I was reading an online article about the holiday film The Nativity Story today that had a link to a rant on “Holiday Political Correctness” by the White House and retailers. As I read it, I realized that I too had fallen into the “PC” trap. This is not something that I normally do - generally I am pretty plainspoken and will call a flat-bladed digging tool a flat-bladed digging tool.
But yesterday, as I wrote out my Holiday-that-dare-not-speak-it’s-name cards, I realized I had chosen 3 different types of cards to send out this year: the special 3-D cards for close family members like my parents or my daughters, the main religiously-themed card for the bulk of my list, and a religiously-neutral Happy Holidays card for our work-related card recipients.
I’m definitely straddling the PC fence on this one. That said, I can’t help but be a little amazed at just how hyper-sensitive some people seem to be these days. I am not offended when someone wishes me “Happy Holidays” instead of “Merry Christmas”. I’d say that if a store clerk were to say “Happy Hanukkah” to me, I’d probably mindlessly reply “Thanks - Happy Hanukkah to you too” as I walked away cramming yet another receipt in my purse. You can’t offend me with an offer of goodwill.
There are many different groups which observe holiday celebrations during the month of December. Buddhists celebrate Bodhi Day, Jews celebrate Hanukkah, Christians celebrate Christmas, Muslims celebrate Id Al-Fitr, African-Americans celebrate Kwanzaa, Wiccans and many American Indians celebrate the Winter Solstice. So maybe it’s not the place of the government or even retailers to celebrate one of these holidays to the exclusion of the others.
Frankly, I think some of the PC stuff is pretty ridiculous. When they light the “Holiday Tree” in downtown Joplin for the season, I giggle inside because I know it’s really a Christmas Tree. I think it’s silly to to call it a “Holiday Tree”. It would be every bit as silly to call the big candelabra with nine candles the “Holiday Menorahâ€, although I guess we’d have to if they were going to light one each year in the downtown area. But it doesn’t offend me. And really, for all I know, the guy next to me might be giggling inside too, thinking “silly people - that’s not a Holiday Tree. It’s a pagan symbol of the winter solstice!”
On the other hand…
I also think it’s silly to pretend that the Christmas season isn’t about Christ. The “Happy Holiday-ization” of America makes it seem that Christians are being forced to sanitize their religious holiday and that Christ is being diminished in status to just another icon among many, while others are being encouraged to “celebrate their diversity”. I don’t want to marginalize other people - but don’t marginalize me either!
Tell you what, I’ll be sensitive to the fact that you may not celebrate my holiday when I send out my greeting cards. I won’t take your Hanukkah Menorah or Kwanzaa Unity Cup away from you and turn it into a Holiday Candelabra or a Holiday Cup. And you’ll let me celebrate my holiday too.
Christmas, Christ and St. Nicholas are Christian holidays and symbols. If you don’t want to celebrate, then don’t. Make up your own religion and holiday instead of trying to co-op mine and strip it of its meaning. You’ll need to come up with a catchy name though, and remember that Scientology and Kwanzaa are already taken. Happy Holidays.
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The deployment of the 293rd MP Company was reported in this week’s Frontline. Eric was featured in a picture and quote. Steph also sent me some pictures from the morning Eric deployed. You can see both the article and the pictures here.
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