War on Christmas? Or something else?

[flewellyn]

Yet again, this year, we're hearing the right-wingnuts spouting off about how the "secular humanists" and the "liberal elite" are making war on Christmas by saying "Happy Holidays", as if this was some crime. Right wingers are adamant that somewhere, there are "secular humanists" and "ACLU types" who are trying to oppress Christians.

Ignoring the fact that it's hard to oppress a majority that controls most of the wealth and power, I have a message for those right-wing idiots who are still going on about "War on Christmas":

People, please.

We know that you conservatives like to speak in code words, but you're not fooling anyone. You haven't been fooling anyone for some time now.

We know full well that when you say "secular humanists" or "liberal intelligentsia" or "urban elite", you mean "Jews", okay? Give up the pretense already.

And while we're at it, stop saying "welfare mothers" or "illegal immigrants", and just say "blacks" and "Hispanics". We know you hate them too, so stop trying to be coy.

Comments

[cherrypep.livejournal.com]

Well, in fact I answer to the description of a secular humanist, and I say 'have a nice holiday' around this side of Christmas because half the people I work with are of religions other than Christian. Not that this dilutes your point of course; (1) these are ill-disguised code words, and (2) I don't live on the same continent ;-)

[lucretiasheart.livejournal.com]

'Specially since most welfare mothers are rural white women-- but, whatEVA!

[sheistheweather]

I'm Pagan. They blame all kinds of things on us. :p

[allthelivesofme.livejournal.com]

Ignoring the fact that it's hard to oppress a majority that controls most of the wealth and power

You're not supposed to point that out, silly! They're the persecuted minority, remember? Umm, well, except when they're ranting against Hollywood. Then they're the 'silent majority' who should be catered to or else the power of their boycotts will shut down the entertainment industry. Or except when talk turns to ordaining gays, lesbians, or women in some churches, because we 'all' know that's not what God wants. Or except--

Heck, you get the idea. ;-)

[xuincherguixe.livejournal.com]

I just thought I'd mention again here that Stephen Colbert was the first person talking about the war on Christmas this year.

[parrhesia.livejournal.com]

Just to weigh in here a little, I don't think that most of the Christians that are complaining about a "War on Christmas" are specifically (or even partially) thinking about Jews.

I would divide the people complaining into two groups.

The first want be able to say "Merry Christmas" without having to think about if it's going to upset or offend anyone else - and yes, this is insensitive. Some are simply oblivious to that, though - "If date like Dec% then response.write("Merry Christmas")" Others are, paradoxically, trying to get up in your face with some Glad Tidings of Joy in order to somehow 'prove' this is a Christian country or something. But they are a minority of a group that is itself a minority.

The majority of the people are of the second type: they are themselves trying to be sensitive to other's feelings, or have been subject of criticism that's made them feel they better act like they are sensitive ;).

They're worried that expression of the fact that they are Christians and they're celebrating Christmas is being removed at the hands of a philosophy of "no one can have special rights (of talking, of displays, of activities), and we can't accommodate everyone, so no one will have any at all." It's the triumph of blandness over diversity.

Back to if this is all aimed at Jews - aside for a few of group one, I don't think it is at all. In fact, I think that many of the people complaining would think of people that are religiously Jewish as fellow 'sufferers' of this phenomenon (perceived or actual, as the case may be) of religion being removed from the public square. Most Christians are at least vaguely aware of the Hanukkah story, and quite a few know it pretty well - I learned about it in Sunday School, where it was taught as a factual miracle of God and another sign of His faithfulness. Most Christians are quite happy to say "Happy Hanukkah!"

[thedilettante.livejournal.com]

Was't there a survey thingie that said Atheists were the most hated group in America?

Also, http://craptaculus.com/eac/

[anwyn18.livejournal.com]

I just hate the two-facedness of it all. All hell breaks loose if someone suggests Christian's can't put up nativities or whatever other things they like to do this time of year, but we can't say Happy Holidays? If they can say what they like, why can't we?