Can I get a Merry Christmas?
So a Rabbi walks into an airport in Washington State, sees a Christmas tree but no menorah and decides he just might sue. I understand he asked management at Sea-Tac airport why there was no menorah and the answer from Sea-Tac management was to remove all of the Christmas (or to be politically correct “holiday”) decorations.
Can I just ask one question? Why? Could the Rabbi have simply asked his question without resorting to wanting to bring a lawsuit because his religion wasn’t represented? Could Sea-Tac management have explained their reasoning for not having a menorah without having to resort to take down all of the decorations? Perhaps they could have purchased a menorah to display alongside the Christmas tree?
Now that I have gotten myself started, can I ever get a “Merry Christmas” when I go into a store? I am deathly tired of “Happy Holidays.” I started getting happy holiday-ed at Thanksgiving. What? Thanksgiving can no longer be “have a happy-ed?” As far as I know, the consuming of turkey and mass quantities of other food is not a religious holiday, it is/was a time to celebrate a bountiful harvest.
No matter what religion – or no religion – an individual claims, is being wished a Merry Christmas such a horrible thing? Could you simply not return that particular greeting if you don’t want to. A friendly, “thank you” from the person who doesn’t want to respond in kind could go a long way. But for those of us who want to wish and be wished a Merry Christmas, I say, why not? Are everyone’s sensibilities so delicate as to be bruised by being greeted by a statement from a religion that may not be your own?
What ever happened to “peace on earth and goodwill toward men?” Perhaps that is a bit too “religious” or political a concept to be embraced.
Why must everything be so politicized and religion-ized that simple, greetings have to be tossed by the wayside for fear of offending someone. I am not Jewish but if someone wanted to say “Happy Hanukkah” to me because that is their greeting of choice, I say, bring it on. I would be happy to respond with a “thank you” or something along those lines.
So concludes my rant, bottom line, Merry Christmas. But now I am wondering if Happy New Year will be banned from popular greet-speak.
So a Rabbi walks into an airport in Washington State, sees a Christmas tree but no menorah and decides he just might sue. I understand he asked management at Sea-Tac airport why there was no menorah and the answer from Sea-Tac management was to remove all of the Christmas (or to be politically correct “holiday”) decorations.
Can I just ask one question? Why? Could the Rabbi have simply asked his question without resorting to wanting to bring a lawsuit because his religion wasn’t represented? Could Sea-Tac management have explained their reasoning for not having a menorah without having to resort to take down all of the decorations? Perhaps they could have purchased a menorah to display alongside the Christmas tree?
Now that I have gotten myself started, can I ever get a “Merry Christmas” when I go into a store? I am deathly tired of “Happy Holidays.” I started getting happy holiday-ed at Thanksgiving. What? Thanksgiving can no longer be “have a happy-ed?” As far as I know, the consuming of turkey and mass quantities of other food is not a religious holiday, it is/was a time to celebrate a bountiful harvest.
No matter what religion – or no religion – an individual claims, is being wished a Merry Christmas such a horrible thing? Could you simply not return that particular greeting if you don’t want to. A friendly, “thank you” from the person who doesn’t want to respond in kind could go a long way. But for those of us who want to wish and be wished a Merry Christmas, I say, why not? Are everyone’s sensibilities so delicate as to be bruised by being greeted by a statement from a religion that may not be your own?
What ever happened to “peace on earth and goodwill toward men?” Perhaps that is a bit too “religious” or political a concept to be embraced.
Why must everything be so politicized and religion-ized that simple, greetings have to be tossed by the wayside for fear of offending someone. I am not Jewish but if someone wanted to say “Happy Hanukkah” to me because that is their greeting of choice, I say, bring it on. I would be happy to respond with a “thank you” or something along those lines.
So concludes my rant, bottom line, Merry Christmas. But now I am wondering if Happy New Year will be banned from popular greet-speak.
posted by Robbi Hess & Peter Young | 6:33 AM
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