Corbin is professor emeritus of marketing at the University of Northern Iowa.
Thankfully, the 2022 midterm election is now far behind us. I can hear many voters exuding a sigh of relief and shouting – after $17 billion was spent on disinformation, misinformation and the occasional truthful political ad – “Yes, finally, the election is over.”
Normal life – I think – is back and we’re now deep into the holiday season. Let’s ponder how the 2022 holiday season might become better than we’ve experienced heretofore.
First, let’s recognize the word “holiday” means Holy Day. Next, let’s value that holidays are celebrated from both a religious and cultural perspective. Then, we need to acknowledge the holy day is celebrated throughout the world.
If we can agree on these three premises, we just might develop a better appreciation of others and approach the 2022 holiday season from a more holistic and inclusive perspective.
For centuries the holidays celebrated include Bodhi Day (Buddhist), Christmas (Christian), Diwali (Hindu), Eid al-Fitr (Muslim), Hanukkah (Jewish), Kwanzaa (African-American), Lunar New Year (East Asia) and Winter Solstice (Indigenous), to name a few.
Mike Ronsisvalle, a Florida-based psychologist, claims in faith-based traditions the holidays were a time when people were to purposely change their behavior and thereby modify their holiday experience. For some, however, the holiday season will be static and self-centered, only thinking of and gifting to those within their own family.
How might we intentionally change our behavior this holiday season to its fullness?
Returning to Americans spending nearly $17 billion on political candidates, which amounts to $162.84 per voter, a challenge is offered. For every dollar you contributed to a candidate for public office, intentionally give that same amount to a not-for-profit charity, which may be in greater need of financial assistance than a politician’s perpetual reelection coffers.
Didn’t give to a politician or party? Then purposely contact your local food bank and ask if you could spend a few hours volunteering at their agency and/or contribute money ($1 helps provide 10 meals). Don’t forget most post-secondary institutions of higher learning also have food pantries to assist students in need.
Inquire if there are any residents at a long-term care facility or hospital who might like a fruit basket, personal care items, phone call or a 10-minute in-person visit. Your outreach endeavor may assist those who are lonely and isolated during a time that should be joyful.
There are about 600,000 homeless Americans; more than 33,000 are veterans. Impactful Ninja ranked the seven best charities for helping homeless people with the National Alliance to End Homelessness touted as setting the gold standard with a Charity Watch grade of A+.
If you are seeking to help make a positive impact upon kids in need, there are more than 117,000 children waiting to be adopted in America. Impactful Ninja also identified the 10 best charities to support foster care. The top three in terms of overall impact are Foster Care to Success, Together We Rise and Children’s Defense Fund.
My favorite global, nonprofit organization that provides medical services to those affected by war, disaster or disease is International Medical Corps.
Consider contacting your local Kiwanis, Rotary or Lions clubs – all non-sectarian – to seek membership. Their multitude of service projects would give you around-the-year opportunities to assist people and organizations in your community who need assistance.
While spending time with your family this holiday season is important, consider thinking outside the box and intentionally change your behavior by helping others. It may be the start of a new holiday tradition of pursuing the festive season in a more robust, long-term and meaningful perspective.
Happy Holy Days!
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a“ Steel Across America” event ahead of the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11th attacks on the Ellipse near the White House on Sept. 8, 2026 in Washington, D.C. President Trump welcomed 9/ 11 first responders to the Tunnel to Towers Foundation’ s“ Steel Across America” event featuring a 16,900- pound, 21- foot steel beam recovered.
For Trump, even 9/11 is an opportunity
There was a reason organizers of the 9/11 ceremony in Manhattan told President Trump he could not speak at this year’s memorial service.
A good one, it turns out.
Because in a speech he gave on Tuesday in Washington, he did exactly what they were presumably worried about — he made it about himself.
According to The New York Times, Trump had wanted a speaking role at the service, but the National Sept. 11 Memorial and Museum, which oversees the site, said no, as they’ve maintained for the past decade-plus that the venue and event should be nonpartisan.
Trump has long used awful tragedies to either puff himself up, trash political opponents, or sell lies to the American people.
He blamed a deadly plane crash at Washington National Airport last year on diversity, equity and inclusion policies. He blamed Puerto Ricans for the devastation they endured after Hurricane Maria in 2017. He reportedly considered withholding disaster relief after the California wildfires based on the way affected regions voted. In an interview on Fox News meant to commemorate the 75th anniversary of D-Day in Normandy, he used the occasion to slam former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi…with graves of the dead behind him.
And now, as we approach the 25th anniversary of what many New Yorkers consider the darkest day in modern history, Trump has done it again.
He told a rambling, nonsensical story — one he’s told before — about going to Ground Zero just after terrorists flew two commercial jets into the twin towers. In the story, which no one has been able to verify, despite multiple attempts, he says firefighters had to carry him out of One Liberty Plaza, also known as the U.S. Steel Building, because they thought it was about to collapse.
As CNN fact checker Daniel Dale notes, there’s no evidence Trump went into this building, especially at a time when NYPD and NYFD had locked down the area. There’s no evidence that building was collapsing — in fact, it was deemed structurally sound and reopened within two months of the attacks. There’s no evidence he was carried out of it by firefighters.
But the lie isn’t even the worst part. Pretend it was all true — why would the leader of our country, and a New Yorker, decide to make that tragic day about himself?
Because that’s who Donald Trump is. He’s a malignant narcissist.
He’s also, incidentally, a terrible and ineffectual president, who’s made ill-fated decisions that he has to keep defending, and there’s nothing he won’t do to make himself look and feel better.
Within the first two minutes of his speech, he was cravenly using 9/11 to justify and promote his dumb war in Iran — two events separated by 25 years and 6,000 miles.
“And I will tell you, we’re right now fighting because we have a certain nation that wanted a nuclear weapon, they were very close to getting it, and now they have no chance at getting it. They will never have a nuclear weapon. Iran will not have a nuclear weapon. And they’ve been punished greatly. As you know, we’ve really taken it to them.”
As a New Yorker who lived through 9/11, still one of the worst days of my life, I’m utterly sickened by Trump’s crass, political, and self-promotional framing of that awful day.
And I’m relieved he won’t be given a platform to do it again on Friday’s anniversary in lower Manhattan.
Because for Trump, everything is his for the taking, and absolutely nothing is sacred.
S.E. Cupp is the host of "S.E. Cupp Unfiltered" on CNN.