Another holiday vs. Christmas spat
While I'm at it, we've gotten complaints about a headline on our Greensboro Christmas Holiday Parade story.
One writer from Martinsville: What's the matter, John? You folks embarrassed to mention the word "Christmas?" Shame! Shame!
Another from Greensboro: I am disappointed to see that you don't mention Christmas in the "Holiday" parade. After all, Christ is the reason for the season. It disappoints me that you follow the crowd in fear of offending a few, when in fact you offend many more.
Problem is, it's not our parade and we didn't name it. The Jaycees sponsor it and call it the Holiday Parade. If we could change the names of places and events to suit our preferences, well, the mind boggles at the potential. I'm sure you all could suggest some. (Please, no News and Fishwrap references.)
Previously on a related topic.
Comments (5)
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Oh, you mean the parade was not named in honor of our mayor? Great parade, great coverage, and c'mon folks, lighten up; it's Christmas!
Posted on December 13, 2005 10:24 PM
OK, I move we rename it the Hollowell parade.
Posted on December 14, 2005 5:48 AM
Just a reminder - Christmas isn't the only holiday this time of year, that's why it's called the "holiday season". I'm Jewish, and frankly I'm tired of people wishing me a "Merry Christmas". Where's my "Happy Hannukah?" I don't think it's too "PC" to say "happy holidays" because it's true - there's more than one holiday in December.
With all the commercials, television specials, advertisements, decorations and articles geared toward Christmas I appreciate it when someone else recognizes that there are other holidays this time of year. Even it's only by saying "Happy Holidays."
So Happy Hannukah, Happy Kwanza and Happy Ramadan!
Posted on December 14, 2005 4:29 PM
I say we use the old Virgin Airlines commercial. Happy Christmahanukwanzakah to all!
Posted on December 16, 2005 4:24 PM
This whole "war on Christmas" movement, waged most virulently by Bill O'Reilly and the Fox Network ideologues, would be hilarious if it weren't so sad ... sad that people like O'Reilly have nothing better to do ... sadder still that he and others don't know the origins of the holiday (the winter solstice, the Roman pagan celebrations, etc.) ... saddest of all that these people don't know what a real war is. The Christians, when they couldn't get the pagans to stop celebrating the old, very old, winter holidays (or start celebrating the birth of Christ on a different date), finally decided to join them and call it Christmas. If anything, the Christians "stole" the holiday in order to get the faithful (and faithless) to recognize the birth of Christ (whose date no one knows for sure). As for O'Reilly and his so-called "war," the best response to that claim was on the Sunday (12/18) New York Times op-ed page, where Nicholas Kristof challenged O'Reilly to go to Darfur with him to see a real war being waged on innocent human beings. Not exactly the kind of Christmas spirit O'Reilly and Company have in mind. No, they look for the Christmas spirit at Wal-Mart and Toys R Us.
Posted on December 21, 2005 11:31 AM