Dear Santa,
It’s me, Casey. I’m sure you’re probably busy and I’m cutting it kinda close here, but I have a wishlist for this Christmas.
Santa, I would appreciate it if you could hook me up with an amazing college. Or at least help us seniors figure it out. I have to decide on a single place to spend the next four years of my life. How am I supposed to do that? I feel like this might go beyond a simple pros-and-cons list.
While you’re at it, can you lower college tuition? Oh, and my brother wants some Beats headphones.
On a slightly more general note, and this might be asking a for a bit too much, how about world peace?
I’ll help you start. Just in case the North Pole News is not as informative as La Puma, there are some serious issues with racial prejudice and police brutality in America right now. With two controversial grand jury decisions, I feel like every time I watch CNN there’s another protest in another city over these horrible incidents. So Santa, here’s my suggestion: somehow, make all police honest, all grand juries fair, and all protests peaceful. Thanks.
Also, it would be great if you and Rudolph could jump the pond after hitting America and do a little fly-by over the Middle East. I’d like Palestinians and Israelites to make peace. You’d be great moderator for such negotiations, because everyone loves a fat man with a long beard who gives presents (no offense).
But really, it’s women’s rights that need to be achieved in the Middle East and other areas around the world. We’re still working on total gender equality in the United States as well, and every day I see more steps being taken to encourage this. In Saudi Arabia, 20% of advisory council seats are held by women, and that gives me hope. They are still protesting restrictions like the driving ban, which they will no doubt accomplish in the coming year. But come on Santa, give them a boost!
After a terrorist held hostages in a café in my hometown of Sydney, Australia, last week, I realize that religious radicalism is a global issue. For me, every time I get a BBC update on my phone I learn something new and rather dreadful about the world, or more specifically, about the people who inhabit it.
So back to my main point, Santa. Can you solve the world’s prejudices? Can the most legendary holiday icon place a calm blanket over the world, just for the last few weeks of 2014?
Campolindo, I wish you a very merry Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa/Boxing Day. After all, I’m a politically correct Bay Area teen. So this holiday season, think about the broader world out there as well. It’s not all about the fruitcakes.
