Posted on 12/18/2001 5:24:59 AM PST by Key
This article has already been removed!
December 17, 2001
Multicultural tree gets chopped
By TOM BRODBECK -- Winnipeg Sun
Manitobans fought back against political correctness last week -- and they won. After more than a decade of governments calling the Christmas tree at the Manitoba Legislature a "multicultural tree," Manitobans demanded change. And they got it.
It was the last wind-storm that blew the Golden Boy off the dome.
People could grudgingly tolerate some of the mangled English-language baffle-gab imposed on them, including such clumsy terminology as "chairperson" and "ombudsperson," aimed at appeasing wacky interest groups.
They held their noses when official bilingualism was shoved down their throats, even in areas where few, if anybody, spoke French.
And they could hold their collective breath while governments spent millions of dollars of their tax money to fund multicultural groups and gender-promotion clubs.
But when government took Christmas away, they could be silent no more.
Manitobans flooded the offices of MLAs and this newspaper with calls when they heard the news, livid that the province would call the Christmas tree in the rotunda a "multicultural tree."
The name was changed quietly some 12 years ago. Few noticed. And fewer still were aware that the province took "Christmas" out of their official greetings to Manitobans in 1996. This year, government wished people a "Happy Hanukkah" but not a "Merry Christmas."
People spoke out -- with a vengeance. And they got it changed.
Premier Gary Doer vowed last week to scrap the "multicultural tree" name and dub it a Christmas tree again.
I suspect the events of Sept. 11 hardened the resolve of Manitobans on this issue.
People are embracing the institutions of family, religion, cultural celebrations and symbols more than ever before in the wake of the terrorist attacks in the United States.
And when someone takes away one of their most important religious symbols at a time like this, they fight back.
It was also a sign that people are fed up with the kind of out-of-control political correctness that's going on in this country.
You can't talk about aboriginal policy -- or even use native terminology -- without being called a racist.
You're a bigot if you question Canada's immigration laws.
And if your workplace doesn't reflect the ethnic diversity of your community with pin-point accuracy, the boss must be a racist.
You can call white people in Alberta "rednecks," and it's a belly-laugh.
But if you stereotype any group of colour, you'll be brought before a human rights tribunal.
You can make jokes about Newfies, and it's a knee-slapper. Heck, Newfies make jokes about Newfies.
But if you have a good one about a Mexican, you better keep it to yourself.
Police round-up a group of street gang members, most of whom happen to be native, prosecute them under Ottawa's new gang laws, and the cops are called racists.
It's endless.
And people are sick and tired of it.
Society should strive to be inclusive.
We should share in each other's world views, religions and cultural rituals.
We should do it with compassion and tolerance and have fun with it.
But we're trying way too hard not to offend each another and we're turning ourselves into robots.
Calling a Christmas tree a multicultural tree was the epitome of that trend.
Getting it changed was a feather in the cap for those who have the guts to stand up and say "enough."
http://www.canoe.ca/Columnists/brodbeck.html
the original article was at Canoe, but it's been removed.
From what this article says, it sounds like the only way to ensure that the trend doesn't continue, is for us to scream loud long about any 'trampling' we see. Everyone has to participate. Write, phone, email and complain.
In Kennisington, it only took 2 families complaining to get Santa excluded. It will take 200 families complaining to have Santa included, or have a Christmas Tree, or Christian Faith symbol in a public place.
Unfortunately, that's the way it is. Let's do it.
Oh hell, Arthur, you and I are more or less on the same page with this. The only thing I would like to add, is the ability for PC thinkers to avoid offending someone's minority status, while not even giving a second thought to majorities. "If your Christian, or Jewish, you must be wrong"
Right on the money!
It's the people who were born here: ancestors Brition! or France! ....(or to be more accurate, if I may use this terrible racist word....WHITE people) who are so busy trying to make a name for themselves in being politically correct, that they don't even realize what harm they're doing to their own country.
They know. They don't care. It's all about them.
Any idea why? Just curious.
Many times, for instance in this last election, Democrats could not win even with a majority of all minority votes, they had to pad the ballot boxes with illegal voters, multiple voters, dead voters, voters that don't exist, holding the polls open later than legal in order for bus loads of voters to make it from one state or polling place to another, and still they could not get there. New Mexico had more votes than registered voters, vote box lids were found floating in the Pacific Ocean, Palm Beach had 99% registered voters show up, yeah right.
This is why we should be intense in our efforts to ship out illegal aliens and cut drasticly down on immigration. Take that tool of the fool Democrats away from them, this is our home, not Motel 6, our government should reflect that this is our home and not a Corporation, where the majority votes, not where a majority is shipped in.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.