Month: December 2004

A November 5, Washington Post article, entitled “It’s a Victory for People Like Us,” was about why Carey and Tara Leslie, the mother and father of three children, voted for George W. Bush as president. The article used the Leslies to illustrate the 77 percent of, “the millions of voters, who describe themselves as ‘white evangelicals,’” who voted for Bush and who “said that moral values was the single issue that mattered most to them.”

The article pointed out that, “They are precisely the people that the Bush campaign built its reelection strategy on.” The type of people “who would put faith-based moral values above every other consideration when it came time to vote, including the war in Iraq, terrorism, the economy and, in the Leslies’ case, a life that has been in financial peril since Sept. 11, 2001.”

“But Seagull why would millions of people vote for a President based on faith and moral values?”

“Fear of the moral direction that their nation is headed and the persistent and increasing pressures to remove all vestiges of their God and His spirit from public life and government.”

It was the one of the few opportunities, where the average citizen felt that they could be heard and do something to help reverse the downward moral spiral that our nation is in today. From the removal of prayer from our schools to the taking of “Christmas” out of Christmas they are frustrated with being offended in the name of offending someone else all under the banner of “constitutional rights” and being “politically correct.”

“Well, that’s all well and good but what does that have to do with Branson?”

“Branson’s future depends on the support of the same type of people who reelected George W. Bush as president.”

“Do you mean those ‘white evangelicals’ to whom moral values are the single issue that mattered most?”

“No, any Christian who gives moral values a high priority.”

The recent branding study conducted under the auspices of the Branson Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce and paid for by the City of Branson indicated that the strongest “identifier” people had with the “Branson brand” was values. Predicated in large part on “the character, personality and values of the Branson community” the study developed a marketing tool called “The Branson Promise.”

Although not the sole marketing tool that will attract the new visitors “The Branson Promise” is certainly a tool that will be used in that endeavor and one that the study says “Is the glue that holds the Branson experience together” for the “Loyals” who return to Branson.

Upon what is “the character, personality and values of the Branson community,” the “faith” referred to in “The Branson Promise,” and the “glue” that will make the visitors return to Branson based? An Ole Seagull would respectfully suggest that it is based on the same values that got George W. Bush reelected, the values of those who believe that “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.”

“Isn’t that a little radical Seagull?”

“No, its Branson’s blessing.”

Interestingly enough, the article closed with Cary Leslie saying, “Jobs will come and go. But your character — you have to hang on to that, it’s what you’re defined by.” As Branson heads into 2005, an Ole Seagull would pray that it would hang on to its unique character and profess it to the world because it is what we are defined by, what makes Branson the unique place that it is.

“Now Seagull, you need to be careful. If we have gospel songs or hold the name of Christ up as part of our shows, say “Merry Christmas” instead of “Happy Holidays” or take a stand against shows that have off color jokes, etc. we might offend someone.”

“No, they will offend themselves.”

The “Grinch” never came any closer to stealing the true meaning of Christmas than has being “politically correct.” In recent years the traditional Christmas greeting of “Merry Christmas” has been changed to the “politically correct” terminology of “Happy Holidays” or “Seasons Greetings.”

“But Seagull, you wouldn’t want to offend those who are celebrating Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, or something else would you?”

“What’s to offend unless someone is looking for a reason to be offended?”

To an Ole Seagull, it appears that if anyone should be offended it is the vast majority of Americans to whom the celebration of Christmas is so significant and special. Those who want to preserve the history and tradition of the “Christmas” that the U.S. Congress designated as a legal holiday on June 26, 1870.

What do “Happy Holidays,” and “Seasons Greetings,” have in common with “_ _ _ _ _ _ mas?” They leave “Christ” out. So what? What does Christ have to do with the celebration of Kwanza, Hanukkah, Santa Claus, presents, office parties, red nosed reindeer, decorating trees, wreaths, holly, sleigh bells, retail sales, booze, and feasting? Not much.

What does Christ have to do with CHRISTmas? Everything! Without Christ there can be no CHRISTmas. There can be a holiday, a season, festivals, and religious observations of every persuasion but, without Christ there can be no CHRISTmas, in either fact or spirit. One cannot even say or spell the word “CHRISTmas,” let alone explain its actual history, meaning or origins, as it is celebrated in the United States, without Christ.

The Concise Columbia Encyclopedia states that Christmas is “Christ’s Mass in the Christian calendar, the feast of the nativity of Jesus.” The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language defines “Christmas” as “A Christian feast commemorating the birth of Jesus.” Jesus who? Jesus, the Christ Child, the only begotten Son of God, born of the virgin Mary in Bethlehem over 2000 years ago.

First there was Jesus Christ and because of Christ there is the celebration of His birth, CHRISTmas. Secular customs and traditions have developed since; but, first there was Christ.

Even the greatest current secular symbol, the “Ho, Ho, Ho” jolly old Santa Claus seen everywhere during the Christmas season, was first made popular in New York during the 19^th century. And before that the European traditions of “Sinterklaas,” and Saint Nicholas can be traced back hundreds of years; but, first there was Christ.

Why, there are even some who would try to replace the bright guiding light of the Star of Bethlehem with the red glow of the nose of “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.” Rudolph’s nose has been guiding Santa’s sleigh since 1939 when Robert May wrote a verse for a Montgomery Ward promotional comic book. In the late 1940’s his brother-in-law adapted the verse and used it in the song “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer;” and the cowboy crooner, Gene Autry, made Rudolph famous but, first there was Christ.

When someone says “Happy Holidays” or “Seasons Greetings,” rather than “Merry Christmas,” those wanting to share the gift of CHRISTmas could ask, “What Holiday?” or “What Season?” What better way to create or reinforce an awareness of the “reason for the season,” that very first CHRISTmas when “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life?”

If we keep the spirit of the Christ Child and His love in our hearts and share it with others, CHRISTmas, in its truest sense, will be with us everyday of the year, Merry CHRISTmas folks, Merry CHRISTmas.

The Ole Seagull and the Groman Family would take this opportunity to wish you and yours a blessed Merry CHRISTmas.

In the perfect illustration of what could be too little too late, the Downtown Branson Main Street Association, DBMA, recently held “visioning meetings” to discuss what one newspaper reported as the desire of the downtown merchants “to keep up with the Joneses.” In this case the “Joneses” happen to be the Branson Landing project currently being constructed on the Lake Taneycomo Lakefront just the other side of the tracks from historic down town Branson.

“But Seagull isn’t Branson Landing part of historic downtown Branson?”

“How historic is “500,000 square feet of retail space (over 100 shops) and several marinas,” multi-story buildings, condominiums, and hotels being built on top of the 12 to 16 feet of fill that has been placed on top of the historic buildings and structures which were bulldozed to make way for their construction?”

Newspaper reports of the meeting reported that one of the reasons that “the members of the Downtown Branson Main Street Association are creating a new vision to revive the old sector” is “to ensure that those customers [Branson Landing’s] migrate uphill to the 311 businesses in the historic district.” The reality of the situation is that there is a Branson Landing project and an historic downtown Branson. Even as each business in town competes with each other for customers and the dollars they spend so too will historic downtown Branson be competing with Branson Landing in a similar manner.

If you were operating a shop or restaurant in Branson Landing, just how much effort would you put into encouraging your potential customers to “migrate uphill to the 311 businesses in the historic district?” How much sense does it make for a restaurant in Branson Landing to actively participate in anything that will have their potential customers leave the vicinity of their business and migrate up the hill to other restaurants to eat? An Ole Seagull would suggest that the answer to both of these questions is “Not much.”

And besides, on the typical Sunday or after 7 p.m. in the evening, what is there for visitors to historic downtown Branson to do? Outside of Dicks 5 and 10, what is it that would make someone want to either visit historic downtown Branson or “migrate uphill” from Branson Landing?

“Well got you there Seagull. Isn’t one of things they are ‘visioning’ about, the fact that “businesses need to stay open in the evening to attract younger visitors?”

“Visioning and doing are two different things.”

When the Ole Seagull was on the board of DBMA a few years ago Steve Hartley, of Dick’s 5 and 10, easily the biggest attraction in historic downtown Branson, encouraged downtown businesses to stay open later in the evenings and on Sundays like Dick’s did. Despite his excellent rational what was the response? Minimal at best and six years later the downtown businesses are still talking about the need to remain open past 7 p.m. because there is so little for people to do in the downtown in the evenings.

“But Seagull didn’t DBMA and its members actively support the Branson Landing Project including a large newspaper ad?”

“Yes, even to the extent of its Executive Director proclaiming ‘Yea! Yea!… It’s a “Wow!’ when the Branson Landing ground breaking was announced.”

“Are they masochists; what did the members of DBMA get for all their support?”

“Well the developers did announce that one of the themed districts within Branson landing will be called ‘Downtown.’”

An Ole Seagull would suggest that historic downtown Branson is a “dead man walking” if its vision is based on getting Branson Landing’s customers to migrate up the hill. Rather, it should be focused on having the customers of historic downtown Branson “migrating down the hill” and the financing, support, commitment, and dedication that it will take to make that happen.

“Do you see that happening?”

“If history is any indication, not really but in the words of Alexander Pope “Hope springs eternal in the human breast.

The Branson that has been attracting visitors and tourists for over a century is not the City of Branson. It is the “Branson” that created visitor expectations, enticed visitors to come to the Branson area for the fulfillment of those expectations, and then fulfilled them. Silver Dollar City pretty well sums it up when they say, “We create memories worth repeating.”

If history is any judge, a lot of those visitor expectations involve Branson’s unique history, traditions, folklore, and culture. Indeed, from before there was a City of Branson; these expectations have provided the very economic foundation upon which the City of Branson’s tourism based economy was built.

Most historical accounts attribute the major start of tourism in Branson with the publishing of Harold Bell Wright’s novel, “The Shepherd of the Hills,” in 1907. Thousands of tourists came to Branson with the expectation of walking where the book said the Shepherd walked, in an area located miles away from what was to become the City of Branson on April 1, 1912. Ironically enough, the very book that is credited with starting Branson’s tourism industry doesn’t even mention Branson.

Harold Bell Wright chronicled Ozarks history, legend, folklore, and tradition in his book. It was however, the vision, dedication, effort, and investment of those such as Pearl Spurlock, Lizzie McDaniel, the Trimble family, Gary Snadon, and Keith Furman in promoting and preserving the legacy of “The Shepherd of the Hills,” that it has so influenced tourism in the Branson area.

One of the area’s earliest tourist attractions, Marbel Cave, dates back to 1894. Located miles away from what was to become the City of Branson, the cave’s name was later changed to Marvel Cave. In 1949, Hugo Herschend leased Marvel Cave and some surrounding land, from its owners, the Lynch sisters, for 99 years. “But for” the efforts of the Lynch family and their recognition of the tourist potential of Marvel Cave would Branson’s biggest attraction, Silver Dollar City have come into existence?

Certainly not without the efforts of Hugo, Mary, Jack, and Peter Herschend who developed Silver Dollar City around Marvel Cave. “But for”, their vision, commitment to the area, marketing management skills, and investment there would have been no Silver Dollar City and the millions of visitors that it has attracted to Branson with the expectation that they would have experiences and memories worth remembering and repeating. Where would the City of Branson be today without Silver Dollar City and the millions of visitors that it has brought, and continues to bring, to “Branson?”

Branson’s first country music theatre on the now famous “Branson Strip,” was “Presleys’ Country Jubilee,” built in 1967, outside of the City of Branson on State Highway 76, by the Presley family. In 1968, the first show in the City of Branson, the “Baldknobber Jamboree,” with the Mabe family, decided to move out of the city to a location on the strip. Ever since, both shows have been meeting the expectations of Branson visitors for entertainment reflecting the Ozark areas values, culture, and traditions ever since.

“Seagull, are you saying that the one of the primary things that has made Branson what it is today is the history, traditions, folklore, and culture of our area?”

“Yes, what else was it that brought the millions of visitors to Branson that attracted the additional theatres, attractions, and developers, etc that subsequently came to Branson?”

Edward Gibbon, an 18th century British historian and the author of “The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire,” said “I have but one lamp by which my feet are guided, and that is the lamp of experience. I know no way of judging of the future but by the past.” Branson never has been “everything to all people.” It has thrived on meeting or exceeding the expectations of its visitors for an Ozarks experience worth remembering and repeating.

Ere Branson “declines,” an Ole Seagull’s prayer would be that the lamp of past experience would light the way as Branson moves into the promise of its future.

Gary Groman, aka The Ole Seagull, is an independent columnist living in Hollister, MO. He may be contacted by selecting “Ole Seagull” from the drop down menu reached through the “Contact Us” hyperlink at “BransonCourrier.com” Click here to go to the Ole Seagull’s Blog at Ole Seagull.Com.