Did you watch the holiday classic A Christmas Story?

For many Americans, Christmas means faith, family, food, and of course, presents. But it also means curling up with a mug of cocoa and watching those favorite holiday movies: It’s a Wonderful Life, A Christmas Carol, Miracle on 34th Street, A Christmas Story and many others.

A Christmas Story is one of my personal favorites.  It's the irreverent adaptation of Jean Shepherd's memoir of Christmas memories from childhood.  The childhood parallel's of a simpler time are moving, I'm certain, to many who watch.  It's a "must watch" in our home during the holidays.

But, Bob Clark, the prolific director of this film, and his 22 year old son Ariel, were killed on April 4, 2007 by a 24 year old drunk driver - an illegal alien from Mexico.  He had already been deported twice before.  He served six years in prison.  One has to pause and think of all the innocent victims, those who suffered and died at the hand of rapists, drunk drivers and drug dealers in the country illegally.  

The loss to those families, to our society and to our country of the gifts these people had is both heartbreaking and disturbing.