Name Brand

Christmas shopping.

My wife and I have made a tradition of it. Every year we shun all other adult responsibilities and and wander off into retail utopia in search of a completed shopping list, all in the course of one school day. To be honest, we never quite complete it all in that one day but we do get time together, a quiet lunch for two and at least most of our list complete. And no crowds. That's my kind of Christmas shopping.

This year I had a bit of an epiphany. My youngest son, the naturalist, for exclusively academic reasons, has decided that he is a University of Florida Fightin' Gator. He might be the only 10 year old in this town that has not only chosen a school and a field of study, but has also paid a campus visit to the specific department building in which he plans to complete his coursework. Gators or no Gators, I'm going to feed that passion, I'm going to support this dream, just like any sane father would.

So we were looking for Gator gear. A shirt, a bag, pair of socks, disposable Bic lighter, something, anything with the colors and logo. Not easy to come by in Georgia. Sports stores. Four of them. The biggest had up and down escalators as well as an elevator but no men's room and, more importantly, no Gator stuff. But a few things this establishment, and the other three as well, had - Under Armour, Nike, Adidas. Hoodies. Hats. Pants. Shoes. Shirts. Looking over 2/3 of the sales floor it was easy to see that in every color combination imaginable, every active wear garment known to the free world was on display for purchase.

There was obviously Georgia apparel, as there should be, back in the corner. A few Tech items, Falcons, Braves, even a Georgia Southern hoodie. But it was all stuffed in a back corner accessible only by negotiating the trails through the merchandise emblazoned with brand logos.

I thought about what the team logos stand for. Georgia fans know the traditions that go with being a fan. Earning the right to walk through the arch, ringing the victory bell. Auburn fans roll Toomer's Corner. Arkansas fans call the Hawgs. Jax State fans get goosebumps when we hear Salvation and know where the references to troy fit in when the band plays Dixie.

The teams represent ideas, philosophies and for those of us that attended one of the schools, it represents some of the best years of our lives. Jax State Football means something to me because I've got sweat equity in it. It matters because I have hours on the books. It matters because I know my pertinent fields can be found on the 3rd and 4th floors of the Houston Cole Library and my professors were over the hill in Stone Center. It matters because I watched the Olympics on the big screen in The Roost while eating chicken fingers. It matters because I walked to Subway on cold evenings with a friend because that's what irrational college kids do, It's where I learned to drive a manual transmission and what good music was.

That UA or "Swoosh" or whatever means I paid too much to have the same brand as the kid next to me in health class. All I have invested in it is the $60 I gave the cashier. No one puked in a car. No one fell in a camp fire. No one sat in a place called "Restaurant" eating pancake sandwiches at three in the morning or took the Springfield, Missouri city bus for two hours to eat at Steak n Shake. Not one soul hollered "whup troy!"

So my question is, why does it matter to us? What is the magic a disconnected brand name mega company logo holds over us? This isn't capitalism, it isn't conservatism, it's consumerism. We're pushing our identity, our past, our great memories into a back corner of a store so that we can purchase someone else's dream across the front of a sweatshirt.

I'd rather buy my son his own dream on the front of his sweatshirt. Gators or no Gators.

Christmas Rant, 2013

And so it's Christmastime. The Holidays. A time of Season's Greetings.

But it isn't very merry or happy and I sure don't feel like greeting anyone. It's hard to get into the idea of "Silent Night" with the constant din of the season ringing in my ears.

For me it isn't the "commercialization" of the season, per se. Yes, it was quite depressing that all the major retail centers were in full Christmas mode before they even had all the excess Halloween candy on the discount racks. But in reality, I don't frequent such places enough to cause such malaise.

I've touched on part of the cause here before. But to be honest, our December problem is not getting better.

So, I'm going to emit a few thoughts, to let off some of the pressure and see if it gets me into the spirit.

Santa Claus. Seriously? What race is the Easter Bunny? The Tooth Fairy? The Great Pumpkin? St. Nicholas (the original 3rd & 4th century saint) was Greek and/or Turkish. The guy in the red suit in America has influences that are, shall we say, "non-Mediterranean". He has typically been portrayed as white due to the cultural norms of the time. If I go in a mall and I see Santa that is Black, White, Greek, Native American or Filipino, I'm not going to freak out. I promise that I'm going to be a lot more disturbed by being in a mall at Christmastime than I will be at what color Santa Claus is.

Happy Holidays. Seriously. There's a lot of them this time of year. In fact, between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day there are between four and 10 feasts, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and 4 Advent Sundays - depending on which Christian liturgical calendar you follow. There is also usually Hanukkah - which isn't Christian but is important to Judaism, which is pivotal to the understanding of Christianity and since Christmas celebrates the birth of an observer of Hanukkah (John 10:22-23), I think it's ok to include it. And while I don't celebrate Kwanzaa myself, I'm not offended by those that do and if someone were to politely wish me a "Happy Kwanzaa" I wouldn't be offended. I'd be happy that someone thought enough to say something nice to me instead of many of the other things I get called or told.

Fighting over what displays are and are not allowed in town. How old are you? Are you really that offended that something you do not believe in is on display in the town square? Regardless of how you identify Him, Jesus Christ is world renowned as a teacher, spiritual leader, bringer of peace and prophet that compelled people to love one another. Are you really offended by that? If so, don't live in the Bible Belt where people parade Him around like a trophy.

Are you offended that He isn't being paraded around enough? What personal insecurity might be causing that? Jesus was born in a stable and 2000 years later is still common in conversation and remains one of the most celebrated people ever. I don't think He's offended by not being displayed outside the courthouse. He has a way of getting into the places He wants to be (John 20:19)

This is a really long way around to say I have a lot of fatigue related to the bickering and arguing that accompanies this time of the year.

My request for this Christmas is just that we be a little more kind, a little more polite and a little more accommodating to each other. If someone bids you a polite greeting that you might not have chosen, be polite with your response and go on about your way.

In short, be merry, be happy, be whatever one you choose. But if you can't be polite, please be quiet.

A Star on the Rise...Again.

Cotton.

For years it was a way of life in this area. It was planted, harvested, baled, sold, shipped and even processed in this area.

Not far from where I'm sitting is a community. 125 years ago it was nothing but farmland. An old grist mill was the only hint of industry for miles.

One of the smokestacks standing tall.

Just before the turn of the century the Massachusetts Cotton Company bought the land and built a mill. In those days a mill meant a factory and a village - houses, a school, stores, churches, a doctor's office - it meant community. And that is what Lindale became.

For over a century life revolved around the mill. The whistle marked time as each generation relieved the next. And each generation passed down traditions to the next.

Mr. Bryant installing the pulleys Nov. 28, 1931

One such tradition began during the Great Depression. Like most places, Lindale was hit hard. In the depths of this time a star rose...quite literally. Mill employees built a 11'x11', 400 pound star adorned with 160 electrical lights, 80 on each side. They went out and secured the necessary rigging and hoisted their creation into the sky between the tall smokestacks that stood over the boiler house. The star was built to be large and bright enough to be seen by everyone in the village. It was meant to give the community hope and bring everyone closer together. 

It worked.

For 70 years mill workers hoisted the star into place every December. Men who grew up in the village spending childhood Christmases in the glow of the star took the task from their fathers as the reigns were passed from generation to generation. The star was as sure and as longed for as ol' St. Nick. The mill changed hands many times but the star was constant.

But times change. In September 2001, the Lindale Mill was shuttered. The massive brick complex fell silent and the community began to prepare for the worst.

In 2006, the mill changed hands again and the ropes for hanging the star were cut. The tradition was dead.

But that's not how this story was meant to end. 

A group called Arimathea Holdings, LLC purchased the mill. Much of the complex had been neglected and abused. Some remaining structures had to be demolished. But much of the space was saved and businesses were found to lease some of the space. The boiler house and the iconic smokestacks are still standing. The new owners expressed a desire to preserve the remaining parts of the mill and for it to be available for the community. 

Enter Restoration Lindale. This community group has mobilized in amazing ways. They've restored the old mill pond. Hauled off dozens of dump truck loads of debris and brush, they've cleaned gutters, planted trees, reintroduced ducks to the pond, hung flags for holidays and so much more. They've done it with their own time and money.

And this Christmas, they're going to hang a star between the smokestacks at the old mill. 

The star being raised.

The idea is for it to be big enough for everyone in the village to see it. They hope it will inspire hope and bring the community closer together. Something tells me it's going to work. 

But maybe that's just the historian inside me.

Arimathea Holdings LLC has already made generous donations and concessions to make this happen. Restoration Lindale is planning on "selling" the 160 light bulbs to help raise money to continue their efforts to restore their community. A $25 donation will let you honor a family member or friend that worked at the mill with their own light in the star. I plan to be one of those donors in memory of W. A. Carver, my great uncle, who spent decades working in the mill and playing his guitar on the front porch of the house he bought from the mill (unless my cousin beats me to it - in which case I'll let her take that honor.)

If you wish to help with any of the clean up days sponsored by Restoration Lindale, find them on Facebook. Their website can be found at: http://restorelindale.org 

Donations can also be made to the following address:

Restoration Lindale Inc

534 Reeceburg Rd.

Silver Creek, Ga. 30173