Posted by
Doc Stephens on Thursday, December 18, 2008 7:07:00 AM
Somehow, this formerly innocent and well-intentioned greeting has taken on a new life, and a new meaning. People actually fear saying "Merry Christmas" in public settings, or to acquaintances not well known. Instead, we hear "Happy Holidays" or "Hope you have a nice holiday season" or some other politically correct utterance such as "season's greetings" whatever that means. If you take the time to analyze what's going on here, you have to be struck by the idiocy of it. What could possibly be offensive to anyone about wishing him or her a happy day on the upcoming national holiday called Christmas--even to Hindus, Muslims, Jews, or atheists? On the other hand, "holiday" is a contraction of "holy day" which is not by any means, secular, so why is it more acceptable? It isn't, or it shouldn't be!
At the college where I work, we had a teeth-clenching and hand-wringing controversy develop over a "Merry Christmas" banner carefully and painstakingly created with heartwarming intentions by a thoughtful and kind employee who just wanted to make something nice for the employee "holiday" luncheon. The committee tasked with organizing this year-end celebration of the "season" was terribly conflicted when they saw the banner. After a debate, which I'm told became somewhat heated, they sought the judgment of Solomon--that would be me. I was asked if there would be a problem with hanging the banner. After hearing the arguments of both sides, I considered suggesting they split the sign in half so that it would just say "Merry" on one side and "Christmas" on the other and have the two halves hung at opposite ends of the hall where the luncheon would occur-but I didn't suggest that. Instead, I said it would be just fine to hang up the banner. Certain members of the committee actually believed it would be a violation of federal or state law to hang a banner saying "Merry Christmas" in a public place on state owned property. I assured them I would risk penalty of law, and I reminded them that Christmas was, in fact, a national holiday established by Congress.
If there were a state or federal law that limited my right to say "Merry Christmas" then I suspect that law would be rather easily declared unconstitutional. Telling someone that you hope they will be happy next Thursday hardly seems like something that would rise to the level of this controversy, but it has. And it is absolutely crazy!