Happy Kwaanza
Is it just me, or is the thought of Nat King Cole singing "Merry Generic Winter Holiday" just not getting it?
The people of this country have gotten to the point where we are so afraid to say something that might offend someone, that we don't say much of anything...at least anything of substance. We're getting so vanilla that vanilla is starting to look spicy.
I've seen TV stations in the past say, Merry Christmas, Happy Hannuka and Happy Kwaanza, in an effort to include everyone who's celebrating some sort of holiday. Now, they don't even do that. I guess it's because someone might be celebrating some solstice or other that they forgot to mention.
Where did we get the idea that just because I'm not celebrating something, I'd be offended if I heard you say "Happy 12th of Never!" or whatever it is? Why would I be offended if there are 12th of Never gifts at Walmart? If anything, I can be thankful that I'm saving money by not participating. I hear "Happy Kwaanza", and to be honest, I have no earthly idea what that holiday is all about, but I don't mind people celebrating it. I don't mind seeing Kwaanza cards at the Hallmark store. If there was a convenient Kwaanza festival near my home in the middle of nowhere, I might attend if nobody minded, for educational purposes if no other. It's OK if I'm not included in every celebration that comes down the pike.
I really want to hear from someone who's offended by "Merry Christmas", and offended enough that they think the phrase should be replaced by "Happy Holidays". I want to know why. I want to know why, just because you don't celebrate something, you think the rest of the world should follow lockstep with you...or whisper their celebration behind closed doors, so you can live in a Christmas-free world. Help me understand why I should be offended by, "Happy Kwaanza!"
The people of this country have gotten to the point where we are so afraid to say something that might offend someone, that we don't say much of anything...at least anything of substance. We're getting so vanilla that vanilla is starting to look spicy.
I've seen TV stations in the past say, Merry Christmas, Happy Hannuka and Happy Kwaanza, in an effort to include everyone who's celebrating some sort of holiday. Now, they don't even do that. I guess it's because someone might be celebrating some solstice or other that they forgot to mention.
Where did we get the idea that just because I'm not celebrating something, I'd be offended if I heard you say "Happy 12th of Never!" or whatever it is? Why would I be offended if there are 12th of Never gifts at Walmart? If anything, I can be thankful that I'm saving money by not participating. I hear "Happy Kwaanza", and to be honest, I have no earthly idea what that holiday is all about, but I don't mind people celebrating it. I don't mind seeing Kwaanza cards at the Hallmark store. If there was a convenient Kwaanza festival near my home in the middle of nowhere, I might attend if nobody minded, for educational purposes if no other. It's OK if I'm not included in every celebration that comes down the pike.
I really want to hear from someone who's offended by "Merry Christmas", and offended enough that they think the phrase should be replaced by "Happy Holidays". I want to know why. I want to know why, just because you don't celebrate something, you think the rest of the world should follow lockstep with you...or whisper their celebration behind closed doors, so you can live in a Christmas-free world. Help me understand why I should be offended by, "Happy Kwaanza!"
John put this out here at 1:35 PM
6 Comments:
Maybe the TV stations decided that they could save time and money by just saying Happy Holiday's? I want to comment but personally I am not offended by much.
Public figures and entities need to appear inclusive, it's an understanding that not every one celebrates the same thing.
(so, I took a stab...did I make a point)
I disagree. Public figures and entities don't need to appear inclusive. They do on some matters because they represent everybody, and in that case, it's not a question of appearance. It's a matter of being inclusive. Public officials are elected or appointed to watch out for everybody, regardless of appearance. If they do that, the appearances will take care of themselves.
That was my problem with the Clinton quote, "I feel your pain." I don't care what you feel. I care about what you do.
Public figures, especially, are still entitled to their own beliefs, and are entitled to let them be known. A judge is entitled to have the 10 commandments on the wall in his chambers. When he does that, he's not the government establishing a religion. He's not saying his beliefs are any better than anyone elses, or that someone who believes what he does gets better treatment in his court. He's just displaying a document on his wall that embodies his beliefs. So what if you or I don't share them.
Sorry. I think I got off on a tangent, but anyway...I think the "Happy Holidays" movement, and that's what it is, is an attempt to pull God out of the holiday to satisfy everyone who want Him gone. It's a commercialization of Christmas in a way I find a bit disturbing. Not enough money in Christians...we need to open this holiday up more.
...and I think I did far more rambling than making a point, but I feel better now.
Hi John,
You should Google "truth about kwaanza" for some eye-opening info.
"right in the lumberyard" from Caddyshack, right?
:-)
http://www.jewishworldreview.com/tony/snow123199.asp
..."Now, the point: There is no part of Kwanzaa that is not fraudulent...
This is probably the best reference.
RG
'Right in the Lumberyard' is from the4 Caddyshak scene where Danny is Caddying for Ty, discussing options for his future, and the fact that Ty owns several lumberyards but has never seen them. Without going too far into it, it's when Ty gets Danny to hit a ball blindfolded, which he does. When he asks where it went, Ty tells him, 'right in the lumberyard.' That pretty much describes my golf game, and a lot of the rest of my life as well, but I'm having fun with it.
As for Kwaanza, and how fraudulent it may be...to be honest, I don't care. If someone want's to celebrate it, more power to 'em. I don't see the harm, as long as I'm not forced to participate, and no, being in earshot of someone wishing someone else "Happy Kwaanza" is not participation. It's their life, their choice. If tomorrow someone decides to celebrate fire ant mounds, and gathers thousands of like minded fire any mound lovers, good for them. If they build churches to the great fire ant mound in the sky, well, at least they believe in something (as long as they aren't hurting anyone...no human sacrifices to the great fire ant mound allowed, now), and if the next day, some judge in Alabama puts a picture of his beloved fire ant mound on the wall in his chambers, the ACLU should leave him and his mound alone. Then if he opens every session with something like, "Give me a moment of silence to contemplate the great mound, and we can get started." That should be OK too, even if some (me included) think it's a bit strange.
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