Friday, December 02, 2005

"War On Christmas"? How about the "War On Diversity"?

The Internet - (DCF) - For the past few months now, many far right media pundits (Bill O'Reilly, Sean Hannity, Rush Limbaugh) have been honking on and on - at great length - about the supposed "War On Christmas", claiming that the far left "loonies" (or, in the case of Ann "Man Hands" Coulter, all liberals) are working hard to destroy Christian values here in America, starting with the removal of the word "Christmas" from the English language, and replacing it with the more P.C. term, "Holiday".  This is based on a story about Target not using "Merry Christmas" in their advertising and replacing it with "Happy Holidays".

One of the arguments that has completely failed to come up is that the reason these businesses (such as Target) are taking "Merry Christmas" out of their ads and replacing it with "Happy Holidays" is to include those people who don't celebrate Christmas, thereby becoming more all-inclusive.  I think that's a great idea.

What happened to "America: The Melting Pot"?  More importantly, what happened to the freedom of religion that the Constitution promised everyone?  Personally, I think this whole thing is being handled the wrong way.  (Except by Target.)

There are hundreds of different religions in the world (many of which are practiced here in America by people who came here because they heard it was a nice place).  I think that they deserve a level playing field.

While I can agree that the word "Christmas" should not be removed, I also believe that people who celebrate other religions should be able to display it as openly and enthusiastically as Christians and Catholics do.  With that in mind, I think it's only fair to encourage those people to do what they can to show that they are proud of their beliefs.  I want to see a giant, inflatable menorah out in the front yard with flood lights around it.  Where's the waving, light-up Hannukah Harry statue on the roof?  And let's not forget a neon dreidel spinning slowly on the window sill.

Hey, and what about those folks who celebrate Kwanzaa?  No, really...what about them?  Rarely is any sort of Kwanzaa celebration mentioned.  You don't see any decorations at the local hardware store (although, in fairness, to see anything, you have to stumble through literally hundreds of fake Christmas trees).  If you're lucky, you might find an actual card (but only one) in green, red and black that says "Happy Kwanzaa" on it.  I think the Kwanzaa folks need a better P.R. guy.

And let's not forget our Pagan friends!  Winter Solstice is December 21st - did you get a card out to your Druid friends?

(***NOTE: I know there are a lot of religions I left out.  I don't have enough time and I'm too lazy to list them all.  Just assume that I believe they should be allowed to put inflatable icons on their lawns, too.***)

Oh yeah...and Happy Holidays (whatever it is).  To EVERYONE.

Derek
(DCF)    

3 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

You GO, boy! Here in Chicago, they display a three story Christmas Tree and a giant Mennorah in Daley Plaza every year (though I have yet to get downtown to see it this year). As for Ann Coulter, there's a woman who *desperately* needs to get laid! (though who would... Well..... Never mind (wince)). ;-)

T.R. Nunes (www.xanga.com/trnunes)

8:41 PM  
Blogger ThatBobbieGirl said...

As an actual, real live Christian person, I find that the more I learn about Christ and what's actually in the Bible (as opposed to listening to people TELL me what it says) the more uncomfortable I've become with celebrating Christmas, and I don't even mean just the over-the-topness that it has become, or the fact that He was more likely to have born in September than on December 25. Don't get me wrong -- I do hate the who-can-give-the-most-expensive-gift contests and the most-distasteful-house-and-lawn-decorations contests, but, it's more a sense of Jesus shaking his head at our total lack of "getting it" and I don't want to disappoint him. I'm working hard at trying to get it right.

8:42 AM  
Blogger Jeff said...

Like I always say, if you don't like something I say, just flip me off, that's what I'd do to you! You don't have to restrict the free speech of the majority just because someone gets their nose out of joint from hearing the words "Merry Christmas."

How about "Merry Christmas, if that's okay", whould that satisfy everybody?

(pssst - "Holiday" is derived from the words "Holy Day"....that's gotta offend somebody out there!)

:-)

4:07 PM  

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