In the midst of the rush to the malls or the websites, it is good to remember the two great traditions of the Holiday Season. A valiant band of freedom fighters resisted tyranny in 164 BC and celebrated the Hanukkah miracle. A small town called Bethlehem can only provide a barn for a baby who would split history in two and continue to inspire billions.

Sex sells. Sexual innuendo is used to sell cars and clothing, dances and dolls, mashed potatoes and movies. Men and women are assaulted on all sides with loudspeakers proclaiming endless ecstasy and forever fulfillment through pills or purchases.

I know you are expecting an answer to the Bambino and Billy Goat curses…But recent events demand a thoughtful response to an issue more important than politics or sports.

The crisis of illegal immigration will not go away by denial or more airport inspections of my birkenstock sandals. There are some not-so-secret agendas at work that touch both sides of the political spectrum. Let’s focus on the crisis in the Southwest. Thousands are crossing over from Mexico each year. Here are some of the “secrets”:

This is an unusual year. Both the Red Sox and the Cubs have a chance to play in the World Series. They will probably break our hearts, but you never know…the curses of the Bambino and Billy Goat may be lifted.