I don’t get this arc. Where are they preventing kids from saying or celebrating Christmas? Not in our New York schools, that’s for sure. Even though we have a sizable Jewish, Muslim and Sikh population, here’s of “Merry Christmas” wishing inside the schools. Oh, and our town has a Creche on the town hall lawn during the season (as well as other religion’s symbols during their special holy days).
The teacher was very curious about how each of her students’ celebrated Christmas Eve “Tell me Patrick O’Leary, what do you do on Christmas Eve?” she asked. Patrick addressed the class. “Well Miss, me and my twelve brothers and sisters go to midnight Mass and we sing hymns, then we come home very late and we put mince pies by the back door and hang up our stockings. Then all excited we go to bed and wait for Father Christmas to come with all our toys.” “Very nice Patrick, now Jimmy Brown, what do you do?” “Well Miss, me and my sister go to Church with Mum and Dad and we sing carols and we get home ever so late. We put cookies and milk by the chimney and we hang up our stockings. We hardly sleep waiting for Santa Claus to bring our presents.” Remembering there was a Jewish boy in the class and not wanting to leave him out of the discussion, she asked, “Now Morris Cohen, what do you do on Christmas Eve?” “Well Miss, it’s the same old thing every year. Dad comes home from the office. We all pile into the Rolls and drive to his toy factory. When we get inside we look at all the empty shelves and sing “What a friend we have in Jesus.” Then we go to the Bahamas."
Here’s my deal. As I’ve said before, I couldn’t give a tat’s patootee if the schools say a single word about Christmas. Why? Because that’s not their job. Their job is to teach and not have to field self-righteous comments about what has happened to Christianity in this country. I AM a Christian, by the way, and resent like crazy oer Christians thinking that putting creches in school or saying “Merry Christmas” is a sign of anything at all. God knows the early Christians didn’t even celebrate Christmas. God does not care if you do or not. What scripture says that God cares far more about is how we treat the weak and poor and the foreigner in our midst. God cares about how we treat our employees, not whether or not your stupid Holiday Card says “Seasons Greetings.” I have worked in schools in at least three states and have never seen anyone get bugged about saying Merry Christmas – and that certainly is NOT a violation of the constitution for anyone, even a teacher to say. It is also not a violation for a community to make theor space available to religious (or other) community groups to display their special symbols during their special times. You can even legally allow a bible study in your school as long as you allow other groups the same access. If PC means politically correct (which really means politically expedient) then it seems the real PC folks are those who raise a stink about not being able to cram Christmas down others’ throats.Enough of the sermon – but geez, I’m sick of it.
I replied in a longer post, but what I described is not unconstitutional, as it is not establishing in any way religious practice. My point was that the schools do not smack down people for saying things like Merry Christmas, and that the town makes space available for all groups to display their special symbols on their special days. As long as it’s open to everyone (NOT funded by the town, either), it’s okay, and I have no problems with it.
this recurring theme is pathetic….tragic little self indulgent and rich American Christians who have the bizarre belief that they have the slightest clue what ‘discrimination’ means. Move to Egypt; live in Syria…or many other places to understand. Become Black, Jewish or gay. If you want to play martyr, there are real places you can move. Sad fools. JC would be embarrassed for them….if they even deserved any attention.
The thing with Christmas is that it comes in two flavors: religious and secular. The other two holidays you mentioned, however, are almost exclusively recognized as being religious in nature.
I have no patience for this persecution complex that this sequence represents.
I was raised in a secular household by one Jewish and one Protestant parent, with the trappings of both holidays, and thus I have very little tolerance for Christians who feed into this phony “War on Christmas” meme.
Yes, every now and then you have an instance of some overly PC or overly zealous school district putting a heavyhanded clamp on Christmas trappings, and it’s regretable. But it’s all cherry-picking. There’s no widespread, organized effort against Christmas and there is CERTAINLY no “war.” Teena is being used here as a mouthpiece for this phony persecution complex, energized at its core by people whose distinguishing characteristic is an inflated sense of entitlement, and who have managed to convince too many ordinary folk, like Allison Barrows, that this “war” actually exists. It’s disgusting, honestly.
Dkram about 10 years ago
What happened to the T?.\\//_
rpmurray about 10 years ago
Shouldn’t that be Xmas?
cdward about 10 years ago
I don’t get this arc. Where are they preventing kids from saying or celebrating Christmas? Not in our New York schools, that’s for sure. Even though we have a sizable Jewish, Muslim and Sikh population, here’s of “Merry Christmas” wishing inside the schools. Oh, and our town has a Creche on the town hall lawn during the season (as well as other religion’s symbols during their special holy days).
jbmlaw01 about 10 years ago
The war against religious beliefs is real. The cowardly Arizona governor proved that yesterday, subordinating religious beliefs to sexual practices.
JennyJenkins about 10 years ago
Holiday traditions……
The teacher was very curious about how each of her students’ celebrated Christmas Eve “Tell me Patrick O’Leary, what do you do on Christmas Eve?” she asked. Patrick addressed the class. “Well Miss, me and my twelve brothers and sisters go to midnight Mass and we sing hymns, then we come home very late and we put mince pies by the back door and hang up our stockings. Then all excited we go to bed and wait for Father Christmas to come with all our toys.” “Very nice Patrick, now Jimmy Brown, what do you do?” “Well Miss, me and my sister go to Church with Mum and Dad and we sing carols and we get home ever so late. We put cookies and milk by the chimney and we hang up our stockings. We hardly sleep waiting for Santa Claus to bring our presents.” Remembering there was a Jewish boy in the class and not wanting to leave him out of the discussion, she asked, “Now Morris Cohen, what do you do on Christmas Eve?” “Well Miss, it’s the same old thing every year. Dad comes home from the office. We all pile into the Rolls and drive to his toy factory. When we get inside we look at all the empty shelves and sing “What a friend we have in Jesus.” Then we go to the Bahamas."
cdward about 10 years ago
Here’s my deal. As I’ve said before, I couldn’t give a tat’s patootee if the schools say a single word about Christmas. Why? Because that’s not their job. Their job is to teach and not have to field self-righteous comments about what has happened to Christianity in this country. I AM a Christian, by the way, and resent like crazy oer Christians thinking that putting creches in school or saying “Merry Christmas” is a sign of anything at all. God knows the early Christians didn’t even celebrate Christmas. God does not care if you do or not. What scripture says that God cares far more about is how we treat the weak and poor and the foreigner in our midst. God cares about how we treat our employees, not whether or not your stupid Holiday Card says “Seasons Greetings.” I have worked in schools in at least three states and have never seen anyone get bugged about saying Merry Christmas – and that certainly is NOT a violation of the constitution for anyone, even a teacher to say. It is also not a violation for a community to make theor space available to religious (or other) community groups to display their special symbols during their special times. You can even legally allow a bible study in your school as long as you allow other groups the same access. If PC means politically correct (which really means politically expedient) then it seems the real PC folks are those who raise a stink about not being able to cram Christmas down others’ throats.Enough of the sermon – but geez, I’m sick of it.
cdward about 10 years ago
I replied in a longer post, but what I described is not unconstitutional, as it is not establishing in any way religious practice. My point was that the schools do not smack down people for saying things like Merry Christmas, and that the town makes space available for all groups to display their special symbols on their special days. As long as it’s open to everyone (NOT funded by the town, either), it’s okay, and I have no problems with it.
jppjr about 10 years ago
A few years ago, several country artists got together and cut a “Politically Correct” Christmas song…it’s funny!!!
Dr Lou Premium Member about 10 years ago
this recurring theme is pathetic….tragic little self indulgent and rich American Christians who have the bizarre belief that they have the slightest clue what ‘discrimination’ means. Move to Egypt; live in Syria…or many other places to understand. Become Black, Jewish or gay. If you want to play martyr, there are real places you can move. Sad fools. JC would be embarrassed for them….if they even deserved any attention.
ajr58 about 10 years ago
The Imaginary War on Saturnalia
Ironhold about 10 years ago
The thing with Christmas is that it comes in two flavors: religious and secular. The other two holidays you mentioned, however, are almost exclusively recognized as being religious in nature.
JennyJenkins about 10 years ago
FYI: I’m Jewish, and this joke was e-mailed to me by a Jewish friend.
JLG Premium Member about 10 years ago
I have no patience for this persecution complex that this sequence represents.
I was raised in a secular household by one Jewish and one Protestant parent, with the trappings of both holidays, and thus I have very little tolerance for Christians who feed into this phony “War on Christmas” meme.
Yes, every now and then you have an instance of some overly PC or overly zealous school district putting a heavyhanded clamp on Christmas trappings, and it’s regretable. But it’s all cherry-picking. There’s no widespread, organized effort against Christmas and there is CERTAINLY no “war.” Teena is being used here as a mouthpiece for this phony persecution complex, energized at its core by people whose distinguishing characteristic is an inflated sense of entitlement, and who have managed to convince too many ordinary folk, like Allison Barrows, that this “war” actually exists. It’s disgusting, honestly.