Yes Virginia, Some Atheists Do Celebrate Christmas

Throughout the world, people of all faiths openly and unabashedly celebrate both the ambiance and the festiveness of the holidays.

While Christmas is generally considered a Christian holiday, the commercialization of the event has certainly caused many to feel there is nothing Christian about this time of year. Perception plays a fairly large role in how one chooses to recognize any holiday, however (at least in this writer's opinion), attitude plays an even larger part in how well we respect and honor the traditions and beliefs of others.

Most "true" [insert religion of choice here] folks are secure enough in their faith or system of beliefs that they find no desire to monopolize on any day of the year that is celebrated as a religious holiday. They understand that the histories are muddled, the cultures are mingled, and many of the traditions have been "borrowed" from other religions and/or cultures. And that's perfectly okay. There's no need to make a point... about anything.

The holiday season, whether Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, or National Noodle Day (yes, it exists), is about spending time with family and friends and one need not share any specific faith or understanding of that faith in order to do so. If anything, many of us enjoy the diversity of how different cultures and religions celebrate and glean much from the education we've received.

As an Atheist, I spend every holiday, Christian or otherwise, with my family because I love, respect, and honor them. While I do not share their beliefs, I do share their love and devotion. The holidays are important to them and spending time with them, is important to me. I choose not to be the one later in life, looking at photos of family gatherings, sans me, because I was too hard-headed and anti-Christian to put my differences aside and spend that precious time with them. And to be very honest, I covet and enjoy that time.

I may not celebrate Christmas or any other "Christian" holiday as an individual, but the time with my family is priceless, precious, and irreplaceable and watching my children, my grandchildren, my elderly parents-in-law, my husband, my friends, family, and the people around me is more than enough reason for me to be happy and enjoy the holiday season.

When I am able, I attend First Congregational United Church of Christ in Topeka, Kansas at both Christmas and throughout the year. I enjoy the German Christmas service that's presented; the music is amazingly beautiful, the congregants are more than welcoming, the food is delicious, but more than anything, the fellowship (yes, Atheists do "fellowship") is worth more than money could ever buy... even at Christmas.

So when others greet me with "Merry Christmas!" I return the greeting in kind. Just as I do if I'm met with "Happy Holidays!" or any other festive greeting.  The spirit of the season is much more important to me than being religiously or politically correct or attempting to explain to someone that I do not share their faith nor do I celebrate their holiday.

So give a little. Peace on earth, goodwill to men, all that happy stuff the holidays are supposed to be about. Does it really matter that I don't share someone else's faith? Does that give me an open door to be rude or inconsiderate? No. But that's just me. I choose to be kind, considerate, respectful, and embracing.

Yes Virginia, some of us Atheists do celebrate Christmas. Some of us do go to church when invited, and some of us do bow our heads out of respect when others pray.

Naomi's Rain

A group of roughly 100 people gathered at the Oklahoma state capitol  Wednesday to pay tribute to and demand justice for Naomi Whitecrow, a 2  year old Cheyenne and Arapaho tribal member killed in 2009 while in the care of a foster family.  The foster mother, Amy Holder, of Edmond, Oklahoma was found guilty in October of child abuse and after about 10 hours of deliberation the jury recommended a $5,000 fine but no jail time.   After word of the jury’s recommendation was released, outrage sparked  throughout the Indian community as family members,  friends, and total strangers struggled to understand how the brutal murder of a  child could result in a mere fine.

Formal sentencing was set for November 7th in Guthrie, Oklahoma and  many participants vowed to be present there as well to show support for  Naomi.  The event coordinator, Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribal Tribune editor Rosemary Stephens, opened the event by introducing Cheyenne and  Arapaho Governor Janice Prairie Chief Boswell who welcomed the participants and encourage continued awareness of Naomi’s case and the need for stricter laws regarding child abuse.

The Campaign Justice for Naomi rally brought about supporters  protesting for more consistent and harsher penalties for those found  guilty in the death of a child in foster care.  Debby Whitecrow, Naomi’s aunt, told supporters and media members the family wanted Holder held accountable and felt the punishment in no way fit the crime.  “We want  justice that is what we are looking for in all of this. We are  here to remember her life and the life she is no longer going to be able  to live with us.”

Glenda Deer, a Kickapoo tribal member from Shawnee, Oklahoma and  outspoken supporter of the event, wrote the following on the Facebook event  page she created make the public aware of the sentencing date, “$5,000  for killing a Indian child in 2011?!… Our Indian kids are  priceless….there is NO amount of $ that can be set on ANY child…I  SAY PACK THE COURTROOM NOVEMBER (7th)…!!! LET GUTHERIE FEEL THE  PRESENCE OF INDIAN PEOPLE! There is no JUSTICE for indian people…it  really is “JUST US”

After reviewing the medical examiner’s report and photographs,  forensic pathologist Dr. Dean A. Hawley (Indiana University School of  Medicine) determined that Naomi had died as a result of blunt force  trauma to the head, abdomen, and extremities.

The arrest warrant, signed by District Attorney Vincent Antonioli  reads, “Child  abuse -  a felony, on or between the 12th day of September, 2008  through the 20th day of January, 2009, by maliciously failing to provide minimum, proper, and medical attention to N.W., age 2, while she was in the care and custody of the defendant as a foster child, and performed  unnecessary physical procedures on the aforementioned N.W., causing the  following physical injuries from the resulting blunt force trauma, to  wit:  pancreatic hemorrhage; fat necrosis; multiple contusions and  abrasion of her face and scalp; fresh left occipital subarachnod  hemorrhage;  left occipital and parietal cerebral cortical contusions;  contusions to the back, back of the head, front and back of legs, and  buttocks.

This crime is punishable by for imprisonment for up to life  and/or 1 year in the Logan County Jail and a fine of between $500.00 and $5000.00, or both.“

Yolanda Bluehorse, a member of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe, spoke openly  and emotionally at yesterday’s rally, recalling her own daughter’s murder at the hands of a trusted caregiver. Bluehorse was there to  support the family and remember Naomi.  “I’m here to support the family.  I’m here for the little girl, for Naomi Whitecrow.” After fighting the  state of Texas to bring her own daughter’s killer to justice, Bluehorse  was visibly upset at the jury’s recommendation for the $5,000.00 fine.   “A monetary amount. Really? Does that mean anyone found guilty just pays a fine? Are we putting a price on child abuse?”

As the clouds grew dark and the wind grew cold, the crowd remained  steadfast as several tribal members and activists stood and spoke of the  need for justice and changes in current laws.  Supporters from many  different ethnic backgrounds held signs adorned with Naomi’s photo, with  phrases such as, “Justice For Naomi,” “Is This Going to Happen Again,” and “Please Give Me a Voice.”  Rally-goers were given pins with Naomi’s  photo that read, “Justice For Naomi” and a white ribbon, to reflect and  remind everyone of the innocence of our children.

The loss of that innocence was still apparent as Naomi’s mother, Kala  Whitecrow, stood to thank supporters for attending but could only say a  few words before she began to weep.  “I’m sorry,  I’m just too  emotional, I can’t do this.”  Audible sobs were heard from the crowd as Whitecrow nearly collapsed into the arms of her mother, sister, and  Rosemary Stephens.

As the women stepped away from the podium and the final prayer was  about to be offered, a light gentle rain began to fall.  Ben Carnes, a  Choctaw tribal member who had spoken earlier in the event, quietly  requested to address the crowd again.  With the raindrops apparent on  his face, Carnes spoke to Naomi’s mother.  “I’m a member of the Choctaw Nation and they say Amy Holder is Choctaw.  From my nation to yours, I  apologize for what she done.”  He lifted a hand to the sky.  “In our  tradition, a soft gentle rain is a feminine rain.  You can be sure  little Naomi is up there right now watching us and smiling.”  He bowed  his head and paused for a moment, then lifted his eyes to the clouds.   “It’s a feminine rain but it’s also a healing rain if we let it be.”

As the event ended, those who were there to pay tribute to and demand  justice for a little girl many had never met,  stood in silence as the soft gentle rain not only touched their face, hair, and jackets, but  their very souls.

A soft, gentle, feminine rain.  A healing rain.  Naomi’s rain.

Read the arrest warrant here (requires Adobe Acrobat Reader):   http://ftpcontent.worldnow.com/griffin/NEWS9/PDF/1001/amyholder.PDF

Edmond Woman Convicted of Child Abuse in Death of Foster Child KOTV News 6 Oklahoma City:   http://www.newson6.com/story/15608546/edmond-woman-convicted-of-child-abuse-in-death-of-foster-child

Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribal Tribune:   http://www.c-a-tribes.org/Websites/michaelwood/images/Newspapers/NewsPaper%202011/Oct.%2015,%202011.pdf

Glenda Deer’s event page for the sentencing:  https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=123236737781181

This article was first published on CNN iReport by Raz’n Cain entitled Naomi’s Rain.  Copyright 2011.  All rights reserved.

Breast Cancer… It’s Not Just A Girl Thing

With the arrival of October, Breast Cancer Awareness campaigns are going into overdrive and with good reason. 

Nearly 250,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer each year; more than 11,000 of those women are under the age of 40. 40,000 women will fall victim and die of breast cancer.  And that number is rising.

However, all too often, the comment I receive when speaking about male breast cancer is, “I didn’t know men could get breast cancer.” The media is not geared towards awareness for men, therefore it is no surprise that more people are not aware, let alone knowledgeable in this area.

What doesn’t make the news is that more than 2,000 cases of breast cancer are diagnosed annually in men and nearly 500 men will die each year. As with women, that number is rising.  Men of African-American decent are more at risk than Caucasian men and men who develop breast cancer are more likely to develop other cancers, and less likely to survive than women. Certain medical and genetic dispositions also create a higher risk for some men while others develop breast cancer with no known risk factors whatsoever.  While the statistics for male breast cancer appear to be low, it is also something that most men (and women) do not consider when it comes to personal health care. It is also our belief, that the numbers for men are grossly under-reported and often not reported at all.

On September 17th our organization held a poker run and benefit to raise awareness for breast cancer and to raise funds to help men and women alike obtain mammograms year round if they are unable to afford them. Unfortunately, local radio stations mistakenly announced that “the cancer poker run has been cancelled due to the weather,” but did not mention which cancer benefit. Sadly, after a year of planning and advertising, only seven bikes and one car participated.

Although we were unable to raise the funds we hoped for, we were however able to meet an amazing number of individuals and offer information and education on how to understand the risks and perform self breast exams.  Education and the willingness to be one’s own advocate is our greatest weapon and in that aspect, our benefit was an overwhelming and amazing success.  We are forever grateful to all of the businesses, organizations, and individuals who donated, volunteered, and participated in support of the cause.

Even though we associate the month of October with the color pink… please remember to paint a little blue in there as well and remind the men in your lives to do breast self exams as well. It could save their lives.

Breast tissue is breast tissue and cancer doesn’t care whether you sit or stand to pee.

Neither should you.

Visit your physician, request an exam, and ask about your risks.

Beki Fox Cain, Director
Ride For The Ribbon

Please visit  “Men Get Breast Cancer, Too!” to read Thomas Bell’s account of his experience with male breast cancer, published by the American Journal of Nursing.