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'PC' Greetings
by Jan Brazill
| Now that the Holiday Season is over are you beginning to feel guilty for expressing your goodwill by wishing everyone "Happy Holidays"? Several editorial columnists along with writers of Letters to the Editor have rebuked us for doing so, ridiculing us for trying to be "politically correct." |
Pundits rage Are you listenin'? On the page Words are glistenin' They've found a new cause And it ain't Santa Claus- Knockin' the "politically correct." |
What is "political correctness"? Simply being sensitive to others' possible differences in our diverse society and wishing them happiness in whatever tradition they enjoy. The people mocking all this are in a class with Senator Trent Lott, reflecting the attitudes of fifty years ago. They resent the modern observances of the Holiday Season, not realizing that everything evolves. What may have been once seen as a Christian Holy Day can still be observed in that sense by those so inclined, but the Holiday now associated with the Christmas season has become a time for celebrating family and friends. |
It is a period during which we slow our frantic lifestyles for awhile, taking pleasure in the delight of children at the bright lights and candy and gifts - a time which brings out the child in all of us. We enjoy friendships by sending greetings to friends from the past, and socializing with current friends. Purists, of course, resent the secular nature of all this fun. They would take the "Merry" out of "Merry Christmas," preferring to honor the birth of their god, Jesus, with sober ceremonies. |
They are the ones who try to remind us: "Jesus is the reason for the season." They are wrong. The Pagans had been celebrating the Winter Solstice - the date when days begin to lengthen - for centuries. Christians merely chose that date (which happened to be December 25 according to the Julian calendar in use at the time) to celebrate the birth of their Savior so they could do so undetected. Many non-Christians still celebrate the Winter Solstice as their seasonal Holiday. |
Another celebration that pre-dates Christianity and occurs during this period is the Hindu festival of Diwali. Hanukkah, the Jewish Festival of Light, takes place during December. The African American community celebrates its heritage and reinforces positive community values by observing Kwanza during the days between Christmas and New Year's. |
These are the religious or ceremonial celebrations. Then there is New Year's, a totally separate Holiday which is a festive occasion celebrated by almost everyone to welcome the new year with its hopes and dreams. |
Christians should stop trying to claim the "Holidays" as their exclusive domain since not everyone is a Christian or even religious. The American Religious Identification Survey 2001 found that nearly 30 million people in America fall into the broad category of having NO religion, accounting for roughly 14 percent of the population. Most of these still enjoy the parties and other festivities of the season. |
So actually the term "Happy Holidays" encompasses all traditions, making it the best greeting to use to embrace the greatest number of people during the Holiday Season. |
Those who think otherwise are modern-day Scrooges. |
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Freethinkers of Colorado Springs
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Phone: 719-594-4506