Or Why We Need More Political Correctness
Every year there seem to be more and more articles by people who complain that Christmas isn't getting its fair share. There aren't enough Christmas specials on TV (something less than 24/7), the (obvious) Christmas Tree in the office is called something else, people say "Happy Holidays" as if Jews, Muslims and Hindus might think you actually know what our holidays are.....but the real truth is that people in America need more of an education in tolerance, not less.
Last week in New York City a group of young people on the subway shouted out "Merry Christmas!" Three Jewish passengers had the effrontery, the audacity to respond "Happy Hanukkah." One of the young people said "Oh, Hanukkah. That's the day that the Jews killed Jesus," and then they began to beat the Jewish passengers and offer anti-Semitic taunts. A Muslim passenger intervened.
Do you think those young people need more or less political correctness in their education? Some people are going to say that education wouldn't help. But you know what? Education and teaching that other people can believe differently is all that we have.
In 1921, notorious anti-Semite Henry Ford would publish The International Jew, which included a series of complaints about how Jews in America were engaged on a "War Against Christmas." Ford would also be one of the publishers of The Protocols of the Elders of Zion, an infamous work forged under orders of the Czarist government of Russia, that continues to resurface to this day. The roots of anti-Semitism have always been in lies, from the old Blood Libel to the modern day myths.
I'm really sorry if acknowledging that not everyone in America is Christian weakens your holiday enjoyment. But if it saves one beating, it seems worthwhile to me.
Oh, and Merry Christmas.