can seem frankly abrasive at times, i believe that your role is important, and i'm glad our paths have crossed.
You're welcome Evan and I too hope that you are neither the last nor only Unitarian*Universalist to be a peace offerer. I look forward to the day when U*Us who owe me apologies for their offensive and harmful or otherwise disruptive behaviour (British/Canadian spelling haha!) actually get around to offering long overdue apologies or indeed sincere and adequate apologies for very recent offenses. . .
:indeed, hypocrisy in any quarter is dreadfully damaging to personal integrity as well as to larger causes, movements, and organizations. i've seen peoples' understandings of hypocrisy evolve over time, and i've seen instances where it's only visible as hindsight.
Then I can only suggest that the outrageously hypocritical U*Us that I am dealing with at the Unitarian Church of Montreal and the UUA take good hard look back over the rather unlucky 13 years that this conflict has lasted. ;-)
:i don't mean to apologize for people with whom you're in conflict...
You are very wise to adopt that stance Evan. I took note of the fact that, in your initial comment here, you only expressed your own personal sorrow and regret for the "pained relationship" with Unitarian*Universalists that you are in no way responsible for and thus cannot and should not apologize for. You are absolutely correct in your understanding that only those people, or indeed institutions such as the Unitarian Church of Montreal and UUA, that I am in conflict with can apologize for their wrongful and harmful behaviour.
I do indeed know that hypocrisy is a thing people do, along with other harmful and wrongful behaviour. And you are quite right in noting that all I am really doing is urging U*Us to try a bit harder to genuinely live U*U values and principles rather than flagrantly disregarding them and even outright flaunting them. Far from being "anti-U*U" as some U*Us allege I am very much pro-U*U principles. I guess every day is a day of Chalica for The Emerson Avenger. ;-)
Yes, my path *is* frankly "abrasive" at times, because, quite frankly, being frank can be abrasive. . . My abrasiveness however is usually in direct response to similarly, or even worse, "abrasive" behaviour on the part of U*Us, including some very "abrasive" U*U clergy. It doesn't get much more "abrasive" than having your inter-religious celebration of Creation sneeringly described as "your cult" by an intolerant and abusive "Humanist" U*U minister does it? I expect that being "anally impaled on the Statue of Liberty's torch" would be just a tad "abrasive" no matter how much KY® Jelly Rev. Victoria Weinstein might ever so liberally, and ever so compassionately, ad*minister to Senator Bill Napoli's sphincter in acting out her lurid "sodomy fantasy". . . You need only browse through this blog to find plenty of examples of U*Us, including rather too many U*U clergy who really should know better, being more than a little bit "abrasive" towards me and other people.
Allow me to introduce you to some, but by no means all, of these rather "abrasive" U*U ministers -
Rev. Ray Drennan
Rev. Victoria Weinstein
Rev. Cynthia P. Cain
Rev. Dr. Tim Jensen
There are more "abrasive" U*Us where they come from. . .
:i believe that your role is important, and i'm glad our paths have crossed.
Thanks Evan. I believe that my butt kicking "bad cop" *role* as the The Emerson Avenger is important (and regrettably necessary. . .) too. ;-)
I'm glad our song-crossed paths have crossed as well. Maybe we can write some songs together, or just keep plagiarizing* Adam Sandler. ;-)
* actually, unlike some plagiarizing U*U "pastors" I have the misfortune know, both Evan and I have been pretty good about giving "a little honest attribution" to Adam Sandler and other authors whose original and unique words or ideas have inspired us. Like Gilbert & Sullivan for instance. It looks like I may have failed to properly credit Lee Hazlewood for writing the original lyrics of this bootylicious Nancy Sinatra song though.