The Murmur Of Crow 12.28.05: Merry Christmas To All!
Posted by Brandon Crow on 12.28.2005
My final two cents on this ultimate fighting championship grudge match of "Christmas V Holiday."
Hello, my dear readers and welcome to the final edition of "The Murmur of Crow" for the year. When last we met here at 411 Politics, I had just posted a column on the controversy over Holiday trees and Holiday cards.
Since then, I have seen other 411 politics writers take up the charge with their own respective viewpoints on Christmas, Christmas as a holiday, and the usage or non-usage of the word "Christmas."
I am glad to see the discussion flourish for it is an important subject for our country to continue debating.
From that column, I received quite a bit of email responses. As you can imagine, some were supportive, some were outraged, but many were respectful and many were cautious in their writing. This is indeed a sensitive and volatile issue.
Today, since we are just a few days removed from Christmas, I'd like to share some of the emails I received. Afterwards, I put in my final two cents on this ultimate fighting championship grudge match of "Christmas V Holiday."
From: Rob
Hey I just wanted to say I agree with most of your column. The only thing is that I was hoping that you didn't think all Christians are that messed up to the point that we can't figure out what's right and what's really wrong. I'm 24 and I'm a Christian. I'm a democrat and I voted for John Kerry. I read the Bible but I don't go to church because believe it or not I feel more out of place there than I do just about anywhere else. I have tons of friends from all kinds of backgrounds. I have friends that are gay, buddhist, pagan, atheist, scientists, republican and redneck. :) (Crow's note: aren't those last two synonymous? )
We have no problem getting along because life is about more than hating someone for what they believe.
From: Michael Gleason
Mr Crow,
Though I do not agree with everything you say, you make a valid point. Christians often do not demonstrate the very words we preach. I do have some concerns with your rant. You have lumped all Christians into this fundamentalist group. Not all of us believe that way. I am not saying that I agree with the changing of the words Christmas to Holiday. If we do this Santa Claus cannot be celebrated. He is specifically a Christmas character, not a Christian icon. Yet for some reason ol' saint nick stays around.
As for the Christmas tree it has been celebrated as a Christmas Tree for 1000 years, why should we change the name now? Why is it the ACLU will defend anyone but a Christians religious freedoms. This Country was founded on religious freedom, not religious exclusion.
Why is it when 1 person rants about the word "god" in the pledge people try to take it out. Yet thousands speak up about the Christmas Tree they are touted as religious extremist. Why should 1 percent of the population dictate how the rest of the population functions. Please try to see how we feel.
(Crow's note: Though I have emailed Mr. Gleason personally already, I want to state for the record to the larger audience that I specifically denoted a particular group of Christians in my column. I did not lump all Christians together. I purposely kept using the phrases "extremists" and "fundamentalist Christians" to delineate that I do in fact know, it is one sect of the Christian humanity)
From: Gordon
Bravo. Well said.
We had this same argument at work on Monday. My point was that Christians hijacked the holiday from the Pagans, now the Pagans are just reclaiming what was stolen from them. I find it hilarious that Christians are fighting tooth and nail for a holiday that they should in fact despise!
I hate to admit that the only Xtian sect that I "respect" this time of year are the Jehovah's Witnesses, as they don't acknowledge Christmas at all.
…and in a subsequent email from Gordon:
As long as you keep exposing the absurdities in life (especially the Christian Reich, err...I mean, right), you will keep pissing people off, therefore providing your readers with a few minutes of fist pumping pride.
As Thomas Paine would say, I'm still waiting for the Age Of Reason to arrive.
From: Brian (B-Skur)
I loved your article, but not in a God-fearing marital way. Ever since I learned of their glorified existence I've said the conservative Christian right will be the downfall of us all. Their ignorance and self-righteousness are indeed almighty traits to be marveled at. And personally, regardless of their issues with the White House, I've never been a huge proponent of mixing church and state. Oil and water right there, kid.
Thanks for the excellent read, and Happy Holi… ah, fuck it. Merry Christmas, dammit.
From: Philip Bartholomew
Hey Brandon Crow,
I'm not going to get all angry at you over your topic. I'm a Christian, and I thought I'd tell you that most Christians are not bad people or anything. It's more like there are crazies in every bunch and unfortunately our crazies are quite vocal. The people that complain are more of an extreme minority than a majority.
…and in a subsequent email:
You asked why more Christians don't speak out. I'm somewhat of a rarity in Texas, a liberal Democrat Christian. Many at my church consider me an oddball. The reason I mention this is because I think for myself and tend to lean left. I think many who call themselves Christians don't really believe in Christianity. They see it more as a social thing and want to join in. Since these people don't really believe, often they don't have their own opinions. They just listen to what others say. Unfortunately, the people who speak loudest and get the most attention are the nut-cases. The "non-believing" Christians therefore mindlessly listen and don't speak out.
The truth is I don't really know why more Christians don't speak out. I wish I did, but I don't. It is a problem that modern Christians have to face.
(Crow's note: And it is a problem that Christians will have to deal with within their own community, and do it soon, or else they will all get lumped together and stereotyped as the Pat Robertsons of the world. I sincerely beseech my Christian brothers to start denouncing these nut jobs. I can't tell you how many Christians I know who keep apologizing for these fools. However, if they don't start publicly dealing with this far right extremist group, soon all Christians will be defined this way. The charge is yours to keep.)
From Rowely3rd@wmconnect.com
First it is a christmas tree, yes I know it is a pegan symbol of life from the Germans tribes. But the English made a symbol of the christan holiday and one has the right to take that away because of P.C. (Crow's note: I'm not quite sure what this says. Grammatically, it is way out there and I'm having a hard time trying to make heads or tails of it, especially towards the end there. Please be more articulate; I know it is fast becoming a lost art, especially with a president who pretty much proves intellect and the ability to be articulate is pointless nowadays in order to succeed, but please, please, please try!)
Second the jews have a Chanukah bush for the same reason, are we to tell them to call it a holiday bush. (Crow's note: Simply, I don't see a bunch of crazy, nutty Jews out there demanding that everyone call it a Chanukah bush.)
Third under chistan law what the the papal state says in now truth, so it does not matter that HE was born in the summer for after the date was moved, that is now the date when HE was born, it is Papal Law.
you tell people to know their holiday I tell you to know Religion for which you speak.
you in nothing
PS I am a nonbeliver
(Crow's note: Alright, again, please take some time with the grammar and syntax. This is just getting ridiculous! It reads like a third grade drop out from Crawford elementary.
But let's address the concerns anyway. First, if what you say is true about "Papal Law," then you pretty much point to the biggest crock of shit about religion right there. I thought religion was supposed to be set, written in stone, if you'll pardon my pun. But apparently, according to you, the Pope can deem whatever the hell he wants. Nice "religion."
It sounds more like a fad diet to me. Hey, if the South Beach Commandments aren't working for you, switch to Atkins' Forgivable Sins… Please! Some religion.
Lastly, "you in nothing?" What the fuck? Please…use the pen to practice your communication skills; don't drink the pen juice anymore.)
And here's my personal favorite from the email batch…
From: "Jane Doe."
Stick to stupid pro wrestling Liberal asshole. Your politics suck! (Crow's note: Jane Doe-- interesting choice of user name. I now know why this writer used "Jane Doe." If what I had to say was so utterly surface, pedestrian and inane, and this is as well as I could piece together my meager thoughts, I wouldn't want anyone to know my real name either… )
Here's my response that I sent to Jane:
First of all, I have nothing to do with 411 wrestling. I only do columns for their politics page.
Secondly, I LOVE intelligent responses, so you can pretty much surmise (is that too big a word?) how I feel about your response. Ha!
And finally, you may want to develop "suck" a little more. Because frankly, your response "sucks."
(Crow's note: I wonder if Jane even know what "liberal" means? I mean its denotative meaning, not the messed up connotative meaning the Republicans have branded it with in the last 25 years…Look it up, Jane. You'll see that Jesus was a liberal.)
Ok, now that I got the emails out of the way, I just wanted to put down my final thoughts on this lingering subject.
I don't have anything against Christmas, either as "the birth of Christ," or just as a simple, greed-filled holiday. Live and let live, I say. What I do have a massive problem with are these extremist Christians who want to dictate to the world what to do, how to act, what to think, and who the true lord is.
Look, if you believe, then fine. Believe. It's your…ahem…"god-given" right. But don't force your god or your belief in your god on the rest of us.
The truth of the matter is that most of us don't have a problem with Christmas. But when you insist on cramming it down our throats, that's when we become incensed and enraged. That's when we start to fight back by mouthing off.
That's also when most non-believers begin to go extreme with the political correctness. It's because they feel like they have no other recourse.
I see Christmas as I see any other federal holiday. It's a day off; use it however you'd like. But don't tell me I have to say "Merry Christmas" instead of "Happy Holidays." This is equivalent to saying that I must set off firecrackers on the Fourth of July and fly the American flag. If I want to set some off, I ought to have the choice; if I choose not to fly the flag, I shouldn't have to deal with your self-righteous glares.
What if I felt that the only way to celebrate President's Day was to paste mint bills on my living room walls and sniff them till I'm high? Do I have the right to demand that you do the same? And then, can I bad mouth you as "moral decay of our society" when you refuse?
To date, that's the major difference between most of us more liberal-minded people and the more conservative, especially the far, far right. We don't believe there is only one right way to do things; and for sure, we don't assume our way is the only right way.
Lastly, to those on the far left who are drugged out on being politically correct…please shut up. Please, get a job, enroll in some classes or find a street corner to stand on. Do something!
Christmas is Christmas. Christmas is not YOUR anti-Christ. If someone wants to wish you a Merry Christmas because they believe, then let them be well-wishers. Not all of them are out to convert or evangelize.
Accept their merry greetings and charitable thoughts. That's all they are. Don't read into it.
Christmas is just fine. Merry Christmas is a great holiday greeting. Even though I don't believe, I still wish people a Merry Christmas. It's just what I learned as I grew up. There is nothing wrong with it.
I see it like prayer before dinner. When my friends and I get together, the Christians amongst us (which is most of them) always pray. Do I partake in the closed eyes and the bowed heads? Do I gleefully shout "AMEN!" at the end?
No. Of course not.
But I don't walk out of the room in a huff either. I don't stand on the chair and recount how my rights are being violated.
I let them do their thing while I stand there and watch. And I listen. A good prayer leader can say the most wonderful things, even if I disagree or disbelieve.
They have a right to pray just like I have a right to refuse to pray. As long as neither side forcibly subjugates the other, we are fine.
I know what I'm about to say is a cliché, but seriously, can't we all just get along? It's not that hard! It just takes some common sense and courtesy.
STAY CURRENT