I posted an article on my non-profit website, Project New Era, regarding a little boy who was gunned down on Halloween b/c he was thought to be a burglar. One of my readers posted the comment below:

When you spend (hopefully) a lot of time teaching children never to talk to/trust a stranger and then walk them to a total stranger’s door and to take FOOD from them,- that makes no sense!

And if it did not make perfect sense. I personally do not celebrate Halloween b/c of what “I” think it stands for. Besides that, I don’t like the idea of being out in public with a bunch of people with masks and disguises on b/c you just never know. Yes, I’m a bit paranoid but oh well. It’ll keep me safe (and my kids too). The above quote makes perfect sense b/c as parents, I’m sure that most of you teach your children that it’s not okay to talk to strangers. My parents did the same thing. But on Halloween, you make an exception. You dress your kids up, take them from door to door in various neighborhoods…so that they can ask strangers for candy and treats. If, by some strange occurrence, I decide to take my kids out to enjoy the “holiday,” it will be 100% organized…at a church, at a friend’s home, or even an event that I create myself for kids to come into my HOME and get lots of candy and goodies. Fuck taking some candy from people’s house! You don’t know if people are CLEAN anyway. I remember my mom use to inspect EVERY piece of candy we got before she even allowed us to LOOK at it. Who the hell wants to go through all that? Not me….

Same goes with Christmas. You teach your children that lying is not okay, be it a little white one or otherwise. But yet, you spend year after year, saying that Santa brought this or Santa brought that…only to disclose years later that Santa doesn’t exist (i.e., “I lied”). What kinda bullshit is that?

Further, I’m not giving an imaginary person credit for me busting my ass 40+ hours a week to bring delight to my children’s faces. Please. I will explain the meaning of Christmas to my child and the story of Santa Claus, but he/she/they will know that mommy bought their new shit…not some jolly old white guy that we don’t even know truthfully existed!

Anyway, parents…contradictions.