Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/438284
4 DECEMBER 24-30, 2014 WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM Having had surgery recently, I've spent much of the past two weeks being still, which is very unuusual for me. During this time, I've had time to catch up on news — other than that happening in Fayetteville. And what I have seen has made me sad. Religious fanatics with murderous intent are running rampant in the Middle East and throughout the world. Russia is reemerging as a threat to democracy with encroachments in Georgia and the Ukraine. North Koreans are jailed or killed for watching television. In Africa, school girls are raped and sold into hellish marriages because they are Christian and in Pakistan, children are shot dead — just because. And that doesn't even begin to address the problems in America. Racial tensions are ripping through the fabric of our democracy. Racial riots are only tempered by unity marches, where I'm really not sure the message is unity. A young woman is burned alive, while young teens shoot each other down in the streets for nothing more than "street cred." It's enough to make you lose heart, even lose faith. Thinking about the evil that is pervasive in our world, I thought back to one of my early political memories. It dates back to the presidency of Jimmy Carter. Carter, who was facing Christmas with the hostages still in Iran and the end of his presidency drawing near, gave a press conference. To be sure, Carter didn't have a lot to be hopeful for at the time, and from the start of his press conference, that was pretty obvious as he also bemoaned the evil in the world. As a child, I found it very depressing, but then something changed, and he finished his speech not with a voice of doom, but rather with one of hope. And that message has stayed with me. It has impacted my life many times over the years when I have begun to lose faith in my fellow man. It was the story of a simple Christmas carol, and I feel it only fitting that I share it with you now. Written by American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow in 1863, this carol's genesis came from the death of Longfellow's wife in an accidental house fire coupled with his son's (Charles Appleton Longfellow) decision to run away and join the Union Army in March of that year. As Christmas drew near, the elder Longfellow received word that his son had been gravely injured in the Virginia Battle of New Hope Church. Looking at the world around him and the tragedy that made up his life, Longfellow could have lost hope. Instead, he turned to his art to try and make some sense of the evil around him, and he penned this carol that has continued to encourage and remind us that all is not lost. I heard the bells on Christmas Day Their old, familiar carols play, and wild and sweet The words repeat Of peace on earth, good-will to men! And thought how, as the day had come, The belfries of all Christendom Had rolled along The unbroken song Of peace on earth, good-will to men! Till ringing, singing on its way, The world revolved from night to day, A voice, a chime, A chant sublime Of peace on earth, good-will to men! Then from each black, accursed mouth The cannon thundered in the South, And with the sound The carols drowned Of peace on earth, good-will to men! It was as if an earthquake rent The hearth-stones of a continent, And made forlorn The households born Of peace on earth, good-will to men! And in despair I bowed my head; "There is no peace on earth," I said; "For hate is strong, And mocks the song Of peace on earth, good-will to men!" Then pealed the bells more loud and deep: "God is not dead, nor doth He sleep; The Wrong shall fail, The Right prevail, With peace on earth, good-will to men." This blessed Christmas season, I wish you peace, but more importantly I wish you hope. Merry Christmas! STAFF Calendar ......................................12 Concert Connection ...................16 Free Wheelin' Feelin' ..................18 Horoscopes/Advice Goddess ....19 Classifieds ...................................20 Games .........................................22 INSIDE PUBLISHER'S PEN PUBLISHER Bill Bowman Bill@upandcomingweekly.com ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Janice Burton editor@upandcomingweekly.com EDITOR Stephanie Crider stephanie@upandcomingweekly.com ART DIRECTOR Alicia Miller art@upandcomingweekly.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS D.G. Martin, Pitt Dickey, Margaret Dickson, John Hood, Erinn Crider, Jim Jones, Shanessa Fenner, Heather Griffiths DISTRIBUTION MANAGER/ OFFICE COORDINATOR Laurel Handforth laurel@upandcomingweekly.com ACCOUNTING Paulette Naylor accounting@upandcomingweekly.com MARKETING/SALES Aurora Alexander aurora@upandcomingweekly.com Linda McAlister Brown linda@upandcomingweekly.com Beverly Pone beverlypone@upandcomingweekly.com ––––––––––– Up & Coming Weekly www.upandcomingweekly.com 208 Rowan Street P.O. Box 53461 Fayetteville, NC 28305 PHONE: (910) 484-6200 FAX: (910) 484-9218 Up & Coming Weekly is a "Quality of Life" publication with local features, news and infor- mation on what's happening in and around the Fayetteville/Cumberland County community. Up & Coming Weekly is published weekly on Wednesdays. Up & Coming Weekly welcomes manuscripts, photographs and artwork for publication consideration, but assumes no responsibility for them. We cannot accept responsibility for the return of unsolicited manuscripts or material. Opinions expressed by contributors do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher. The publisher reserves the right to edit or reject copy submitted for publication. Up & Coming Weekly is free of charge and distributed at indoor and outdoor locations throughout Fayetteville, Fort Bragg, Pope Air Force Base, Hope Mills and Spring Lake. Readers are limited to one copy per per- son. Subscriptions can be purchased for $30 for six months or $60 for 12 months, delivered weekly by first class mail. ©2007 by F&B Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction or use of editorial or advertisements without permission is strictly prohibited. Wishes of Peace on Earth, Good Will to Men by JANICE BURTON JANICE BURTON, Associate Publisher, Up & Coming Weekly. COMMENTS? Edi- tor@upandcomingweekly.com. 910.484.6200.