Nashville's Online Source for Daily News
Search Site
Time for annual Christmas assault
It’s become an annual ritual. Each December the Anti-Christmas Crowd (ACC) emerges from hibernation to engage in political correctness run amok.
This year we have already seen shopping centers in England tell Santa to exercise and lose weight or risk being sacked. Seems they believe that the epidemic of childhood obesity can actually be traced to kids having a desire to follow in the boot steps and belly roll of Old St. Nick. I guess Xbox is off the hook.
Another mall in Australia instructed their Santas to dump the boisterous “Ho, Ho, Ho” because it might frighten little children. A soft chuckle was suggested as a reasonable alternative. Little kids have always been afraid of Santa… until they figure out that he brings toys. Then they love him, regardless of how he laughs.
A town in Colorado wanted to dispense with the green and red color scheme of its December décor out of fear that those hues might be seen as “too religious.” Funny, nothing in the Bible refers to Jesus having a particular color preference, but that probably wouldn’t stop the ACLU from seeking an injunction anyway.
Nashville Mayor Karl Dean wisely will avoid the controversy that former Mayor Bill Purcell created a few years back when Purcell’s Administration suddenly and inexplicably decided that the city’s “Christmas Tree” would henceforth be called a “Holiday Tree.”
In the wake of public outcry, Purcell quickly reversed course. Last year it was back to being a Christmas tree and on Dec. 6 Mayor Dean will keep tradition alive when he officially lights it on the Public Square.
Nevertheless, “Holiday Tree” is still the preferred choice for the politically sensitive ACC. The good news is that most Americans aren’t buying it. A new Rasmussen Reports poll indicates that 67% of us prefer the term “Merry Christmas” to “Happy Holidays.”
That overwhelming preference extends across all demographic and geographic lines. However, there is a dramatic difference between the level of political correctness expressed by Democrats and Republicans — 88% of the Republicans polled preferred “Merry Christmas; while only 57% of Democrats did.
The bottom line is that during the stressful and over-sensitized weeks ahead everybody needs to be a bit slower to find offense. Greeting someone with the words “Happy Holidays” is not necessarily an affront to Christmas. There are a lot of holidays this time of the year, including Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Christmas, and New Year’s Day. If we add in college bowl games and the Super Bowl the number increases even further. Recognizing the reality of the diversity of celebrations that take place during the next month or so should not be taken as an insult.
But a tree decorated with Christmas ornaments and Christmas lights, around which are placed Christmas presents that are opened on Christmas Day, all as part of a Christmas celebration cannot possibly be anything but a CHRISTMAS tree. Calling it anything else is a ridiculous embrace of political correctness at the expense of common sense. And like it or not, the vast majority of those packing malls in the weeks ahead will be doing their CHRISTMAS shopping.
So get over it. And have a Happy Holiday Season, however you choose to celebrate it!
Steve Gill is a statewide radio talk host who can be heard locally on 1510 am WLAC Monday-Saturday from 8-11 a.m. His website is www.gillreport.com
Delicious
Digg
StumbleUpon
Newsvine
Facebook
Twitter
Google
Technorati
Mailing list sign-up
1265 Kenmore Place, Nashville, TN 37
Price: $199,900
Bedrooms/Bathrooms: 4/3
199 Westland Dr, Portland
Price: $107,500
Bedrooms/Bathrooms: 3/2
View More Homes
Thank the ACLU for this one.Merry Christmas everyone.
Ah, the war over what religion OWNS the "season to be merry," has started - albeit late this year. Look, the pagans started this one, Gill. Jews jumped in later. If Christians want to piggyback, that's just fine. But ya don't own it.
Steve Gill is so sleazy. He smears the A.C.L.U. (which protects his right to do so) w/out any justification. The A.C.L.U. isn't involved w/ the Colorado town but Gill implies that it is. He cannot find anyone who wants to call a Christmas tree a Holiday tree, but he claims that there is a movement trying to do that. Then, after creating strawmen & unnecessarily smearing a great organization like the A.C.L.U., he claims that we should be more tolerant & slower to find offense. If he has nothing to say, then he shouldn't be writing, and THE CITY PAPER should re-think its contract with him. When will THE CITY PAPER have some non-regressive columnists?By the way, there is nothing religious about a Christmas tree. It is a tradition separate from--&, in many places, older than--any winter Christian celebration.
My opinion is that Happy Holidays should be struck from the English language and everyone made to say Merry Christmas! If not, they go to jail and are forced to hear the Christmas story from the Bible played over and over all day and all night for a week! Maybe someone would finally get the message what Christmas is all about!
So Mr. Gill ends his diatribe with "Have a Happy Holiday Season?" If "most Americans aren't buying it," then just who is the ACC? Some malls in ENGLAND and AUSTRALIA? A little town in Colorado? Looks like the hate mongering rightie is reaching pretty far for examples to back up his idiotic ideas.MR. NCP: this guy is a waste of paper.Merry Xmas.
How is it that one should not be “forced” to be around someone else’s celebration or belief, but that person/group should be forced to not even display it? That is NOT what this country was/is built on, and we have all been given the greatest ability of all, to walk away from that which we disagree with! Nobody, and I mean NOBODY is hurt from someone else’s display of what they believe, unless they are attacking some one or their belief. That is not the case with the display of a Christmas Tree, decorations, mangers, etc. If you get offended by it, don’t participate in it, deal with those that display it, or put up your own version of what you see as a holiday. When are people gonna grow the freak up?!?!?!?!
Right, Bart! Force-fed piety! That's the true message of Christmas!Thanks, Fundit, for the voice of support. THE CITY PAPER has accused me of being too critical. It's good to see that I'm not alone.
Crap, you arrogant ignorance is so FREAKING irritating. The NCP isn’t accusing you, they are TELLING you! Get a freaking clue!! You live in another world that is so far removed from reality, it is hard to understand how you can even function!
Happy an ultra fabulous fantastic Merry Christmas..... and if you don't like it, you can kiss my .... (just kidding) Christmas wreath on my front door! And my Christmas tree has angels (oops, those are Christian symbols, my bad) LOL Seriously, it's about being thankful and joyous in everything He has given us. We are the luckiest nation and we should be grateful for it.
Oh, not this again!
MJB perhaps in other towns the ACLU accomplishs something but in this town they are impotant.Lets not "assault" each other the focus should be on assaulting the Gillster. :)Thats it, lets give him a nick name. I can think of another but I will leave that one one of you for the time being.
NOBODY calls a Christmas tree a Holiday tree, right? Nashville did, just two years ago. And the State of Wisconsin STILL DOES.http://www.madison.com/tct/news/258826
That you gilly? Michael is on a rant today about huckleberry I might change the station and listen to you awhile.You ranting on CNN too today? They deserve it.
ID: That spelling was interesting. Are you saying the ACLU is IMPORTANT or IMPOTENT?Big diff there.Two years ago! From what I recall that was the Metro Council who requested the tree be called a Holiday Tree. You know - those brie eating, chablis drinking, Volvo driving, croc wearing New England transplants like Mr. Crapton?
IMPOTANT right from heidi's mouth they don't "do" cases here in nashville they only raise funds.
Also, contrary to the posting above that the ACLU had nothing to do with the proposal in Ft. Collins to eliminate red and green lights, the head of the ACLU in Ft. Collins headed the committee that made that recommendation. Although I am sure MJB won't lets facts get in the way of his/her opinion.
Nor would you (if you are indeed Mr. Gill). And you actually get paid for it. Sad. Very sad.
He is plugging his "eitorial" lol But he is directing them to the right side of the site rather then here.
It does make me wonder what a Muslim Xmas tree would look like - lol! Geez, I just don't understand why folks get so upset over semantics. Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays....same sentiment, right?
Oh blanket. Happy Holidays means you hate America and don't love Jesus ;-)
A little jealous fundit?And for the newbie, MJB is girl, not that that negates or adds anything, just FYI. But, what is scary, is that she is a TEACHER!! Be scared, be very scared!!
Oh, Fundit. Did I make the baby Jesus cry? 8~)
Jealous of what? There is a huge Merry Christmas sign on my Christmas wreath on my door. Just don't feel the need to announce it here. There. I just did. Now I feel better. Not.MJB just so happens to be the smartest person in the room. Not that anyone would notice.
MJB a teacher?! I always thought MJB stood for Mary J Blige.Seriously, Gill is doing the exact same thing that he is so against in his article. Every year we are assaulted by those who wish to change something about Christmas because it may offend someone and then we are subjected to those who staunchly defend Chirstmas and what it means. All it does is take a little more fun out of the holiday every year. Personally give me Thanksgiving any time, food, family and football, three things I am really thankfull for.
Jealous that Gill gets paid for mouthing and you/MJB don’t!!And nobody cares what, or how, you celebrate, accept for a certain “group” of near-do-wells that pretend to know what is best for the world.As to MJB being smart, crap, I spit coffee thru my nose when I read that!! You owe me BIG time!!!!
Holy crap. A teacher? No wonder she is so far left and the kids are what they are.One of Pedros deciples.
It's "disciples," id. And Pedro wasn't over the school system when you attended.
revo. It's hard to take your opinions seriously because like ID, you seem to have a problem with everyone in the room. No matter what they say or do.
Happy Chanukah, Ya'll!
Thanks nazi but I am not hireing right now and if I was it would be a woman. Much more pleaseing on the I's. (lol)
I don't think ID went to school. Folks in them piney woods didn't have no time for learnin' and wutnot.Doesn't MJB teach at college level? Way over revo's head, no doubt.
Now fundit that is not very nice. I don’t think that id would appreciate being compared to me! I have very few “problems” with the other posters, except for the self righteous, holier-than-thou, arrogant ones that think if you don’t agree with them that you then don’t know anything, or “can’t be reasoned with”.But you appear to be a disciple/student of MJB so your defense is expected and noted!
I hold my own against the elitist liberals.The more they bash me the more it shows how easy they are.Frankly they should be embarresed that someone with so little formal education makes them do the things they do.By trying to put me down the morons are putting themselves down and don't even realize it. Shows just how bad the state of education is today.
Oh for crying out loud! Call it what you will...just don't tell anyone ELSE what to call it! I call it Christmas because I'm a Christian.Merry Christmas and Peace Be With You All!
Gilley, just a quick factual note: A member of the A.C.L.U. was on the Fort Collins task force, along w/ businesspeople & representatives from churches & community groups. The red/green business was simply a suggestion for lights on the outside of city buildings, suggesting that the city consider all white lights for outside areas.The A.C.L.U. member did not lead the task force & didn't represent the A.C.L.U. on the task force. Apparently, you couldn't get through all the ranting right-wing bloggers on this topic to discover any factual stories.
BTW Fundit,Like it was said on Stephen King's The Stand "Country don't mean stupid"...and a college education doesn't mean one is necessarily smarter either...it simply means they were stubborn enough to stick it out until they got their degree.
MJB,I am not aware of said task force...however I DO note that you did not say an A.C.L.U. member was present on the force. Further, it would be rather difficult for you to say whether or not he was representing the A.C.L.U. without being on the force yourself.So, for clarification purposes only, WERE you on the force?
MJB,My apologies. What I meant to say was, you did not say there was NOT an A.C.L.U. member on the force.
MJB,I see...so you've read about the meetings and what was printed in the news and perhaps in the minutes but you were not present to know exactly what was occurring, including things that happen "off-line" which in fact do occur at most business meetings.Understood. Thank you for the clairification.
By the way, I agree completely w/ Payne's (& King's) remark about college & about "country". I have taught people from many different backgrounds. Stupidity is spread fairly & evenly. Thus, I won't say that the human beings hiding behind the monikers "Idgaf" & "Revo-lou" are stupid, but most everything Idgaf & Lou write is stupid. And misinformed: I think that Lou stated that I'm female & a teacher, and that Id stated that I teach in the public schools. Some of that (such as the former of Lou's notions) is completely wrong, and none of it is exactly right. Ignorance becomes them, however, which is a reason to ignore them.
Well then my sweet, that would make you a liar, something that never goes away. And it would appear that the old adage “it takes one to know one” would apply to you, calling others postings stupid. I just wish I had the ability to flick you away like the gnat you are!
Revo-lou,Why is it relevant whether or not MJB is a teacher or not and which grade level she teaches? I fail to see a correlation here.BTW MJB, one thing you said which I tend to disagree with is the statement you made that the A.C.L.U. protects someone's right to speak their minds, even to critisize...the First Amendment to the Constitution protects this. The A.C.L.U. is an organization created to enforce this Amendment. A SMALL difference to be sure, but a difference nonetheless.
chief – The grade level has no relevance, and not something I mentioned, until someone else said it was college level. I don’t care about that. I have the utmost respect for the teaching profession, and have many family members that are/were teachers or principals. I just use that against MJB since “she” holds herself to such a “high” standard, which appears to be a complete falsehood. Teachers, at any level, are held by me, and should be by others, to the highest level of ability, aptitude, and performance. MJB finds it necessary to “force” what she cannot teach. Her inability to reach her goal, and her inability to find appropriate methods to get her point across are a reflection of her as a teacher, and I think that needs to be pointed out.It is one thing to have an opinion, it is another to deny that they could be wrong, or condemn someone for not agreeing with them, which MJB does on a regular basis. Like any dog that craps on the carpet, she doesn’t like to be shown that again, and have her nose held to it.
Revo-lou,MJB "forces" what she cannot teach? Do you have a child in her class? She cannot "force" anyone to accept anything as correct...particularly if it is just here in a forum. As for her having problems getting her point across, that is difficult at the best of times for many people. Besides, making a case for an opinion vs. teaching a subject in school which normally does not change for long periods of time (not to mention long-range preparations and class plans being available) are entirely two different things, and thus can't really be compaired properly.Many people deny they are wrong on their opinions...but that is their right to do. You believe you are correct and she is wrong and she believes she is correct and you are wrong. The logic of your argument wins the day...not name calling or anything else.I think you BOTH refuse to look at the opinion of the other in a logical manner. If you did, you'd both discover that the odds are, you're each right at times. Of course, that's MY opinion. LOL
chief – Watch for awhile, you will come to understand.
Revo-lou,Very well...I'll withhold further comments.
Thanks, Payne, for the sensible sentences, although please change the sex of the pronoun when referring to me. I agree that reason is difficult, and that forcing can hardly be done in this venue. It appears that you are discussing w/ Lou. I tried that some months ago, but he (I presume) made so many ignorant, stupid, irrational, & downright offensive statements that I stopped attending to any of his remarks.I certainly agree w/ you about the First Amendment, but we both know many times when its "protections" haven't been enforced. Thus, we need the A.C.L.U. to safeguard the protection enumerated in the First Amendment. W/out the vigilance of the A.C.L.U. (& others, of course), any rights could be worthless. Thus, anyone who wants to continue speaking or writing his/her mind should be grateful for the work of the A.C.L.U., no matter whether one agrees w/ every case it takes.
chief – We can comment on all kinds of things. I am always curious as to what people think of the ACLU. I think it is a very interesting organization. It has no doubt helped many people whose rights were being trampled on (Christmas Trees, or colors, or displays not being in that category) but lately seems to be reaching for a different goal. I am sure it is a related topic that we can have a civil discussion about.
MJB,Granted the A.C.L.U. has done some good in the world...it simply appears to me their defense of the First Amendment has altered to the point of dealing with minute and insignificant issues. However, that is my opinion. I believe the First Amendment can stand on it's own if allowed to do so. If it cannot, then our country is in FAR worse shape than anyone could possibly imagine. I suspect what I am saying is I am grateful for the A.C.L.U. for what it has done but question the direction of their work in the last decade or so.As for remarks that are "ignorant, stupid, irrational, or downright offensive" in nature, I believe if they are fought with sufficient logic, one cannot help but prevail against them. I tend to ignore the insults and focus on the line of logic or lack there of. I find when I do that, those who lack sufficient rationale tend to lose in the long-run and just fade out.
Revo-lou,I concur to a degree on the point that lately the A.C.L.U. have seemed to have changed the direction of their work. However, as the old saying goes, I'd rather not throw out the baby with the bath water.The A.C.L.U. does have an important place in our society as a watchdog for violations to the First Amendment. I do worry that the direction of the A.C.L.U. is moving is not the best for all concerned, however.As for Christmas, no one can make you call it anything other than what you choose to call it. As such, it is irrelevant whether or not a store calls it a Holiday tree or not. If I am purchasing a tree at a store, it will be a Christmas tree when I get it home...because I am a Christian. After all, if you were not buying a tree at a store and were instead cutting one down in a forrest, it wouldn't be called a Christmas tree until you got it home either.