Channelling the Good

Welcome to The Spot Writers. This month, the prompt is “the Christmas season.”

Today’s story was written by Phil Yeats. He recently published his third novel using the pen name Alan Kemister. His first two were cozy mysteries. This one has a more serious theme. The Souring Seas is the first volume in a precautionary tale about the hazards of ignoring human-induced climate change. For information about this book and others in what will be a series of three (and possibly more) novels about this important topic, visit his website – https://alankemisterauthor.wordpress.com/

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Channelling the Good

by Phil Yeats

 

“Christmas! I mean, does anyone want the Christmas you’re describing? Kids love Christmas, and parents want to make it fun for their kids. But if you’re a parent, and you want a better place for your kids, shouldn’t you take the world’s troubles more seriously? That’s what we must do to make a better place for your kids, or your grandkids, or everyone else’s kids?”

The questioner was well groomed and appropriately dressed for the weather, but nondescript. After saying his bit, he turned away from the crowd listening to the charismatic political leader.

The politician’s entourage of hangers-on rushed about, making sure his unrelenting campaign to win the hearts and souls of the voters ran without a hitch. They searched for the man with the gall to challenge their boss, but he’d disappeared.

It was early December, so the politician tried to turn trite images of Christmas into part of his campaign to take over the country. He was the most unchristian political operative in the country, but until the stranger inserted his comments into the conversation, he had everyone hanging on his every word.

Suddenly the crowd was murmuring, people looking at one another and shaking their heads. They started drifting away. The politician’s hangers-on scurried more frantically trying to corral the punters, but they’d lost the momentum.

“Get that fucker, and make sure he never disrupts another of my rallies,” the politician said to his trusted assistants as he beat a retreat.

A reporter overheard the comment. It appeared in the next morning’s newspaper along with a grainy picture of the David whose stone felled a Goliath.

Several days later, the reporter located his David and asked him what the public should do.

“We must cut down the hypocritical politicians. They spout platitudes and talk about aspirational goals that solve nothing. We’re starting another year fighting a pandemic that won’t go away. International crises are producing millions of refugees and the global climate is out of control. And what does this guy do? He blathers on about Christmas and peace and goodwill and how if everyone just comes together and sings in unison, all our problems will magically disappear. The public deserves something better.”

 

That, my friends, is how it started—a groundswell of support for a new political movement that promises honest government that brings a humanitarian spirit to national politics. They call themselves Christians and invoke the true spirit of Christmas, the idea of hope, giving, good cheer, love, understanding, helping, and goodwill toward others. They never mention God or specifically Christian concepts like the Spirit of Christ, or the Holy One of Bethlehem, so they appeal to atheists and agnostics and adherents of many other religions. In fact, they appeal to all persons of good will.

We’re still months away from a national election. Will this new movement continue to grow? Will it grow large enough to carry the day?

Merry Christmas everyone. We can always hope.

 

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The Spot Writers—Our Members:

Val Muller: http://www.valmuller.com/blog/

Catherine A. MacKenzie: https://writingwicket.wordpress.com/wicker-chitter/

Phil Yeats: https://alankemisterauthor.wordpress.com/

Chiara De Giorgi: https://chiaradegiorgi.blogspot.com/