And that is Merry Christmas, that is what I’m going to say to you, deal with it.
I tend not to believe in political correctness. It obscures both honesty and intellectualism. Changing how harassment is pronounced, always having to watch what you say in fear of having some over-sensitive moron take offense. It is idiocy in its purest form.
The reason I say this is because of what I experienced the other day. The IT department had a Christmas party, which wasn’t so much a party as free food and a chance to stop working for a couple hours. But we sat and talked about World of Warcraft, so that’s always fun.
Well, one of my co-workers didn’t attend. Which is fine, I’m the last person to criticize someone for being antisocial. I ask her why she didn’t come, and I am met with a scowl and “I don’t celebrate Christmas.”
Well excuse the hell out of me. We’ll forget for a moment that we had a Hindu and a Muslim at the party. They saw it for what it was, a friendly get together, not a religious event.
I knew right away that she’s the person that ruins everything. She’s the one who takes offense at everything people say that just might, if taken out of context, offend her. She’s the reason people are afraid to say Merry Christmas.
So, this Christmas Season, if you celebrate Christmas, say Christmas. If you celebrate Haunakah, say happy Haunakah. I don’t give a damn, and neither should anyone else. Next person to scowl at me when I say Merry Christmas gets my boot up their ass.
Merry Christmas.
Zel-kun out.
Sabrejack | 25-Dec-05 at 10:12 am | Permalink
I went into Wal-Mart (shudder, trust me, I didn’t want to) and the bell ringer outside said “Merry Christmas!” I didn’t scowl, but I did grin and chuckle and I shook my head politely as I walked. She had this look on her face for just one moment, and then said, “Happy New Year!” I replied, “Thank you” as I passed her. Then she said, “Happy Haunakah?” I chuckled again and said, “You’re getting closer” as I entered the store (How Judaism is closer to Agnosticism is something I didn’t think all the way through.) She was gone in the 10 minutes it took me to get my item and get out, but I was looking forward to additional attempts.
I would never purposely attempt to ruin anyone’s day, but I -would- attempt to get people to think critically on the subject. If through my polite corrections I can get more people to stop blindly assuming everyone in this entire country is Christian, then it’s a little bit for the better. I would never be mean, or skip a friendly gathering because it was Christmas themed, but it’s the blanket assumption that gets on my nerves just a little bit this time of year.
A lot of otherwise normal non-observers also tend to get cranky around now, particularly if they’re not close to their families (in either sense.) Be willing to give your co-worker a second chance at a first impression once the holidays are over.
Zel-kun | 26-Dec-05 at 1:51 pm | Permalink
I hear you… I just feel people are way too senstivie about the subject.
I also think the people who know me, know that I rarely take offense at anything. With exception of people taking offense to me. Not sure if that makes sense, but there you have it.
And I always give people second, third, and fourth chances. If I didn’t, I happen to know I’d only still be friends with two people.
David N. Scott | 08-Jan-06 at 9:46 pm | Permalink
The only problem being that 95% of Americans celebrate Christmas, and 4% Hannukah. So, people that Don’t Celebrate Christmas are few and far between, given that that 5% is considerably less than pretty much any minority group than you think of (For instance, 5-13% of Americans claim atheism, so, if you consider all of the other groups that exist in America today, you’re even looking at a minority of atheists that don’t celebrate Christmas). So, it’s a pretty good bet that any given person you talk to celebrates Christmas, even if they’re not Christian.
Heck, I’ve seen people here and there who don’t celebrate Christmas and still say they appreciate the well-wishing, so I don’t even know what percent of the 5% would actually fall into the offended category.
Ta-da. Critically thought.
David N. Scott | 08-Jan-06 at 9:48 pm | Permalink
Oops, lost track of a bit of my argument (daughter fell off a chair). Anyway, if you trim that 5% down by the Hannukah-only households in addition to the appreciate any well-wishing people, you’re at an even smaller number.