Letters to the Editor
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What it's really about, in my humble opinion
Wil's posting brought something up for me that is finally making it's way out, even if it's to be buried in a pile of replies either full on agreeing with or blasting Wil for whatever reason. I know I'm not the only person who is feeling this these days, and I can't help if some of the reactionaries on both sides of the line are completely missing the point.
I was raised in a slightly unique situation in that my parents were both hippie-lite, though definitely were involved in their share of protests and the sort back in the day. But my dad was also a cop, or rather a probation officer, and "cop" and "hippie" aren't two words that commonly go together, even in the San Francisco Bay Area.
I was raised with very left-leaning attitudes and beliefs. When I was young, they left all the metaphorical doors and windows open, allowing any and all questions to be asked about war and religion and belief and sex, race, science, law, everything that kids can think to ask. And we asked and asked and asked. And with few exceptions, more on my brother's part than mine, we are a lot like our parents.
I have no idea what Bill O'Reilly's views on the death penatly are. He could be completely against if for many of the same reasons I am and I'd still hate him for the scum-sucking hater he is. He stills spouts crap that makes no sense and then insults any who disagree with him. Perhaps THAT is the reason I have a hard time finding any good sides to these people, the people who refuse to listen to the other side, no matter how well it's presented. That goes for both those I completely disagree with and those I put on a pedastal because of what they believe.
What this "War on Christmas" is about, and it's really just one of the battles inside this war, is the extreme lack of respect we have for others. To get right to it, I work retail. I say Happy Holidays 90-95% of the time. Why, you may ask? Because I find it respectful. True, at least 90-95% of people celebrate Christmas in the area I live, so it would be safe to simply say Merry Christmas. But do you know why I don't? In the off chance someone doesn't celebrate Christmas, I choose not to disrespect them by wishing them a good Christmas when they celebrate Hannukah or Kwanza (sp?) or Ramadan or nothing at all. In fact, sometimes I wonder if perhaps I should just say "Have a good one" like I do the rest of the year. I'm an atheist, a rather devout and strident one at that, and I don't appreciate the amount of disrespect piled on me when people learn this fact and instantly assume I'm a devil worshipper (which happens more often than people expect) or that I hate this country, which to me seems to have nothing to do with the subject.
I choose to say Happy Holidays for the same reason Wil does, in hopes that people realize I'm just wishing them a good season, day, weekend, day-off, Christmas, first night of Hannukah, or whatever, because I respect them and wish all of us to have one or five or eight days of beauty and peace and fun with those we love, whomever they may be.
It's not just about which holiday you celebrate, or what church you go to, or what side of the aisle your political leanings put you, it's about how politeness and respectful discourse has gone down the drain in the last few years. The phrase "agree to disagree" has gone the way of the turn signal and the polite smile as you pass. There's nothing wrong with it, and it might help things a lot.
I do feel I must add that Bush and many of his followers have allowed this to situation to happen, or at least worsen. Once this batch of cronies came to power, any hope of piecing this country back together went right out the window, and this War On Christmas is just one of the symptoms, ands it pathetic. I may not of had the same experience as Wil with my father, but I did with a friend, and I can't help but wonder if that's not one of the reasons these people don't talk to me. Because I blew up and got on a soap box about something, which I now look back at and shake my head in disgust and embarrassment, wishing I had come to the decision to at least try and be respectful to others, no matter their opinions.
Of course, sometimes there are people who don't deserve respect, particularly those that are disrespectful to you. But it's not "politically correct" to say Happy Holidays, it respectful and polite. There are many, many things that my family and I discuss in the privacy of our own homes that I know would have someone off their rocker if they heard me say in public. But I try not to out of respect for others and the desire to be able to attempt to discuss the subject in a grown-up and RESPECTFUL way.
After all, we're all humans, we probably have a ways to go before we can completely cut ourselves off from those we don't like, so why don't we figure out a way to live with each other and not go out of our way to piss each other off, often for a very small and stupid point we insist on pounding into the ground until it's dead, and any tie of anything between us is too.