The cartoon above shows just how out of hand this debate has gotten. Am I really offended when people say Christmas? Absolutely not! Am I offended when people act as if it is the only thing going on right now? A little bit. The cartoon above is quite interesting because it depicts a child getting in trouble for doing this. To tell you the truth, children, in my experience are the most open about the holiday season. I always teach the winter holidays to my students. The kids really want to learn about other customs and celebrations. I am reading a chapter book right now called Horrible Harry and the Holidaze. It is a nice little story about a 3rd grade class and the holidays that are celebrated in their room. It covers many winter celebrations such as 3 Kings Day, Korean New Year, Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa. The kids are on pins and needles as I read each day and want to hear more. They go to the library each day during their recess to get more information on the holiday that they just heard about that day. When we wrote our pen pal letters today, one of the kids said "Ms. V., should we say Merry Christmas to them? What if they don't celebrate it?" Can you believe that? I promise - I had no influence on that end. The kids decided that they would say "Happy Holidays" so they "don't hurt anyone's feelings."
More on this subject...
In today's Modesto Bee, the following letter was submitted to the Editor.
Atheists also want to forbid happiness
No Merry Christmas? What kind of unhappy heathens are trying to dictate to us? What is next? No Happy New Year, no Good Friday, no Easter, no Happy Birthday, no Valentine's Day, no Mother's Day, no Father's Day, no Independence Day, no Labor Day, no Halloween, no Veterans' Day, no Thanksgiving Day? Will we no longer say, "happy days," "good morning" or "good night"? This would become a sad "Goodnight to America." These are part of our American heritage. If these ill-educated atheists do not like a "Merry Christmas," maybe they have no place in our society. Let them dwell in their own devil domain. Let's not let them take over our happy country. We can start by boycotting all these un-American pagans.
I don't usually write in but I did before I left for school this morning. We will see if it gets published. If it does, you read it here first! :-)
It saddened me to read (name omitted to protect the unenlightened!'s ) letter to the editor this morning. It is yet another hateful display of discrimination to all non-Christians living here in the U.S. Mr. _____ assumes that the only people who don't like the term "Merry Christmas" are Atheists. He then goes on to refer to Atheists as "un-Americans" who should "dwell in their own devil domain." Mr. _____: no one wants to take Merry Christmas away from you. There are many of us however that don't celebrate Christmas, not just Atheists. We celebrate Kwanzaa, Ramadan, Diwali, Hanukkah, other winter holidays or none at all. "Happy Holidays" seems to best encapsulate the spirit of the season.
Happy Holidays to all!
7 comments:
For such A "superior" Species....we sure are a sad, sensitive bunch...Maybe in the next evolutionary development, we could grow a thicker skin......pehaps.
From the looks of my home town, it doesn't look like they've heard that there is a "War on Christmas" here. Nor does it appear that the tenants of the houses lit up brighter than Disneyland think that there is an energy crisis. Especially interesting is the mixed metaphor neighbor who managed to combine reindeer, candy canes and Joseph, Mary and Jesus in the manger all in one small yard. Kjerringa mot Strommen
Kjerringa - Hey! I know that yard. On the way home from Sunday School several years ago Bina said "Hey look - it is Judah and Mary Maccabee!" :-)
Litte Mick: Thanks for stopping by!
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CindyLu - Thanks for making me feel like I am not alone in my thoughts. :-)
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Melissa: I was in Panama during Christmas one time. I was told to got to Las Tablas or Los Santos (I don't remember which one) to see a Christmas event. It was like going to Christmas Tree lane here in the U.S. It was very strange to see so many lights, snowmen, fake snow and Santa stuff all around. Especially when we were all sweating and in shorts and tanktops!
msabcmom,
My school's principal's office was recently redecorated to resemble a giant Christmas gift; even her phone was gift-wrapped. Above the school secretaries' desks, mulitple Santa Clauses drive herds of red-nosed reindeers through hanging asteroid fields of dangling, shiny ornaments. Staff craftspeople openly sell their wares as excellent Christmas gifts AND we were asked to kick down 7 dollars a piece to pay for hors d'ouvres (?) served at a staff function explicitly described as a CHRISTMAS PARTY (at which, we would presumably celebrate the birth of Jesus the Christ, right?)(It being such a holy occasion, we had to buy our own drinks,of course...) AND THEN, "para acabarla de amolar", as some of us say, last week, in the middle of all of this religious extremism, I get this cartoon you've featured here in my inbox FROM THE ON-CAMPUS POLICE OFFICER!
My conclusion: There is no "War on Christmas", just false feelings of persecution brought on by boredom and overeating and that special kind of insecurity that comes with having no true values but hate and a pathological need to, as some of us say, "estar chingando".
Happy Hannukah, and I hope they print your letter!
Hey Profe!
Thanks. The letter was printed today in THE BEE. Let's see what kind of hate mail I get as a result!!!
Well put Kelly. I couldn't have said it any better! Brilliant!
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