This is not going off track. This is about killing the public acceptance of the concept of Christmas and vis a vis Christianity. X-mas is an invention of space saving mass marketing Madison Avenue.
Do we have a March 17th parade or a St. Patrick's Day Parade ?
Let's call it the December parade and not the Holiday Parade, eh ? Just which Holiday is the reason for the Holiday Parade anyway ?
The political correctness BS is just getting to far out of hand. Your afraid to say Christmas cause it hurts you and offends you. You prove it by your insistance of using the denegrating and offending term x-mas.
I got Rosh Hassanah and Yom Kippur off where I used to work. I was not offended. I honored the Holidays and said thank you for the time off.
As for Christmas being the only possible Holiday behind the parades and festivities - there are a number of others, like Hanukkah, Ashura, Bodhi Day, and Kwanzaa. Many faiths have winter holidays for a variety of reasons. Even leaving questions of civic propriety aside, it only makes sense to refer to "the holiday season".
This is not going off track. This is about killing the public acceptance of the concept of Christmas and vis a vis Christianity. X-mas is an invention of space saving mass marketing Madison Avenue.
Do we have a March 17th parade or a St. Patrick's Day Parade ?
Let's call it the December parade and not the Holiday Parade, eh ? Just which Holiday is the reason for the Holiday Parade anyway ?
The political correctness BS is just getting to far out of hand. Your afraid to say Christmas cause it hurts you and offends you. You prove it by your insistance of using the denegrating and offending term x-mas.
I got Rosh Hassanah and Yom Kippur off where I used to work. I was not offended. I honored the Holidays and said thank you for the time off.
Catering to the lowest common denominator. Geez, let's not offend anybody...ever....boooooring.
Its becoming a sadder world by the day. To not go after a place like Arlington is inconsistent with the argument presented by those offended by crosses on public property. I will use this example to redirect the argument whenever I can. This is clearly a nation rooted in Christianity, Arlington among other places, proves it.
And the fact that Hebrew as well as Muslim symbols can be found there as well proves our tolerance and inclusiveness to other religions as well.
There is no inconsistency here. The presence of religious symbols on graves at Arlington does not imply government endorsement of any religion. It only implies that the person buried there endorsed the religion whose symbol marks their final resting place.
And that person's presence at Arlington is a recognition that they served and sacrificed in defense of the rights we all enjoy. This includes freedom of religion, despite what the fundamentalist-minded among us might prefer.
Perhaps you think we should emulate Iran? They don't show much respect for other faiths, and why should they? They're a Muslim nation. Says so right in their constitution. Their cultural heritage is Muslim, and has been for longer than we've lived on this side of the Atlantic. I assume that you have no problem with their government's full-throated endorsement of their predominant religion at the expense of all others? Or with the Taliban's, for that matter?
The Quakers and Puritans came here precisely to escape the marriage of church and state. You didn't have to be Anglican to live in England, but you were damn sure treated like a second-class citizen and borderline traitor if you weren't. And God help you if you complained about it, because no one else would.
I find it deeply ironic and profoundly offensive that people ever since the Puritans keep trying to twist this legacy into its opposite. In the United States, we have no official religion or creed - we hold all beliefs and believers equal under the law. Let's keep it that way.
You're getting offtrack. The point was that the Congressman was offended that the parade name was changed to be inclusive, and he only wanted XMas, thereby being completely exclusive.
This is not going off track. This is about killing the public acceptance of the concept of Christmas and vis a vis Christianity. X-mas is an invention of space saving mass marketing Madison Avenue.
Do we have a March 17th parade or a St. Patrick's Day Parade ?
Let's call it the December parade and not the Holiday Parade, eh ? Just which Holiday is the reason for the Holiday Parade anyway ?
The political correctness BS is just getting to far out of hand. Your afraid to say Christmas cause it hurts you and offends you. You prove it by your insistance of using the denegrating and offending term x-mas.
I got Rosh Hassanah and Yom Kippur off where I used to work. I was not offended. I honored the Holidays and said thank you for the time off.
You're getting offtrack. The point was that the Congressman was offended that the parade name was changed to be inclusive, and he only wanted XMas, thereby being completely exclusive.
Well he wasn't offended, probably, but he was certainly pandering to those who were.
whatever... Once again, you lump all Christians as one. Last I checked, I had nothing to do with your children's school. Nothing.
In the 8th grade, I went to a mostly (90+%) Jewish students school. No displays of Christmas trees. I did not have a hissy fit. *but I did enjoy being off almost every other day for a Jewish Holiday...*
NEVER tell me I don't understand minority feelings or the concept of being a minority. I had my ass whipped by three white males because I had the fucking gall to have black friends in Charleston, SC in 1966. Your intolerance is smothering and your ignorance boundless. Next time you see a Nativity scene or a Christmas tree, look away. You are not compelled to look or appreciate. Do allow Christians to show appreciation or be seen as endlessly intolerant. Endlessly.
THE Vassar Clements? I am not worthy...I saw Vassar, an old man for sure, a few years back as a Special Guest with the incomparable Nitty Gritty Dirt Band...
Lucky. He looks a little grumpy there, Hank Wangford's more of a schtick than an actual band, but they can play. I have a vinyl EP somewhere. Guess I better go rip it now...
A cross in the context we are speaking is a cross, a Christian symbol and artifact. Why should it be ok one place and not another ? It means the same thing wherever it is.
If a cross offends one on public (government) property, then it must equally offend when placed in a public (government) cemetary. How can it not ?
You're getting offtrack. The point was that the Congressman was offended that the parade name was changed to be inclusive, and he only wanted XMas, thereby being completely exclusive.
No on is saying that those buried at Arlington should not be allowed to have a cross on their gravestone, but those of other religions should be allowed to have theirs as well.
And I do believe it is a choice as to whether or not to be buried at Arlington. And this is what the ACLU has to say about the subject: The ACLU vigorously defends people’s freedom to choose their religion under the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Furthermore, the ACLU would defend the first amendment rights of all veteran Americans and service members to display the religious symbol of their choosing on their grave. Therefore, the vehement attacks on the ACLU claiming that gravestones and markers at federal cemeteries, including Arlington Cemetery, are in danger is patently false and misleading, serving as nothing more than a red herring to the constitutional issues at stake. These bills only serve to slam shut the courthouse doors to religious minorities by insulating all religious claims from federal litigation and denying just compensation for their claims.
Your religion is shoved down my throat when my children's school's only symbol of the holidays are Christmas trees, reindeer, and Santa, and no Jewish symbol is allowed in the school, because they are all considered "religious." (Yes, this is a true story).
Your religion is shoved down my throat when the municipalities put creches in front of city hall. And when there are signs all over that say "Merry Christmas!" No one stops you from practicing, but I don't have to be subjected to this.
Since you are not any kind of minority whatsoever, you probably lack the ability to understand this concept.
whatever... Once again, you lump all Christians as one. Last I checked, I had nothing to do with your children's school. Nothing.
In the 8th grade, I went to a mostly (90+%) Jewish students school. No displays of Christmas trees. I did not have a hissy fit. *but I did enjoy being off almost every other day for a Jewish Holiday...*
NEVER tell me I don't understand minority feelings or the concept of being a minority. I had my ass whipped by three white males because I had the fucking gall to have black friends in Charleston, SC in 1966. Your intolerance is smothering and your ignorance boundless.
Next time you see a Nativity scene or a Christmas tree, look away. You are not compelled to look or appreciate. Do allow Christians to show appreciation or be seen as endlessly intolerant. Endlessly.
Not offended by crosses, but, once again, the fact that it's a cemetary adds more to the discussion, as opposed to a town square. Isn't the cross a symbol for the faith of the departed?
A cross in the context we are speaking is a cross, a Christian symbol and artifact. Why should it be ok one place and not another ? It means the same thing wherever it is.
If a cross offends one on public (government) property, then it must equally offend when placed in a public (government) cemetary. How can it not ?
That made me think of "Jogging With Jesus" by the Hank Wangford Band. I couldn't find it but hey, let's have a music break:
That's Vassar Clements on fiddle... with a bunch of Brits singing about Texas.
THE Vassar Clements? I am not worthy...I saw Vassar, an old man for sure, a few years back as a Special Guest with the incomparable Nitty Gritty Dirt Band...
hc...you don't know me well enough, or actually, hardly at all, to state that I am of a closed mind. Where now would I get the idea that Chrisitians are entitled to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ? Gee, lemme think on that. Btw dudette, you're not Chrisitan so quit trying to insist on denying a Chrisitian celebration. I am not shoving my religion down your throat. Again, you injure yourself with nonsense. Quit being your own worse enemy in RP...
EDIT: I don't recall Christians objecting to a Menorah on display. I have not told you to not fire up a Menorah. Personally, I would rather fire up a doobie...
YOU ARE EXTREMELY CLOSED MINDED!
Your religion is shoved down my throat when my children's school's only symbol of the holidays are Christmas trees, reindeer, and Santa, and no Jewish symbol is allowed in the school, because they are all considered "religious." (Yes, this is a true story).
Your religion is shoved down my throat when the municipalities put creches in front of city hall. And when there are signs all over that say "Merry Christmas!" No one stops you from practicing, but I don't have to be subjected to this.
Since you are not any kind of minority whatsoever, you probably lack the ability to understand this concept.
To you as well and to all others who still find meaning in it.
And to those offended by crosses, go to Arlington National Cemetary or any other National Cemetary and look at all those crosses. They are there as much for you as they are for the people who died fighting to give you the right to be offended.
Go tell the ACLU to remove those crosses from public property, I dare you ! If that's what you believe then they should go as well. Zero tolerance, no exceptions.
You want to get rid of crosses on public property then start complaining about the National Cemetaries or STFU !
Hrrrrrrrrumph! Those who object to the cross only pick on the targets they think they can prevail over. Arlington National Cemetary, perhaps our most hallowed ground and final resting place of my father, is not on their radar. They would find resistance well beyond anything their three piece suits could handle.
Its becoming a sadder world by the day. To not go after a place like Arlington is inconsistent with the argument presented by those offended by crosses on public property. I will use this example to redirect the argument whenever I can. This is clearly a nation rooted in Christianity, Arlington among other places, proves it.
And the fact that Hebrew as well as Muslim symbols can be found there as well proves our tolerance and inclusiveness to other religions as well.
