Posted on 12/06/2016 9:47:49 AM PST by EinNYC
The talk show host Mike Gallagher is currently discussing how outraged he was when a woman corrected his "Merry Christmas" greeting to her, telling him she "would prefer a 'Happy Holidays' greeting". I also prefer a "Happy Holidays" greeting because his original greeting would not be appropriate to me. I called the show to tell the call screener this (I NEVER call in to radio shows!). I was very respectful and told the call screener that I didn't even need to go on the air, but just wanted to get my opinion across. She took my name. As soon as I said I didn't even need to go on the air, I just wanted him to be aware of my opinion, I heard the phone on her end hung up without a single word. I couldn't believe it.
Meanwhile, Gallagher and a lot of his callers are saying that they feel they should say "Merry Christmas" to everyone and the heck with what the other party thinks. I think that is outrageously ethnocentric, sorry. This is a nation of nations and other peoples' peaceful beliefs should be respected. If you KNOW that the other person is a Jew, you should not wish them a happy [holiday that is not part of their religion]. Might as well tell a Buddhist or a Sikh "Merry Christmas". It would have as much meaning. I also feel that it is a subtle call to conform to the majority.
I'm sure that many years of blatant antisemitism toward me somewhat colors my attitude. In the public schools I attended as a child in the Midwest, I was publicly singled out by the teacher for not singing carols along with the other students in December music classes, and given a negative behavioral notation. I had other students scream at me in December and April that "you killed J.C.!" That was as predictable as the swallows returning to Capistrano. There was a huge push to conform and observe the rituals of Christianity. Judaism or simply being different was not given any consideration.
I do not want to be lumped into one big group. I do not want to have to duck under "The Great Leveler" rather than stick out. Never have, never will.
I have even less respect for Mike Gallagher and his staff now than I even did before.
She has to screen +/- 100 calls an hour. Her job is to find good people to go on their air
You had already contributed all you were going to by giving your opinion and asked not to go on-air.
Somebody potentially important was on the ringing line.... She had to go.
Have a Happy Hanukkah, Kool Kwanza or Merry Christmas... or Happy Holidays.... or.... whatever
Just said the same.
To take the time but to call a radio show , but to not go on live, and then post all that crap about people saying Merry Christmas !!!.
I have been to the north east, and many people refuse or are scared to say Merry Christmas. It is like another country
My Jewish and Muslim friends celebrate Christmas. They think it is just part of America.
Love it.
Had a friend, secular New, she asked if it was wrong of her to celebrate Christmas.
I asked her if she enjoyed the holiday.
She said, “yes”.
So I said, then who can say boo to her about it.
Get over yourself, snowflake ...
If it weren’t for Christmas there would be no “Holiday”. Think about that when you force your “Holiday” on us.
One of call screeners pet peeves is people who “just want to express their opinions but don’t want to go on the air. They aren’t running a poll. If you call in, do so with the intent on getting on the air.
But your actions seem to belie that statement: You seem to wish that those who don't know that you are an observant Jew automatically extend you the same wishes atheists demand in this second holiest of the Christian seasons.
We Christians and Jews worship the same G_d, in slightly different ways, and those who know your status likely already extend you a "Happy Hanukkah". Those who don't know you are merely trying to share their joy at the season, they are not trying to slight or insult you.
Try to enjoy the love and sharing intended, please don't think others are trying to be rude, they're trying to be pleasant!
You forgot the “VANITY” alert.
It’s not your greating to him
It’s his greating to you.
You can accept it with good grace for his feelings of good will towards you.
Or you can reject it with an intolerant snit and a self demeaning rant. (which it seems you have)
I have dated Jews, and not one of them has ever been offended by Christmas, hell they celebrated it with me, and got a Christmas tree in the house.
Seems you are a little snowflake, so toughen up and stop being a liberal snowflake looking to be outraged over this.
One of my friends worked in Saudi Arabia for two years and he celebrated all the Muslim holidays. The fun ones anyway. None of the fasting stuff.
Exactly.
Completely understandable! And it would have made for a good discussion on that radio show.
But it was just rude for that woman (not you) to correct the person who wished her "Merry Christmas". Even misplaced kindness should be responded to with kindness.
Like Hanakkua, each night of Kwanzaa celebrates a tenant of the underlying faith.
In the case of Kwanzaa, the 4th night celebrates “The Timely Delivery of Welfare Checks.”
If its around X-mas, say merry Christmas, if its around Jews festival, say “Jewish wish according to festival. If its Hindu and around Diwali, wish Happy Diwali.
Why you want to wish merry x-mas on Diwali and Happy Diwali on x-mas ?
Wow, if you TRULY get offended over someone wishing you a Merry Christmas then the time you waste on message boards and calling into radio shows would better be spent in therapy.
I absolutely guarantee you that your Jewish dates were NOT Orthodox Jews. There is no way I would be celebrating a holiday alien to me. Those were assimilated uneducated Jews---the same kind who are routinely panned here on FR for being liberals.
Yea I saw it.
Can’t believe how people are offended over a Federal holiday, and where most people celebrate it.
I think some just want to be offended over nothing.
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