Satan Joins The Manassas Christmas Parade
By Greg L | 1 December 2007 | Manassas City | 119 Comments
This morning I took the family to the annual Christmas parade in Manassas. For the most part, it was a very pleasant (but cold) display of marching bands, boy scouts, horses, fire trucks and all the rest of the elements you’d expect in a hometown parade. With a Christmas theme, the churches were out in force to make sure that the true reason for Christmas was represented, along with plenty of elves and reindeer getups. The whole family had a great time, that is until the devil showed up. In a Christmas parade. In my town. In front of my family.
About halfway through the parade, something billed at “The Dance Of The Tecunai” appeared (the picture above is of the troupe in the staging area[updated]) following a truck festooned with Mexican flags. Most of the dancers were wearing somewhat traditional Mexican festival getup with various decorations, which is fine, although they were all wearing rather disturbing looking masks. Some carried whips that they used to hit each other, and others had either red or white flags. Rounding out this troupe was someone dressed as a jaguar, and another entirely in red, with a tail on the costume, and wearing a devil mask. That ended whatever sentiment of diversity appreciation I might be able to summon.
The “Dance of the Tecunai”, I’ve been able to learn from google, is a fairly obscure Mexican folk dance that supposedly involves a killing jaguar in order to ensure a good harvest. None of the descriptions of this I’ve found seem to involve a devil, but as might often be the case with cultural expression, different areas that participate in this ritual might well add or subtract elements from the generally accepted norm, and it’s not unlikely that whatever group is doing this mixes traditions of the pre-columbian death cult, such as the “day of the dead”, with this ritual. So I’m not going to assume that whoever did this deliberately tried to craft the most offensive display possible in a Christmas parade, but were honestly trying to give the parade audience exposure to an authentic cultural tradition as some sort of a gift. I’d just as soon not get gifts like this, though.
Because the parade at that point had lots of starts and stops, this spectacle ended up stationary in front of me for a few moments, and I could clearly see the discomfort of many in the crowd around me. There’s nothing like having the devil parade in front of you accompanied by the cracking of whips and ritual chanting for a while to really mess with the general feeling of peace and goodwill that the Christmas parade fosters. This is about the birth of Jesus Christ, and having the satan join the parade is about as offensive an idea as I could possibly imagine. When was the last time a caricature of Adolph Hitler appeared in a parade celebrating the independence of the modern nation of Israel? Does King George ride a float in our Independence Day parades? That is absolutely nothing compared to celebrating the devil in a Christmas parade.
I am not willing, for the purposes of bowing as required to the altar of multiculturalism, to tolerate this kind of outrageous cultural pollution, or this direct affront to Christianity. Any cultural tradition that celebrates the devil can stay where it is. The next time the Greater Manassas Christmas Parade Committee goes through the applications by groups wanting to participate in the parade, they darned well better make sure that this kind of outrage doesn’t get approval, again.
Here are the folks that approved of this year’s parade participants. If you feel they made a grave error here this year, you may want to contact them and let them know how you feel:
Col. G.H. Himon
John Bisek - Manassas City Police
Michael Kitis - Manassas Journal-Messenger
John Martin - Dudley Martin Chevrolet
Joseph Martin - FocusPoint
Anna Marie Morgan - The Harris Pavillion
John Murphey
George Neal - TML Copiers & Digital Solutions
Claudia Nystron - Olde Town Landscaping
Brenda Ravella - Didlake, Inc.
Linda Robertson - Historic Manassas, Inc.
Steve Urry - Historic Manassas, Inc.
Linda Womack - City of Manassas
I’m certain none of these folks had any idea this was going to happen, but a polite note asking that this not happen again might be a good idea.
Note: if any readers managed to get a picture of this, please forward it to me.
UPDATE: Some readers are starting to get their photos to me. Keep sending in those photos!
The truck that preceded the in the troupe, in the parade staging area. The photo heading this post is the center-left detail of this photo.
Note: post updated with photos from the event. If you have photos from the parade itself, please email them to me.
The opinions expressed here are solely the views of the author, and not representative of the position of any organization, political party, doughnut shop, knitting guild, or waste recycling facility, but may be correctly attributed to the Vast Right-Wing Conspiracy. If anything in the above article has offended you, please click here to receive an immediate apology.
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119 Comments
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To me Christmas is about the birth of Jesus and to SOME who also feel the same way about Christmas, have been offended by Santa Clause himself.
I don’t get this dance and what it was about. A harvest?
This is ridiculous.
Wonder where the PC police and ACLU were when all this was parading down main street.
My guess is probably with their back turned…
When will they ever learn that they need to assimilate, if they want to be accepted, not force their way into twisting our traditions to fit them. This is gross.
Well, I’ve only missed about a handful of Manassas Christmas Parades, and this being one of them. I’m certainly glad I didn’t see this.
I wonder who was behind those masks?
This is truly sickening. I hope someone got a picture of this and gets it to Greg L.
I don’t want to share Christmas with those that want to make it something different. I like Christmas the way it is and I like to say Merry Christmas at Christmas.
One Voice - I’m with you!
One Voice & legal2,
Count me in too, please!
Merry Christmas
were they devil worshipping?
looks like a bunch of wackos to me
Yes Virginia, the really is a devil in Manassas. Oops, el diabalo! He was in the parade today. I would like to know who paid for this perversion? What’s next year’s parade feature? Hugo Chavez or Fidel himself.
Greg, when are you going to learn to stay away from religious topics?
How can it hurt to have a juxtaposition of the devil and the celebration of the birth of Christ who came to offer people salvation from that very devil? Even a non-religious person such as I can appreciate the foil. And given the large Hispanic population here, it isn’t an unusual idea to include their traditions.
BTW-Merry Christmas
Merry Christmas anonymoustoo!
Mousetoo, their mexican harvest gig ought to be reserved for fall, not a Christmas parade.
Merry Christmas, everyone!
I tried to Google: Dance of the Tecunai to see what this is all about. Can someone send me the link? I am having NO luck.
Legal2,
“their mexican harvest gig ought to be reserved for fall, not a Christmas parade.”
That is what I was thinking. I also wanted to add to offenses, that replacing Christmas with Xmas is not well received.
Anontoo, I guess not being a religious person, it wouldn’t bother you that some folks would want to celebrate satan during a christmas parade.
Let me see if I can come up with a secular equivalent for you…
How would you feel if the KKK marched in a parade celebrating the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, shouting “white power!” to the crowd.
That almost captures it.
Redawn, I think Greg may have misspelled a word, if you look at the banner on the grille of the truck in the update. Not only does this exhibit appear missplaced in a Christmas parade, it seems inimical to the Christian message of Christmas. http://www.mexicanmuseum.org/egaceta/index.asp?newskey=107&language=english
Here’s another link regarding this pagan ritual: http://64.233.169.104/search?q=cache:gQEgA1pwgAkJ:content.cdlib.org/xtf/view%3FdocId%3Dft7×0nb536%26doc.view%3Dcontent%26chunk.id%3Dd0e6652%26toc.depth%3D1%26anchor.id%3D0%26brand%3Deschol+Tecuani,+pagan&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=4&gl=us
Legal2,
Thank you for the links. The first one gave me the clue about it being of pagan decent. The second link you sent me, I found this :
“Probably the most widespread and surely the best-documented ritual dance-drama is the Danza de los Tecuanes found primarily in the central Mexican states of Guerrero and Morelos.[7] It recounts “the hunting and killing of a tecuani or jaguar” who has devastated the local village.”
IS this the message that was being sent? I do NOT agree that it should have been any part of the parade ( pagan or this) my opinion.
I didn’t go as I was at our church with one of our sons for a ministry program, but my husband took the other to watch the parade. My husband was put of by the sheer number of people out there proselytizing in the parade and directly to our child in at least one case. I am sure they meant no offense, but religious education is the role of the parent and the church community selected by a family. Proselytize to an adult, by all means, but you overstep your bounds you hand a child a candy cane and say it’s a J for Jesus. Leave it to us to teach our children that - it isn’t the role of anyone else but a parent.
As for the “Dance,” it clearly would have been more appropriate for a Halloween parade, as would a celebration of the Day of the Dead or something. My four year old wasn’t traumatized, but I heard a few kids around him were upset. Seeing the pictures, I can’t blame them. It is a scary display out of context, especially in a Christmas parade. What was the point? And it left us with a lot of additional explaining to do for the candy cane and the devil head… A Christmas parade shouldn’t require that much explanation.
Greg, I spent a decade as a Presbyterian so I’m not unfamiliar with Christianity. Christian religions generally (generally, I said) are about the fight between good and evil. Why are you assuming that the devil is more than a symbolic figure? Was the devil whipped or punished? I would just think that a strong believer would say, “I’m glad that my belief in Christ saves me from Satan”. And there is the Satan figure to emphasize the foil. There are all sorts of established celebrations that occur around Christian holidays that many view as blasphemous whether they’re the Easter bunny, Christmas trees, Mardi Gras, etc.
I’m not familiar with “The Dance Of The Tecunai” so I don’t know whether it would be more of a fall celebration. However, it seems odd to object to a devil figure when Christ is the one to save his followers from this very devil. It’s beginning to look more xenophobic than not…as though you’re looking for a reason to punch Hispanics (legal or not) rather than give your kiddos a lesson on another culture’s means of celebrating the holiday…not very much in the spirit of the season.
Anonymous,
I agree that is as I read it would have been more appropriate for Halloween. Here is another snippet from from the second link:
and your right “A Christmas parade shouldn’t require that much explanation.” OR searching to find one……
“Why does the richest ritual segment of the annual ceremonial calendar occur in December and January? The period corresponds to the end of the maize cycle. . . . [In addition] the period of Christmas to San Sebastián—from the point of view of either the Catholic saints’ calendar or the movements of the sun—is the time of transition from the old to the new year. . . . It is my thesis that the Zinacantecos are first unwiring, or unstructuring, the system of order and then rewiring, or restructuring, it, as the cargoholders who have spent a year in “sacred time” in office are definitively removed from their cargos and returned to normal time and everyday life [71]”
This was supposed to be a CHRISTMAS parade. Save he Halloween BS for 31 October!
redawn said on 1 Dec 2007 at 8:46 pm:
. . [In addition] the period of Christmas to San Sebastián—from the point of view of either the Catholic saints’ calendar or the movements of the sun—is the time of transition from the old to the new year. . . . It is my thesis that the Zinacantecos are first unwiring, or unstructuring, the system of order and then rewiring, or restructuring, it, as the cargoholders who have spent a year in “sacred time” in office are definitively removed from their cargos and returned to normal time and everyday life [71]”
HUH?
Someone, please refresh my memory……Was there a reference about devils on the first sign at 9500 LIBERTY? I may be totally wrong, but it seems to me there was a reference and if that is true, maybe the effigy in the parade was there for a specific reason. In any event, this was supposed to be a Christmas parade and what did a pagan “harvest” ritual have to do with Christmas? HMMMMMMMM!
That is what I said “HUH”
but I was trying to link(understand) why they may have done a pagan / harvest type dance at the time of Christmas and at a parade.
Regardless, I don’t get it and still stand by what I said “I do NOT agree that it should have been any part of the parade ( pagan or this) my opinion. (post at 8:28)
and when I agreed with Anonymous : “A Christmas parade shouldn’t require that much explanation.” OR searching to find one……”
I am still left with the question of the message being sent (8:28 post)
redawn said on 1 Dec 2007 at 8:28 pm:
It recounts “the hunting and killing of a tecuani or jaguar” who has devastated the local village.”
———————————————————————-
Could this be a veiled attempt to compare the PWCBS resolution (Jaguar) with the illegals who it will affect (devastating the local village?) Just a thought.
That explanation is sort of intriguing, so maybe their intentions were good with the display. My husband said the mariachis were very well practiced and talented musicians and the costumes were very well done, but that he couldn’t understand the presentation’s relevance to Christmas. So not all the criticisms should be regarded as xenophobic - they are legitimate concerns. Without this context about this San Sebanstian period, of course people are not going to understand and will likely get offended.
My husband just showed me the literature that was handed to my child with all the candy he got. That’s a little disturbing as well. One of my worst memories as a child was having someone coming up to me as I was waiting for my mom at the mall and telling me I was going to Hell for not going to the “right” church. Scared me to death and I was in tears. No one should directly witness to a child. Religious education is the role of the parent. If I do write to the organizers of the parade, both issues will be brought up because they are both valid.
Anon@9:04
I see no mention of the devil in the 9500 LIBERTY sign.
Here’s a link to the first sign put up.
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2559607040102412507duDERM
Anonymous said on 1 Dec 2007 at 9:09 pm:
redawn said on 1 Dec 2007 at 8:28 pm:
It recounts “the hunting and killing of a tecuani or jaguar” who has devastated the local village.”
———————————————————————-
Could this be a veiled attempt to compare the PWCBS resolution (Jaguar) with the illegals who it will affect (devastating the local village?) Just a thought.
THAT IS THE QUESTION that I am asking….you get where my question is coming from…WHEW…:) lol..
When and where are the other upcoming Christmas Parades in PWC? I wonder if the devil will be there too.
I think Nokesville has a Christmas Parade with Mr. Crone as Santa. Does Dale City have a Christmas Parade?They do have a 4th of July Parade.Here’s few other possiblities…Haymarket, Dumfries, or Occoquan.Does anyone know?
Lafayette
Lake Ridge has a Christmas parade - I don’t know the date
Dumfries parade is on the 8th.
Lafayette said on 1 Dec 2007 at 9:11 pm:
Anon@9:04
I see no mention of the devil in the 9500 LIBERTY sign.
Here’s a link to the first sign put up.
Okay Lafayette. Thank you for clearing that up. My memory is not as it once was and I did not have a picture of that sign to confirm what I thought was there. One for them!
Quantico Christmas Parade Sunday, 2 December 2007, starting at 1300.
The Dumfries 33rd Annual Christmas Parade Saturday, December 08, 2007 starts at 1 p.m. at the Town Hall. Visit Santa & Mrs. Claus afterwards at the Dumfries Shopping Center.
Dale City does not have a Christmas Parade.
Lake Ridge had theirs November 10th.
I am not aware of any others.
My grandson was with the Haydon Elementary group that was right in front of this thing during the parade. He was very disturbed by what was behind them, and I think this was entirely inappropriate for a Christmas parade.
Historic Manassas who runs this thing really made a huge mistake by allowing this to happen. They’re supposed to preserve the historic character of the city, and instead they allow this weird satanic ritual to happen on city streets. Heads are going to roll once this makes the rounds.
One Voice, Anon and me,
Thank you all very much. This Manassas Parade thing is bugging me, and hope the other parades don’t have this same buch in it.
Anon,
The may have well called us devils. I didn’t remember myself, and looke at the picture. So much can be questioned I wanted my source handy.
anonymoustoo said on 1 Dec 2007 at 8:43 pm:
I’m not familiar with “The Dance Of The Tecunai” so I don’t know whether it would be more of a fall celebration. However, it seems odd to object to a devil figure when Christ is the one to save his followers from this very devil.
Suggest you read the ENTIRE text re the pagan ritual from the link that was provided earlier (reproduced below.) This ritual is pre-Columbian (more than 3,000 years old) and therefore has nothing to do with Christ or the devil. Some quick research of traditional Mexican Christmas festivals does not mention anywhere “The Dance of the Tecunai” as being celebrated for Christmas. In fact, if the entire text of that article is read, this ritual contains preverted sex and violence. Someone in the city did not do their homework by allowing this travesty in a Christmas celebration!
link regarding this pagan ritual: http://64.233.169.104/search?q=cache:gQEgA1pwgAkJ:content.cdlib.org/xtf/view%3FdocId%3Dft7×0nb536%26doc.view%3Dcontent%26chunk.id%3Dd0e6652%26toc.depth%3D1%26anchor.id%3D0%26brand%3Deschol+Tecuani,+pagan&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=4&gl=us
And all the participants in that float are all patting themselves on the back because their little threat worked. It bothered everyone. They are reading our reactions as we speak.
So what. They had a dumb ass entry in the Christmas parade that didn’t stick to the theme. I sure guess they showed us. NOT. YAWN.
Dolph,
Yep, your right and it didn’t take that long to figure the message out, that is of course if this was the message.
I am sticking with it until proven otherwise (opinion disclaimer added)
Yeesh - some people.
The Jaguar - Devil getup is part of an ancient, Christian festival in Mexico known as the Day of the Holy Cross. (Which takes place May 1 -5.) The festival does indeed have roots that date to pre-Columbian times, but to label it “Satanic” is about as absurd as saying Christmas is pagan because it is actually a bastardization of Saturnalia, an ancient Roman holiday (which Christmas is, by the way).
http://www.randafricanart.com/Tigre_mask_2.html
http://www.lib.utexas.edu/taro/utlac/00119/00119-P.html
There are legitimate concerns about an obscure Mexican Christian dance taking part in a small town Christmas parade.
anonymoustoo
FELICE NAVIDAD!
Here is that link again per my previous post 10:10.
From Legal2
Here’s another link regarding this pagan ritual: The entire text should be read.
click this
For what it’s worth…
http://www.decorah.k12.ia.us/dms/band/traditions.html#mexico
In the American South-West, Spanish traditions have shaped Christmas customs. In California, Texas and New Mexico, Christmas time brings Peseta Processions and Christmas plays. Missions in Southern California offer pastas that blend scriptures with mexican-Indian folklore, the theme being one of the conflict between good and evil. The plays characters include shepherds, the Devil, a hermit and two angels. The shepherds set out to see the Christ Child. As they travel, they encounter many obstacles that the devil puts in their way. Eventually they overcome these obstacles and reach Bethlehem safely. Music and singing are woven through the plays, which can last anywhere from half an hour to half the night. Around the South-West Christmas lanterns glow. These lanterns called luminaries, are easily made with a small candle in a rolled paper bag, and weighted with wed sand. The River Walk in San Antonio, Texas, is lit with two-thousand of these lanterns, which brighten the way for the annual Peseta procession.
Will someone, please, explain why CHRISTMAS PARADES are arranged at all! What’s the purpose? Could it be considered a public birthday party with music and candy? - Can’t see what the fire trucks have to do with Christmas, though.
I’ll let in on a secret ( I h a t e p a r a d e s ) - any kind!
All they do is mess up the traffic and add to the workload for the police. So I say, Bah humbug on Christmas celebration in the streets.
Okay Scrooge
Parades aren’t for adults they are for the kiddies and fireman.
Krusty,
“Will someone, please, explain why CHRISTMAS PARADES are arranged at all!”
Nostalgia and it is supposed to bring communities together and welcome in the spirit of cheer and good will.
Well, that was the old days. It seems that is it more about marketing now and grid lock as the small towns grow. Merry Christmas.
Krusty,
You sound like my son. He came by it honestly also. We have been looking for you. Figured you were out partying.
I think the Manassas one is arranged for 2 reasons: tradition and advertising for local merchants
Oh yea, thanks to all who dug up info about this Mexican celebration added links. I had no idea about this until now. This blog IS educational at times.
Educational - I’ll say.
Addendum to comment: (Opinion disclaimer added)
Oppps, I forgot to add ( opinion disclaimer)
Me three (opinion disclaimer added)
I agree that numerous churches went too far in their evangelical outreach — especially to kids. Got to the point where I had to intercept whatever flyer/candy they tried to hand to my 8-y-o. Really started to tick me off.
I also agree that the Dance of the Tecuani was, well, weird and probably had no place in a Christmas Parade. The devil-like figure aside, the rest of the puppet heads were scary, as was the whole whip thing. I have to believe this is simply a case of an Hispanic/Latin/Mexican Christmas tradition that doesn’t translate well to those who’ve never been exposed to it before, especially outside of any kind of explanation and/or context. Perhaps this is one group that SHOULD have been handing out flyers so that we could have understood just what the Dance of the Tecuani is about.
One Voice said on 1 Dec 2007 at 10:27 pm:
Around the South-West Christmas lanterns glow. These lanterns called luminaries, are easily made with a small candle in a rolled paper bag, and weighted with wed sand. The River Walk in San Antonio, Texas, is lit with two-thousand of these lanterns, which brighten the way for the annual Peseta procession.
You will find these luminaries all over the area on Christmas eve. I have been putting them out for the last 25 years or so (and I am not Latino.) Did you see any shepherds or angels in that group at the parade? Did the Mariachi band play any (American or Latino) traditional Christmas music?
This parade is going to broadcast on Comcast channel 2 in Manassas on December 12th at 7:30PM, the 16th at 1:00PM, the 22nd at 1:00PM and on Christmas day at 9:00AM and 1:00PM. This outrage was in position 68 in the parade the program says. I hope someone can tivo this and upload it to youtube just so folks can see for themselves how bad it was.
I hope the camera view shows the reaction of the audience on the other side of the granstand. We were appalled. There were folks whipping each other, a devil, someone in a leopard suit, and most of the guys were dressed in these black suits with big sombreros and wore these grotesque masks.
I don’t care if this is normal in mexico, but this is unacceptable here. I can see many of the churches and private schools not participating next year if it’s going to mean they have to march in a christmas parade alongside someone dressed as the devil. If they don’t fix this, my family isn’t going next year either.
Glad to see all the “happy faces” above. That must mean that the spirit of Christmas, the right, kind, good, and loving spirit, is out there. Going to bed now to dream of firetrucks and days of yore when I was young and agile and skiing at Sugar Bowl in the Sierras (:
PS Hope Greg doesn’t get an ulcer.
Shucks, I made the wrong face; should be
Vigilant1 said on 1 Dec 2007 at 10:57 pm:
You will find these luminaries all over the area on Christmas eve.
Drive by the Manassas Baptist Church on the corner of Sudley Rd. and Stonewall Rd. on Christmas eve. The area around the Manassas Museum has been lit by luminaries the evening of the Christmas tree lighting for many years. They are not new to this area, just the hardware used (milk bottles vice paper bags. Merry Christmas!
I think this is a very old and truly lovely tradition that is now almost universal -like a Christmas tree
Krusty,
Good night and may you dream of sugar plums dancing in your head
Anon @ 11 pm. After reading the link submitted at 8:17, I have to wonder if the “whip” wasn’t a tail as described. Disgusting read, but enlightening. I guess Mexicans want to mainstream their rituals, but hope Manassas doesn’t include it next year.
Someone dressed as the devil, at a Christmas parade? You’ve got to be kidding me.
Are the mexicans deliberately trying to piss us all off?
It makes me want to kill Dora and Diego.
Here’s the link for what in Sunday’s edition of the MJM..
http://www.manassasjm.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=MJM/MGArticle/WPN_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1173353699048&path=
“A Tropical Christmas” was the theme. They mention many entrants in the parade. However, ther’s no mention of the devil
Vigilant1,
I can remember when they were on every street in WestGate/Sudley. I bet you can too.:)
While on the topic of a local Christmas tradition. The Bofadini’s are in the process of putting up the decorations. I couldn’t wait to see what the new item would be each year.
lafayette,
Perhaps they just lined up with everyone else and never even entered officially. No one challenged them. Stranger things have happened.
Field trip tonight, Bonfadini’s is coming right along, isn’t it. There is a near rival down on Lafayette or Damascus lower end. Lots of blow up figures.
Dolph,
Did you see Mario’s? They are looking good, but that Coke Machine is not a Christmas decoration. Tons of blow ups.
Dolph,
No blow ups at Mario’s. The blow ups are ALL OVER.
You knuckle-draggers are too much. It’s a parade to drum up business, and hasn’t got squat to do with your so-precious religious beliefs/fantasies. If you happen to get some sorely-lacking cultural perspective in the process, you should be thankful instead of frantically reaching for your rosaries.
We should have the devil in every parade, with a sign around his neck identifying him as your head knuckle-dragger Mayor Waldron.
Manassas is going to be a majority hispanic city in ten years, and there’s not a thing you idiots can do about it. Keep whining if you must, but you better get used to it. You make noise now, but the demographics are against you.
Habla Espanol yet? You better.
speaktruth: The parade is way for local merchants to advertise.
However, it is a Christmas Parade. Hello, the birth of Christ.
This is the U.S.A. and we speak English not Spanish. This same practice is not done for other non-English speakers.
Habla Ingles(no accent)! Gracias.
You better. Aren’t you tough?
speaktruth,
“If you happen to get some sorely-lacking cultural perspective in the process, you should be thankful instead of frantically reaching for your rosaries.”
Why do you have to generalize? No rosaries here. Merry Christmas
I am with Dolph on this one. These clowns crashed the party and came off looking like fools - This pissing off Americans at every opportunity gig is getting very stale.
Hey, nothing says Christmas like Mr. Hello Kitty with the Mexican flag wrapped around his face and his loyal pal Lucifer looking for all the world like he needs to be working out at Curves.
Not since John Lovitz did SNL in that spandex devil suit have I laughed so loud. Como se dice “Worship me!!” ?
” We are Mexicans, darn it! We can do what we want - to heck with your Manassas traditions, — and Christmas , for that matter!!!! We are in the parade - and in your face to discomfort. Like truculent children, attempting to be provocative - but coming off as yawny, predictable and, at best, annoying.
Way to go, Mexicans sin Tact, Class or an ounce of common sense. Jaguars, devils and whips are not now, nor will they ever become, part of our Christmas. But thanks a bunch for sharing.
the parade was too long,
for your information.
we are not latino ,nor Hispanic, or mexicans.
that’s an imposition from the enemy.
they gave us another name diferent than our real one.
from now on, when someone ask me where I’m from,… this time I will say the truth.
real Indian!
proud!! NATIVO.
I hope none of your high schools up there in that area have a DEVIL for a mascot. The poor thing would be flogged by you freaks.
Greg searches nar and far so he can find some reason to criticize us. Did you happen to see Santa Claus? Do you realize that is also a non-Christian influence on the celebration of the birth of Christ? Did Greg criticize that? NO! Because Santa Claus was white.
Many believe that Santa Claus and his reindeer are more of a threat to Christianity than images of el diablo. The devil is an outsider looking in. We know what his image stands for. Santa Claus is working from within. He is an accepted part of Christmas and distracts more people from the true meaning of the birth of Jesus than does the devil.
El Guapo (remind me not to eat there if that is YOUR restaurant). Santa Claus has certainly been secularized, like so many things, but at least his origin is Saint Nicholas, complete with a Christmas legend, NOT the ancient background of violent sexuality that is the Mexican/Indian/Native ritual being foisted on unsuspecting observers of a CHRISTMAS parade. Fleas Navidad. http://www.barkslope.com/fleas-navidad-dog-tank.html
His origin is perhaps how he infiltrated Christendom. He attacks from inside our ranks as one of us. Most people aren’t even aware of the adverse influence he has on Christianity.
Ha ha. I have to laugh at the irony of the naive natives and their culture shock as they’re exposed to other native culture. A great local anthropological study or dig…as this whole anti-immigrant movement has been! (BTW this local anti-immigrant brouhaha has been more fevered than anything I personally saw in the Deep South in the 50s/60s. It’s another last stand of the angry white male.)
To those who wished me Merry Christmas, thanks. I’m not frightened by others’ holiday greetings regardless of the spirit in which they’re offered.
I find it hysterical that the nativist culture can’t handle any depiction of Satan or the devil without freaking out. For a conservative culture that constantly wants to talk about homosexuality as an abomination, they sure don’t like any ceremonies or traditions that actually remind people of the existence of the ultimate evil. Christmas is supposed to be about the birth of Jesus Christ? Just who was pissed off the most by His birth?
I was at the parade too. They even had someone dressed up with a skull face. It was awful. The worst part was that they targeted little kids (toddlers). Even when the child wasn’t looking, one of the costumed men with a whip would run up and touch the child. The child would turn to look and the costumed man would yell at them. I guess their intent was to scare little ones. So I guess Manassas wanted us to bring our kids to get them scared of Christmas.
Anonymoustoo, I have to shake my head at the naive Hispanics who would have been more than welcome with a Christmas theme, but chose to go instead with a dance that disturbed my teenage daughter. (She was more disturbed by the proselytizing however.)
I grew up in the 60’s and 70’s and was taught racism and prejudice are wrong and I teach the same to my children. I am only one among millions who have taught their children the same. Some people however are still stuck in the mindset of the mid twentieth century and don’t recognize that we have matured. They seem to want to charge on to nuture justifications rather than correct true injustices.
An open letter to El Diablo and the troops:
Cut all the crap. You know what you did and why you did it.
Who you have really hurt is the Latino community in general.
Why would you want to do that to your own people?
As I drove around looking at lights after dinner last night, I saw many beautiful
Christmas displays in the neighborhood. Some of the prettiest displays I saw were at the homes of my Hispanic neighbors in Westgate and Sudley. I could see the hard work and pride in those Christmas displays of manger scenes, moving toys, Santas, chasing lights, splendidly lighted trees – all the many different ways various people celebrate the Christmas season.
The neat thing about Christmas is that it is a time for all people to come together in a spirit of giving, regardless of religion or culture. One such example of giving would be the Jewish staff at Potomac Hospital doubles up and goes in on Christmas Day so the Christian staff can be at home celebrating with their families. I was told this about 10 years ago and haven’t forgotten the warm feeling I got when I first learned of this ‘local tradition.’
So, El Diablo and the Boys, why would you want to represent something you knew would impact the community at large in such a negative manner when there are so many neat customs and time-honored traditions from the various regions in Mexico? You didn’t spit in the faces of the Anglo Community, you spat in faces of the Latino Community—those who have worked hard to decorate their homes in the spirit of the season. Thinly veiled militancy in the form of El Diablo and panthers does NOT represent the local Latino community. Shame on you.
If none of this makes sense to you, here is a brief translation: When in Rome, do as the Romans do. The locals will learn to like you better. Warm and Fuzzy beats ‘in your face’ each and every time. Got it now?
“santa claus wears a red suit, he’s a communist. santa claus has long hair and a beard, so he must be a pacifist. And what’s in the pipe that he’s smoking? Santa Claus comes in your house at night. He must be a dope fiend to get you up tight.” Arlo Guthrey
Our entier concept of Christmas is an evolving myth… so let it evolve. I’m afraid people can’t adapt are left behind (natural selection… a good thing). Our country needs people who can embrace and accept new ideas and cultures. That’s how we got here in the first place.
I probably would have given them a mouthful of fist had they come near my children…this crap does not belong in a xmas parade. If they want to dance around in militant latino costumes they can do it in their own damn parade.
my family does the traditional german christmas, complete with advent wreath and two-day celebration at the end. basically it’s “christmas” all month long. No devils, witch’s or panthers involved there
cant wait to dig on that black forest ham I just got the other day from the old country!
Josh
corr (I hate mornings disclaimer)
Thank you for YOUR WELL thought last post.
Thank you to those of you who recognized this display as a traditional Mexican celebration. Surely no harm was meant. Please remember at this time that your Latino brothers from Central America are among the most devout of any Catholics (and Christians generally) and surely value family and faith and compassion above all else. No one works against the acts of el diablo with as much gusto as mexicanos!
Feliz Navidad, amigos!
“Ha ha. I have to laugh at the irony of the naive natives and their culture shock as they’re exposed to another native culture.”
Are you referencing Guapo’s take on Santa Claus as the enemy within … getting a pass becouse he was … white! oh Horrors!
Or self proclaimed proud Indian Nativo who throws off the names imposede on him - Latino, Hispanic, Mexican - to replace them with “real Indian”, in a frantic attempt to impose himself on us as the intractable uber victim. “Hey, I’m an Indian - when do I get my casino kickbacks?”
How about that for an anthropological study in identity crisis.
I have non-native neighbors who hail from Guatemala, El-Salvador and Mexico … who constanly vacillate between claiming to be “Spanish” or “indigenous”. More like ingenuous.
Never confuse shock with revulsion.
http://www.vdare.com/yeagley/070104_christmas.htm
http://www.badeagle.com/brown_father.html
http://www.badeagle.com/burn_flag.html
I love witch’s, in fact my spouse is very much into them as well. We have a multi-religion household
there are no no-witch flyzones by my place, however the devil isnt welcome whatever incarnation he may come by.
since we’re on the subject of devils, forgot to mention that I’m an alumni of arizona state university…which makes me a die-hard Sun Devil
I’m even wearing a Sun devil sweatshirt right now
legal2 said on 1 Dec 2007 at 11:23 pm:
Anon @ 11 pm. After reading the link submitted at 8:17, I have to wonder if the “whip” wasn’t a tail as described.
Had exactly the same thought!
marty said on 2 Dec 2007 at 5:57 am:
I hope none of your high schools up there in that area have a DEVIL for a mascot. The poor thing would be flogged by you freaks.
You had better believe it!
It’s only a parade. No need to throw a hissy fit over it.
That is for UnMasMexican and all the other illegal and Mexico First apologists. How would it be if the ex-pats down in Mexico started celebrating EVERY American Holiday in OUR way. Obviously all they are trying to do is to shove their messed up, 3rd world (yes, I said it and know what it means) beliefs on us.
While I have no plans to go to the Sudan anytime soon, I now know that naming a Teddy Bear Muhammed won’t win me any points, even if I am not the one who did it. If I am in Moscow, I know it’s NOT a good idea to be singing “God Bless America” in the streets, and if I am in Saudi Arabia, I best not wear my cross without fear of reprisal.
Some idiot (probably illegal) dressed up as Satan had NO part in this parade and they knew it as well. Jesus came not to save us from Satan, but from ourselves. Satan can do nothing to us without us letting him. Just as we have to fight the good fight to stop Satan, so should we to stop these idiots.
[Ed note: comment edited to remove formatting mistake.]
Josh 9:22, I find your abbreviation of christmas as xmas just as offending. By the way, if what is said happened, then I am also against it, but christmas should not be abreviated to leave Christs name out of it. Not a sermon, just a thought!
Correction: Christ’s name
I recently read where the x evolved as a shortened form of Christmas because it represented the cross. I do not find that offensive. Perhaps a lower case t would be more accurate.
Sam said on 2 Dec 2007 at 9:17 pm:
Josh 9:22, I find your abbreviation of christmas as xmas just as offending.
My sentiments also. X stands for the unknown.
Anonymous @9:52
X stands for the unknown only if you are in math class.
Xmas
This abbreviation for Christmas is of Greek origin. The word for Christ in Greek is Xristos. During the 16th century, Europeans began using the first initial of Christ’s name, “X” in place of the word Christ in Christmas as a shorthand form of the word. Although the early Christians understood that X stood for Christ’s name, later Christians who did not understand the Greek language mistook “Xmas” as a sign of disrespect.
Look what group won 3rd place in the dance category.
http://www.manassasjm.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=MJM/MGArticle/WPN_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1173353710517&path=
CoM,
Geez, I wish I could say “I can’t believe it”, but I unfortunately I can beleive it.
UnMasMexican said on 2 Dec 2007 at 9:38 am:
“Thank you to those of you who recognized this display as a traditional Mexican celebration.”
THIS from a citizen of the country who gives us Donkey shows!!! What an ass!!!!
Were the Horseywomen Police there?
WOW…I hope that this was a lapse of judgement rather than an outright slap at our mainstream traditions. A bit more thought should have been given if this was the former. It would certainly been very appropriate (visually) for a Mardi Gras celebration (even though it might have had no direct connection to that celebration)
It is a perfect example of a CLASH of cultures. Try walking down a street in Bagdad or Mecca and hand out crosses.
You must pardon Red Woman a bit of a rant.
At least Manassas still has a Christmas Parade… and that’s something!… and I actually have to side a bit with UnMasMexican on this one. I guess I wasn’t an easily scared little girl, because I’d have thought this dance was pretty cool. I actually enjoy Mexican and Central American dancing. I tend to agree that Mardi Gras is a time when we expect to see this sort of thing, though.
Sure, there is something pagan to the dance. Just like to the date we picked for Christmas, because there is no evidence whatsoever Jesus was born on December 25 or January 7. We supplanted a pagan mid-winter holiday with a reverence of our own true God. And that’s okay.
And thanks to 999, for explaining “Xmas” properly. The “X” commonly appears on Orthodox crosses and iconography, in order to represent Christ. For those well versed in Christianity in all its flavors (or at least in heraldry), they’d also know that “X” is also, a cross in the west - the cross of St. Andrews. So it’s not such a bad letter, after all, you see.
As to Santa Claus, he has grown about as far from St. Nicholas as he could be. Heck, saying “Xmas” is closer to proper Christendom than he is!
Raised in Orthodox Christianity, I can tell you we really have no Santa Claus. Never believed in him, never wrote him letters, never cared about him. We’re not the ones standing in line to buy a Wii to make sure Junior still believes in a non-existent Jolly Fat Elf who brings presents. But we have plenty of reminders of the real St. Nicholas about. He was much more interesting.
What I’d like to see is a depiction of the Krampus in a Christmas parade! Anyone of German ancestry? In that tradition, he looks like horned devil and whips anyone out of the Jolly Fat Man’s path! And he’d scare you a lot more than the devil the Mexican dancers have… yep, its not all heaping, tasty stollen in that tradition, either…
Red Woman,
You certainly are entitled to a rant! You have made some good points.
When I was a young whippersnpper, I was terrified of Santa Claus. I ran for dear life if I got anywhere near that jolly old elf. One of the family stories told for years was about my mother and grandmother taking me to Richmond to see Santa. I took one look at him and dove under a display table, shrieking, and wouldn’t come out. Both my mother and grandmother had to crawl under the table to pull me out, kicking and screaming. They left immediately after that, faces glowing red. No one ever tried to get Santa and Dolph to bond again. I also never liked clowns.
~~splash~~
“Josh 9:22, I find your abbreviation of christmas as xmas just as offending. By the way, if what is said happened, then I am also against it, but christmas should not be abreviated to leave Christs name out of it. Not a sermon, just a thought!”
Sam, in case you didn’t read it already, go read 999’s explanation. “Xmas” actually emphasizes Christ’s name, but it does so in a way that the uneducated sadly don’t understand.
Speaking of “Satan” - Chavez lost!!! http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071203/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/venezuela_constitution
To me, the X in XMas is a lot like the broken cross, or the Swastika. For avaitors, it was a symbol of good luck. As a matter of fact, there is a famous picture of Charles Lindbergh with a Swastika pin and it was rubbed out by a GI who mistakenly took it to be support of the NAZIs when, in fact, it goes back to the days of the ancient Romans (I believe).
Red Woman: I knew him as Black Peter or Schmutzli (my background is Swiss). I was told of him as a child, but the way it was explained to me, “Over in Switzerland we would…” See, my relatives, upon stepping onshore of the United States, did what they could to learn the language (English) and blend in so that they could succeed, which they did quite well.
The swastika (the right hand version) actually goes way, way back. you can find it in himalayan lore as well as chinese historical documents. the left hand cross symbolized bad luck or ill fortune.
The Nazi’s actually took the right hand swastika (hakenkruz or hooked cross) and reversed it giving us the symbol that we all know best.
Josh
I actually was watching some Tibetan monks prepare one of their ornate mandalas. They had been working on their design for days. I guess they then bless the finished artwork and disperse it by putting into a body of water. I think the design was made of colored sand. The swastika (right hand version) was repeated in their design as an ancient symbol of good fortune, although the monks felt compelled to post a sign with an explanation in several Western languages (not well written, but understandable).
Dolph, I don’t like clowns either. I’m not amused by them in the least! The only thing worse than a clown is a mime! =:-o
Dolph : I also never liked clowns.
Well, you have your hands full of them here!
I’ve always had a fear of nutcrackers (the wooden soldier-type prevalent this time of year). My kids think it’s hysterical.
Geez..this whole xmas parade thing is funny. Last time I checked the history books, mexican “indio” traditions did not overtake Europe, Europe over took them. Devils at xmas…how pagan…well so is the xmas tree, and the fools that concocted the theme “a tropical xmas”. If religion was Santa, PT Crusiers clubs, parades with horses as a main event, and cheerleaders, I might have been offended. But the local xmas parade is not about religion or culture…it is about business, with some girl scouts thrown in for good measure. Pump-it-up had a stellar float and gave 15 dollars off a 350.00 b-day party coupons. Whooo hoo the spirit of xmas lives! Little do most of you know, but xmas celebrations were banned in James town. Christmas caroling was expressley banned since in involved less than stellar types, running around and singing bawdy tunes while seriously drunk. Ah the early American Christmas Carols. I’m sure there are many that are thrilled that the Victorians got a hold on that misbehavior, and created a more white glove version. Like they did for fairy tales. Clean it all up, turn a blind eye to the history. A waissiling we go. I’m so sure the pink flamingo/pirate/ dance teams would have sent most Victorians into serious vapors that devils bother me naught. Be careful, black pete and Kris Kringle are just around the corner!
ateacher,
It sounds like it’s time for our history books to be updated and be more informed as our diversity is ever changing. I know, if I could, I would go back to school, but I want it to be updated
I tell my kids all the time, learn as much as you can, you don’t know what you are missing…yeah, right…didn’t our parents tell us that too? 
I am still learning though….just have to WANT to……roll call, I am here.
redawn,
Present!
Oh yeah, I tell the “Queen” those samethings, and encourage hereto be active and involved in school.
I know we have both gotten quite the “education” the past few months. I have BVBL to thank for a large part of the education.The day we stop learning…is the day we may as well roll over and play dead.
Lafayette,
LOL, I knew you weren’t skipping
Yes, it has been educational and I hope it remains. What would we do with out this blog? I have drifted to others, but this is a good blog.
The irony in this thread is that we created laws and concepts in recent history and civila rights movements that require us to be tolerant and accepting of all gender, racial, ethnic, and religious group beliefs, practices, doctrines and social diversity.
Yet when in practice that diversity becomes threatening or offensive we become shocked, afraid and horrified at the possibility it could upset our personal applecart.
Until we create and understand the benefit of laws that require genders, ethnic groups, races and religious belief systems to be the same, with neither privilige nor discrimmination we will always have to deal with the stupidity and offense of belief systems that threaten our very existence, peace and harmony as a blended society.
If you continue to promote diversity, inclusion and group privilige, you will continue to create a society where no one is happy, no-one can enjoy a holiday without offense and no-one can find peace and harmony in a harmonious culturally homogenous society, where every individual trusts and respects every other because the same similarn human characteristics and value systems.
That is why the 60, 70, and 80s will eventualy destroy society and lead to city states in confict. Diversity can lead ultimately to no-where but mistrust, offensiveness, and conflict, especially in the ethics of defining “tasteful” holidays. On this issue I must agree with Greg. Diversity has gone too far when it insults and harms the majority to make a minority feel good as a Pagan ritual practioner. What will come next? Slaughtering animals?
it is all said to open up and let all things embrace your opened mind. I did not go to the parade and do not understand why you people get upset because a bunch of people put on a show, according to someone they won third plasce so it must not have been that bad, ot the idiots that were voting did nwant to offend. At any rate PWC has and is cracking down on illegals and some of the other counties are alos and soon they will be gone to Maryland.