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.
BTW, wasn’t Kwanza made up by a violent felon?
And of course autocorrect would change “Jew” to “New”.
I hate autocorrect.
Christmas is a federal holiday. Asking the country to accomodate a minority view by literally refusing to celebrate the holiday in public is an outrageous request. That is the very definition of peeing in the punch bowl and having one lonely curmudgeon ruin a party for everybody.
You can observe the holiday as a secular event without celebrating it as a religious holiday. I’m sure everybody collecting Easter eggs and eating Peeps aren’t thinking about Jesus dying on the cross. These holidays have multiple meanings. They don’t have meaning only for Christians. Halloween might have pagan origins, but that doesn’t mean people going trick or treating for candy or dressing up at a costume party need to know about that or care about it.
Oh noes! A call-screener screened your call. Outrage!
How you were treated as a child is terrible. I am sorry that happened to you. The message of Christ is to treat all with love, you were not treated with love and kindness. I would think that it is possible to determine a person’s intent when receiving a holiday greeting. If a person who isn’t aware of your religious preferences is merely giving you a warm greeting, then a warm greeting of your choosing seems appropriate. Christmas wishes given out of hate seem a violation of the season and it would seem should be ignored. How you respond to wishes of Merry Christmas is of course your choice, just as the speaker has the freedom to say it.
“I also prefer a “Happy Holidays””
And you think that society should kowtow to your wishes? The vast majority of us like the traditional “Merry Christmas”.
How would one know another’s faith?
Just be gracious if someone wishes you a “Merry Christmas” and say “same to you” or something. They mean you no harm.
People who are offended by everything are offensive to me.
.......Expletive deleted!
No, it is not a U.S. holiday. It is a religious holiday. Perhaps it is your holiday, if not mine. For that, I wish you a wonderful holiday.
My scattershot this time of year is, “Have a Merry Christmas, a Happy Hanukkah, and a Kwazy Kwanzaa!”
That usually takes care of most everyone.
I don’t care what you are.
Go ahead and wish me Happy Hanukka.
My take - the person making the statement is the person making the offer of good will. The person receiving can either 1) take it as an offer of good will (in whatever form) or 2) decide that the offer of good will is insufficient or inappropriate for them.
In the end the receiver gets to make the decision. An offer of good will is just that...an offer of good will. If YOU choose not to accept it as such IN WHATEVER FORM that offer comes then that is on YOU not on the offerer.
IE get over your butthurt and accept it as it was intended - A WELL WISHING
Some people live to be offended.
Call screeners are there to screen who gets on the air. That person needs to screen and keep lines open. Please consider your own words before feeling butthurt.
b'shalom.
Oh go be offended elsewhere,and now you want to put other Jews not on your class.
Toughen up liberal snowflake, we have this holiday and time off because of CHRISTMAS.
Have you nothing else to do tan call shows which you do not want to talk on? Write a bunch of crap on a message board blabbing on about how offended you are over Christmas and being hung up op?
Snowflakes here and snowflakes there, snowflakes everywhere.
MERRY CHRISTMAS
Merry Christmas!
and a Merry Ramadan too!
Does that help?
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