Stop All the Fighting

I am unbelievably disappointed at the fighting and the anger I am witnessing this Christmas season. We are all taught from a very young age that Christmas is a season of joy, laughter, warmth, love, caring, generosity, and compassion. With just over a week until the big day, the apparent lack of all these things is quite troubling.
Last night Lucas, Mandi, and I were coming home from a wonderful night downtown sharing pints and a few good laughs. While waiting for Brandon to come and pick us up, a young man (no doubt very intoxicated with drugs or alcohol) came up to Lucas and proceeded to pick a fight with him. The reason? Lucas looked at the young man momentarily as he stumbled up the stairs of the station. I am still very proud of how Lucas handled the situation, staying very calm and responding with no anger or frustration to the young man's comments. This in turn gave the man nothing to be angry with and he eventually stumbled off.
Tonight, again, at the skytrain, Lucas and I witnessed a heated argument between a cab driver and young man on a bicycle. We don't know why exactly they were screaming at one another but it was unnecessary I'm sure. It ended with them both exclaiming that the other should return to "their country". I was shocked (and honestly at the same time not shocked at all, sadly) at their racism.
These examples are just two out of a hundred I'm sure. I've witnessed useless bickering in the malls. Unfathomable rudeness. Complete lack of consideration. No kindness. Utter unthoughtfulness. Hate. Racism. Anger. Stress. Scowling. . . The list could go on. And quite frankly I am disgusted. What has happened to this season?
Start switching the channels through the old Christmas movies on television right now and you see beautiful scenes of towns coming together to help a man in need, little girls realising that miracles really are possible, happy families laughing around a piano sipping eggnog, or hilarious families realising the true meaning of Christmas amongst a deranged extended family and enough Christmas lights to light a small town. What has happened to this Christmas that we love to watch on television?
I know that we all have our own ideas of what has caused this and for this reason I will not preach all of my beliefs. I only ask that you think about these things. And try to be one happy person in that store this week, a kind driver to people who are just as desperate as you to get to their destinations, or a smile that a grumpy old man may need in order to find it within himself. This season, do not be one of these rude, ungrateful people, realise what this season really means to all people of all races and creeds.