Except, perhaps, in the deluded, fevered mind of reactionary howler monkeys who sensationalize every little thing that encroaches on their vastly unrealistic vision of what they want America to be.
Well, here's something for them to chew on:
I have offered holiday greetings to people for a few weeks now, and they have done the same to me (I'm talking about people I meet in person; at work, stores, etc.). And do you know what? I am the one who always says "Merry Christmas". But of the many people involved in these exchanges, only two have ever actually used those words. All the rest have said "Happy Holidays".
Now, before anyone jumps to the conclusion that I only interact with black-clad, goatee-sporting, pierced-n-tattooed, tofu-munching, latte-sipping Wiccans, think again. I live in a small town in farm country, and pretty much all the people I work with and otherwise bump into are down-home, folksy, conservative-Christian types, who plaster the walls of their work cubicles with "wwjd" paraphernalia. The majority of those in these are matronly ladies in their 40's-50's who are usually the last ones to be categorized as anti-establishment.
So, here I am saying "Merry Christmas" to everyone, because that's who I am and I always have been and I like Christmas and that's basically what I celebrate. But in spite of right-wing pundits' statements to the contrary, my own examination of conservative America reveals that they happily volunteer the greeting "Happy Holidays" without thinking twice. Just as I have repeatedly said, it is a decades-old, perfectly acceptable Christmas-time greeting to all but the loopy right-wing fringe.
So, the so-called "War on Christmas" turns out to be just another ridiculous propaganda/public relations ploy from the radical right. Because they have no truths to offer, the only thing they have left is to sensationalize non-events to agitate people into considering, for a moment, their wacked-out assertions.
Well, they can stop now, because the holidays are almost over. I can hardly wait for Easter!
UPDATE I: To the Bill O'Reilly types, who, in their deranged zeal, think that this nation's founders intended for us all to say "Merry Christmas":
"...the Puritan pilgrims of New England outlawed the celebration of Christmas entirely.UPDATE II: OMFG. This congresswoman is a poster child for Republican stupidity. With all the important things that they could be doing, this is what they waste our time and money on. Idiots!
"Whosoever shall be found observing any such day as Christmas and the like, either by feasting, forbearing labor, or any other way ... every such person so offending shall pay for each offense five shillings as a fine to the country," read the early statute.
And Puritan clergyman Increase Mather found Christmas nothing but "mad mirth ... highly dishonorable to the name of Christ." source
UPDATE III: Ha Ha Ha! The Republican Party is trying to kill Christmas!
MERRY CHRISTMAS, EVERYONE!
2 comments:
Back at you brother. Incidentially, those who choose to lambast the Politically Correct language movement aught consider that it could be a good thing - for the first time, many people in the "majority" have/had to think about the power laced within the terminology used in every day venacular.
As in, think about why it's a problem. In that respect, it's a good thing, no?
P.S. I have no goatee.
Merry Christmas and the Hap-Hap-Happiest of New Years to you Shea.
May the coming New Year bring peace, prosperity, and the most honest of honest elections.
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