The “War” on Christmas
In which I probably piss off a bunch of my readers (again)
Will somebody tell Fox News to give up on this one? Gibson and O’Reilly are banging the tin drum on this meme and it’s hurting my ears!
No kidding! Have y’all noticed how I haven’t had much to say about the so-called “War on Christmas?” There’s a reason for it.
It’s stupid and phony.
Have those of you on the “War on Christmas” bandwagon not noticed that the Commanding General in this “war,” John Gibson of Fox News, has a book out now called The War on Christmas? Doesn’t it strike you as a BIT coincidental that it’s become the number one topic on Fox News since the book’s release? It smacks of manufactured outrage as a marketing ploy.
To be sure, I’m annoyed, sick, and tired of the annual idiocy where the Michael Newdow Amen Corner comes out and says to get rid of that “oppressive” Christian (even secular Christmas) stuff. I’m just saying, there’s a lot of new hyperventilating going on about stuff that has ALWAYS been around. For example, people saying “Happy Holidays.”
I’ve ALWAYS said “happy holidays” to people I don’t know are Christian/celebrate Christmas. It’s called MANNERS. Similarly, I don’t go around saying “Happy Hanukkah” to people I don’t know are Jewish. (Ever had a Jewish person randomly wish you, a Christian, “Happy Hanukkah?” I didn’t think so.) Either way implies the assumption that everyone else agrees with one’s own POV. It’s just bad form, if you ask me. Don’t make the mistake in thinking I don’t love Christmas, either. I do.
And honestly, even here in Roy Moore’s Bible Belt Alabama (make no mistake–I’m fiercely proud of my state), I have yet to hear of anyone shrieking about the “war on Christmas,” or belligerently yelling “Merry Christmas” to make a point. Maybe people just have better manners here, even when there are very few who don’t celebrate Christmas. That “southern hospitality” thing isn’t just a myth, y’know.
I like John Gibson, but this silly crusade seems like an extremely cynical and transparent marketing ploy. I can’t believe how many people have leapt onto that silly bandwagon, because all it does is piss off those with whom they disagree (the Newdow lunatics and others like them) even more, and strengthen their resolve. Just like THEIR actions make you want to scream “Merry Christmas” to everyone–and worse, force businesses to use politically correct language (Merry Christmas instead of Happy Holidays). And if you think forcing them to say “Merry Christmas” isn’t forced politically correct speech, you need to check your definition of “politically correct.” Don’t be a hypocrite.
Finally, I am fully aware that many, if not most, non-Christians aren’t the least bit bothered by people saying “Merry Christmas,” and I can definitely appreciate people who don’t take offense to harmless niceties. I just choose not to be lazy and make assumptions–it’s simply about manners and respect for others.
Why should anyone on any side of the issue ruin a perfectly happy holiday season with this silly bickering every single year? Scrooges!
Happy Holidays to everyone!
UPDATE: I neglected to mention Greta/Hooah Wife’s post because I read it last week and stupidly spaced it. It’s her post that set the wheels in motion to write something after much internal aggravation, and the Commissar’s post that got me off my lazy butt. You need to read Greta’s piece, for a Jewish perspective on “Happy Holidays.” It’s EXACTLY why I say “happy holidays.” (Or “Happy Festivus!” haha)
Tags: Christmas, War on Christmas, holidays
UPDATE: Just as I figured, the Chicken Little Scrooges still Do. Not. Get. It. This is one of those times when I just tune out, because I don’t like paying attention to people on “my side” who are paranoid extremists. There’s no farking nuance in anything I write here, y’all. TRY to read it. You’re just looking for a fight, and I’m not wasting my time with people who are, IMHO, stuck on stupid.
F.E.T.E.
Hardcore Conservative says:
“n which I probably piss off a bunch of my readers (again)”
Yup you’re right you did just that
Darleen says:
I cringe a bit at the hyperbole, but I’m also amused at the anklebiting going on at liberal blogs miffed at what I call “push back” to some of the more egregious efforts to de-Christmas Christmas.
While some have called me liar or worse, my mom DID have her post office person tell her that the PO was going to discontinue future issues of “overtly religious” stamps (after the negative publicity, suddenly the PO blinks and says..wha? Who us?) AND he was told NOT to say “Merry Christmas” but “Happy Holidays.”
Then again, I’m in California so I don’t have to tell you how nervous people get out here in the land of Vanilla Latte’s and Crystal worship. So a lot of lily-livered office managers, school principals, and low-level supervisors go “overboard” in stomping out the offending “C” word and demanding everything be labeled “Winter Holiday” etc. :???:
Jeff H says:
Holly wasn’t born in Bethlehem to die for my sins.
Christ was.
And I suspect a cause of the low atheist “chatter” down your way has to do with widespread gun ownership, not “manners”. Though good marksmanship makes for good neighbors.
Merry Christmas, ya old poot.
Beth says:
Maybe that’s the difference (what Darleen said)–there just aren’t many shrieking atheists here. OTOH, they sure were here to raise hell about Roy Moore’s Ten Commandments monument. Asshats.
It’s not gun ownership, though. People here really ARE that polite, and I love it here because of everyone’s good manners and consideration. It IS God’s country, so to speak. It was a total–and wonderful–culture shock from the rampant rudeness of Washington DC.
Jeff, I totally understand what you’re saying, and I celebrate Christmas for the same reason you do. But I acknowledge the fact that not everyone does, and that I don’t know who those people are. That’s all I’m saying. I figure, why go there, when all I want to do is wish them a happy holiday season, whether it’s Christmas or Hanukkah or whatever. I scoff at goofy shi’ite like “Winter Solstice,” though–you won’t catch me saying “blessed solstice” or whatever they say. Happy Hanukkah, definitely yes, though. And it’s just easier to say “Happy Holidays” and cover it all, since all I want when I say it is for people to be happy, whatever the occasion.
And of course, I’m sure I could easily get away with saying Merry Christmas to everyone here in Alabama and nobody would even notice. I just don’t, unless they say it first. Otherwise, happy holidays.
Hardcore Conservative says:
Foamy says it best!
Happy Kwanzaa Beth :roll:
Bill says:
It is interesting to note that the word Holiday comes from the old english Halig Dag, or somthing close to that. Directly translated, it means Holy Day. Thus, saying ‘Happy Holiday’s!’ is esentially saying ‘Happy Holy Day’s!’
Joe Six Pack says:
Joe Six Pack: You are free to re-post your comment ONLY when you treat the others at this site with some common decency. I don’t put up with my readers getting slagged by drive-by commenters, so knock it off.
Act like you weren’t raised by monkeys, OK? Even if you were.
–The Management™
Beth says:
HC: I think you’re missing the irony in your saying, “Happy Kwanzaa.” :???:
Vinnie says:
Aw, that wasn’t fair. Joe Six Pack had a valid point.
Joe Six Pack says:
No, no, I was way out of line.
Vinnie says:
Eh, it happens to all of us at one time or another, you’ll get over it.
Alli says:
Thank G-d. Someone else noticed the timing with the book and coverage. I thought I was completely lost. Thanks Beth! :-)
Security word: bill. Heh.
Joe Six Pack says:
Yeah, but she 86′d me so quick.
I think my free speech rights were violated.
Vinnie says:
Don’t go asshat on me, Joe.
Besides, we know who put the Dik in Diktat
basil's blog says:
Breakfast 12-06-2005
Try one of these specials with your breakfast:
WuzzaDem continues watching the Situation Room
Euphoric Reality find John Kerry didn’t ask for a specific timetable before he did ask for a specific timetable
Beth says “Happy Holidays…
J.Doe says:
I am not offended my any of those greeting, Merry Chirstmas, Happy Hannukah, Happy Kwaanza, happy holidays….after all it is the spirit of the message after all which is have fun, eat, drink and be merry.
As rhe saying goes, the only thing I don’t like to be called is late for dinner.
don surber says:
Not to pat myself on the ass but I pegged this one last Thursday in my column in the Charleston (WV) Daily Mail, which I also posted on my blog
Greta (Hooah Wife) says:
Check out my previous post about this whole thing http://hooahwife.blogspot.com/2005/11/this-jews-views-on-christmas.html
It is the Jewish perspective on this whole “war on Christmas.” I also told Jay at Stop the ACLU to step back and re-evaluate his goals. He is on the ACLU hates Christians and Christmas thing too. Hard not to happen at Christmas time, but getting a little old for this Jew. Happy Festivus!
Pyjamas Media (nee Open Sore Media) » Blog Archive » Indeed says:
[...] HEH [Trackback URI] [link] [...]
Hardcore Conservative :: Grrr! :: December :: 2005 says:
[...] The Anti-Christmas moonbats need to sit down and STFU Comments » [...]
JustThinker says:
While I get your point - there may be some alterior motives some people are pushing - in my personal opinion this year is kind of the straw that broke the camels back. Mr. Newdow (and I use the term Mr. very loosely) and all the suspiciously lacking “Christmas” adversing seems to have reached a climax and really ticked me off this year.
I get it, I don’t go around wishing people a Merry Christmas at Random - unless maybe they’re buying a Christmas tree, or wearing some clearly Christmas oriented apparel etc.. but my point is that too many stores have blatently, and purposefully removed the word Christmas from their advertising.
I respect them trying to not offend people - but hey, how about this! Rather than offend people by ignoring their religion (especially when it happens to be the #1 celebration which boosts merchandise sale for the year and makes retailers profitable) how about if we embrace other people’s religions instead?
I loved how the Lowe’s signs said “Holiday Trees” in English and “Christmas Trees” in spanish. (see my blog).
I also understand that commercialism isnt’ the reason for the season. NO one wants people to quit spending over their heads for Christmas decor/gifts/etc. - and going into debt for the next year or more - any more than I do! Clearly that’s not the point of the season.
My point is that it’s not all imagined. Sure, some of it may be convenient, but there’s more to it than the credit (or lack thereof) that you’ve giving it.
Don Surber says:
The War On Happy Holidays
Beth at My VRWC is another counter-revolutionary!
Sigmund, Carl, And Alfred says:
Happy Holidays, Quagmires And Lines In The Sand
Beth, of My Vast Right Wing Conspiracy, has another ‘make sense’ post, The ‘War’ On Christmas. In it, she takes a look at the war on the ‘war’ on Christmas…This isn’t the first time Beth has stood front and center. Remember Qagmire? Beth had p…
your mother says:
Is it still okay to say “Happy New Year” ??
Beth says:
HA! NO, Mom, it is NOT OK. It’s “Happy Festivus for the Rest of Us!” hahahahhahaa
You Christian-basher, you! (I was called that, as well as an “anti-Christmas moonbat” today. Hilarious! I blame you, Mom!)
Vinnie says:
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again.
I am adopting YOUR MOTHER
scoopstories says:
Christmas Under Attack?
So some bloggers and news stories seem to be suggesting Christmas is under attack. Take Alexandria’s All Things Beautiful blog, for example, where she lists alleged proof of this. But Don Surber rightly questions this campaign by Fox News and
All Things Beautiful says:
The Declaration of War on Christmas
Attacks on Christmas dominate today’s headlines – judges banning nativity scenes, retailers renaming Christmas trees “Holiday trees,” schools forbidding children from singing Christmas carols and even banning the colors red and green!
dingo says:
Here in New York, I am going to be wrong at least 1 out of every 3 times I say merry christmas (maybe even more since I am a lawyer), so I just stick with the traditional New York greeting - “Whad da f–k you loo’n at.” That way I can bring the holiday cheer to everyone.
Adam's Blog says:
Christmas Wars II: Attack of the Moderates
I’m going to go ahead and take on some of the naysayers in the “War on Christmas.” Lets start with Don Surber who has a problem with Jerry Falwell having 1600 lawyers on hand to counter the ACLU on this Christmas stuff. I find that position non-sens…
Bloggin' Outloud says:
War on Christmas: Christian vs Christian
Rounding up the suspects. In one corner we have those who believe that the culture war has escalated and Christmas is taking a hit. In the other corner, we have those who are concerned that we’re creating a controversy where none exists. Let’s duke i…
Cotillion says:
Leading Up To A Cotillion Christmas
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas and the Cotillion ladies are busy preparing. Cleaning and decorating, cookies to bake and dinners to cook, along with seemingly endless shopping. Gifts to wrap…oh, don’t even remind me of the…
amomandherblog.com » Leading Up To A Cotillion Christmas… says:
[...] Ok, let’s start at Beth’s from My Vast Right Wing Conspiracy. Alot has been said about the “War On Christmas” this year. I’ve had to deal with this a bit myself, as I work in retail. I’ve actually had a few customers tell me that if the associates are not allowed to say “Merry Christmas”, that they will find somewhere else to shop. (I said it…I probably wasn’t allowed to…but rarely has that stopped me before.). But Beth has another take on it…and brings out a few interesting points, things that I really hadn’t given much thought to. To be sure, I’m annoyed, sick, and tired of the annual idiocy where the Michael Newdow Amen Corner comes out and says to get rid of that “oppressive” Christian (even secular Christmas) stuff. I’m just saying, there’s a lot of new hyperventilating going on about stuff that has ALWAYS been around. For example, people saying “Happy Holidays.” [...]
Zendo Deb says:
The war is actually against any non-Christian Soltice Celbrations. It goes back a long way when to the 4th Century at least.
December 25 was originally the winter solstice. It got moved as part of calendar reform - whenever that was. Yule, Saturnalia, and a host of other Soltice celebrations - one for each religion - were all held at that time of year. The 25 was coopted as an easy to crush those other celebrations. Usurpation being easier than extermination.
But for a long time Happy Holidays and Season’s Greetings were OK. In recognition that not everyone is a Christian. But today they want to finish the job and exterminate the last reference to any other religion aside from Christianity.