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I cannot speak for the rest of the world, but for those of us who grew up in the United States, especially in its more rural environs, autumn is a particularly nostalgic season. In part, this is owing to associations formed during childhood: the forest ramblings, the fallen leaves crunching underfoot, the morning fog over the trees, the smell of woodsmoke in the air; the pumpkin patches and hayrides, county fairs and bonfires — all of these thoughts and remembrances come back to us in this season, tinted in shades of red and gold. (more…)
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Hugh MacDonald discusses the history of the Halloween tradition as an element of European identity. (more…)
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Since our last update, when we announced our new $5,000 matching grant, we have received 30 donations totaling $6,242.99 for which we are enormously grateful. Thanks to a generous donor, $5,000 of that amount was matched, bringing the total to $11,242.99.
Our goal this year is to raise $70,000. So far, we have received 264 donations totaling $57,410.37. So we more than 80% of the way to our goal, with only $12,589.63 and two whole months to go. (more…)
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It’s not clear why human beings enjoy being frightened. Indeed, in most circumstances we don’t. I find nothing particularly “thrilling,” for example, about the frightening threat posed by mass non-white migration into the lands of my ancestors. Nor do I enjoy how I feel when I’m the only white person on the J train at midnight. But I thoroughly enjoy the imaginary threats posed by ghosts, witches, and vampires. There’s a lot to be said here about the human fascination with the uncanny, and what it reveals about us. (more…)
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Since yesterday’s update on our Summer Fundraiser, we have received 5 donations totaling $580 in amounts ranging from $10 to $350, including the first of recurring donations of $10/month and $20/month. Our total is now $36,937. We are now $3,063 from our goal of $40,000 with just 3 days to go. (more…)
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A student group at the University of Ohio has received praise from the mainstream media for its “We’re a culture, not a costume” campaign. The group is called Students Teaching About Racism in Society. As with all multicultural groups, it is fundamentally a product of the administration, beginning in 1988 as a class. Ohio University also features a multicultural center with no fewer than 31 separate student organizations (including STARS) featured on the site. (more…)
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How Obama killed Halloween
by Steve Harris.
Amerika
November 1st, 2010
Nothing described in this post is Barack Obama’s fault. If a nation of spoiled nincompoops decides to have a tantrum against a necessary war, and then decides you’re a perfect pity object because half of your ancestors came from a place that did not evolve to a state of having written language, physics, mathematics or technology, then you might as well take advantage of it and be president.
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