Have a Happy Christmakwanzikuh

THE RIGHT ANGLE: Have a happy Christmakwanzikuh - Opinions

Last Thursday kicked off the official beginning to the holiday season. You know, there's nothing like Thanksgiving to put you in that holiday spirit. Of course, by noon, my sister was already hiding to avoid helping with dinner, my father was glued to the television, I had already gotten into the Thanksgiving wine, and my mother was swearing this was the last year we were ever going to celebrate this holiday. Just like last year and the year before that.

But aside from those few hectic family dinners, I've always seen the holiday season as a sort of vacation from the rest of the year. When I think of this time of year, I always picture myself seated around a decorated tree with friends and loved ones, sipping coffee and hot cocoa. And for once, we're not discussing whose politics are better for this country, we're just sharing silly gossip, and maybe spilling a few secrets after a little too much eggnog. In my mind, Christmas time is a break from the stupid, insignificant arguments the rest of the year brings.

Unfortunately, America refuses to let me escape from its own pettiness. No, those silly family squablings that bless the home during this season pale in comparison to some of the other arguments that occur during this time. Political correctness has everyone so up in arms that I'm now afraid to wish strangers a "Merry Christmas" for fear they'll be offended at my choice of holiday greeting. Now, I don't begrudge anyone the right to celebrate whatever holiday they want, whether it be Christmas, Channukah or Kwanza, but I would also hope that they do the same favor for me. Sadly, there are still many people in this country who refuse to shop at stores which don't represent their holiday of choice, and even some who boycott stores that have resorted to the generic term of "holidays" in order to include all religious groups in their seasonal celebration.

And then last year, in an equally petty move, Target Corporations refused to allow Salvation Army bell ringers to stand outside their stores. Why? According to Target, it is because they have a strict no-solicitation policy which encompasses the familiar red kettle bell-ringers. But that's not the rumor that's been circulating for over a year now. Fundamentalist Christian groups have accused the giant retailer of discriminating against the Salvation Army because of its stance against homosexuality. As a result, some religious groups are refusing to shop at Target because of its supposed pro-gay stance. However, a visit to the Salvation Army website shows that even though the group's religious beliefs preach against homosexuality, their charity is "available to all who qualify, without regard to sexual orientation." Of course, all this really proves is that Target's actions are entirely selfish and that their only goal is to keep bell-ringers from "harassing" their customers.

Since I was a little girl, I was taught to never pass by a kettle without at least putting in a few cents. That's stuck with me throughout the years, and if I ever have children I'll teach them the same thing. For over a century now, the Salvation Army has been helping the less fortunate in America through their red kettle campaigns, regardless of race, religion, or political orientation. And while I do hope that Target suffers because of the boycotts, I also hope those boycotting are not doing so out of hate for their fellow humans.

So don't try to justify Target's actions by turning this into a political battle. And while you're at it, try not to be so picky about what your holiday is referred to as. Whether you're Christian, Jewish, or agnostic, try to see this season for what it is - a chance to help your fellow man and an excuse for togetherness. Call me crazy, but there's something about this time of year that turns me into an optimist. Maybe it's all the songs about peace on earth. Or maybe, just maybe, I've had far too much eggnog.

Greensboro's Woods of Terror: Truly Frightening... Especially if You're Afraid of a Little Religious Speech

THE RIGHT ANGLE: Greensboro's Woods of Terror - Opinions

I want to begin this column by saying that I love Halloween, and I am incredibly glad that it falls on a weekday this year. The last time I was able to go to class dressed up like an idiot was Halloween my freshman year, and I didn't have the nerve to go through with it. You better bet I'll be walking around campus all day this year in my costume. Watch out.

Halloween is a great time of year. I've been a fan of horror movies and ghost stories since I was little, so of course I love a holiday that encourages these things. One of the things you must do, if you really want to appreciate Halloween, is do something, well, scary. There's no end to the number of haunted attractions to be found at this time of year. UNCG's own Mary Foust Residence College puts on a haunted house every year. It's conveniently located for the average student, and it's gotten some great reviews in the past.

But if you have a car and you don't mind a little 10-15 minute drive, there might be another attraction for you to check out. On Church Street, right outside of the Greensboro city limits, lies the Woods of Terror, an award-winning haunted trail attraction. According to their website (www.woodsofterror.com), the woods in which this trail lies is haunted by the spirits of those who perished during the Great Depression and were not given a proper burial.

After receiving high rankings from MSNBC, hauntedhouse.com, and Tourist Parks and Attractions, I finally decided to see what all the fuss was about. Some friends and I piled in a car and drove out to the Woods of Terror, looking for a scare. And boy did we find it. After being chased with chain saws, bumping into dead bodies, and taking the scariest hayride ever, my friends and I were all hoarse from screaming and laughing. Even I had to admit that I had been genuinely spooked by the haunted trail.

Aside from actually having the ability to frighten me, something else sets this Halloween attraction apart from all the others. After entering the Woods of Terror, you are immediately herded into a room with a television. A man (who turns out to be Eddie McLaurin, the owner of the Woods of Terror) appears on the screen and proceeds to tell everyone in the room about Jesus Christ. He doesn't preach or come off as "holier than thou," but he does explain how Christianity changed his life and how it can do the same for everyone in the room.

Of course, being in a crowd of college students, there were the obligatory cries of, "I'm offended!" and "He can't force his religion on us!" The irony in this is, of course, McLaurin isn't forcing his religion on anyone; he's offering it as an option to people entering HIS own private attraction. But most silly "open-minded" college students don't look at it that way.

Eddie McLaurin has been using his haunted trail to scare people since 1991. Although he had been raised as a Christian, he admits that he had fallen off the path sometime around his senior year of high school. Years later, after rededicating himself to God, McLaurin told me he realized (in reference to the haunted attraction), "God needed to be in it, and if it didn't glorify God, it wasn't right."

As he expected, McLaurin has received some bad feedback in the way he begins his haunted trail. Some Christians have chastised him for celebrating a traditionally "Satanic" holiday; however, in response, McLaurin states, "It's only the devil's holiday if we give it to him." He went on to say that Christians who refuse to celebrate Halloween should also refuse to have anything to do with Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny on other major holidays. On the other end of the spectrum, non-Christians have criticized him for "forcing" his religion under false pretenses. But McLaurin has also received a great deal of feedback from people who were personally touched by his video, and who have changed their life the same way he changed his.

Eddie McLaurin is just another example of why I'm so proud to live in a free country where people can come up with ideas like this one. And sure, maybe there will be some people who don't attend his park because they don't want to have Christianity "forced" upon them, but they're the ones that are losing out. The video lasts all of two minutes, and doesn't make you feel like a bad person or a sinner if you don't chose to listen to it. And if anyone is really, truly offended by the video, I'm sure they'll have had it scared out of them by the end of the haunted trail. If you're looking for a good time this Halloween season, visit the Woods of Terror on Church Street. Or, you could just be a loser and sit at home if you're one of those people who are terrified by the concept of the First Amendment.