Do You Get Offended?

In this world of political correctness, do you think we've gone overboard? Do you get offended if somebody says Merry Christmas/Hannakuh/Kwaanza or anything else, if you don't celebrate it?

I'm not really offended by anything so I don't know if PC has gone overboard on this.

However, it would be nice to remember the spirit behind the statement. If they need a culture lesson, so be it, but try not to blow up about it.

I can't imagine getting offended...they are wishing you happiness in a form they relate to...what's wrong with that?

Is this a jab at Bill O'Riley?

Maybe we should change the wording to "Do you get offended if someone doesn't wish you a Merry Christmas/Hannakuh/Kwanzaa."


No, I don't get offended. My family celebrates Christmas even though none of us are religious. It's just a time where we all get together and have a good time with one another. Regardless of the name of the holiday, that idea is all that matters.

Admittedly I don't know very much about Hannakuh or Kwanzaa, so if you want to get offended at me that's fine

RELIGION

`Merry Christmas' menus recalled

Tribune news services
Published December 9, 2005


SEATTLE -- Holiday religious issues arose in two suburban school districts, one for lunch menus with the words "Merry Christmas" and the other for a "giving tree."

In Federal Way, between Seattle and Tacoma, December lunch menus for all 23 elementary schools were recalled and reprinted with the words "Happy Holidays" at a cost of $494 after a new nutrition services employee mistakenly prepared them with the greeting "Merry Christmas," spokeswoman Diane Turner said.

Using "Merry Christmas" on the menus violated school system policies because "it has a religious connotation for some people," Turner said. The 11,500 calendar-style menus were never distributed and were recycled.

In Medina, east of Lake Washington, a Christmas-style tree bearing mittens labeled with gift ideas was up for a week at Medina Elementary School before it was removed, office manager Chris Metzger said.

The idea was for pupils to take a mitten, get the listed gift, wrap it and bring it to school to be given to someone at Lake Hills Elementary School in a less well-off section of neighboring Bellevue.

Some parents had put up the spiral, lighted tree with a star at the top, but it was removed Monday after another parent complained that it had religious connotations, Metzger said. The mittens were transferred to a counter in the office so the gift program could continue.

"We covered the star and called it a giving tree. We hoped it would suffice, but it didn't," Metzger said. "Now we just have a giving counter."







Copyright © 2005, Chicago Tribune

I'm not happened. Being merry, happy, joyous, those are reasons to celebrate. Better than wishing ill.

Humbuggery!




Happy Christmas Everyone!

What the heck is WROOOOOOONG with you? Have you no sensitive bone in your body? Are you drunk from all those bottles of beer? Think of the children!

Anyway...

Have a reasonable secular end of Gregorian year time period!

I used to decorate my work all pretty with a tree and lights and just happy Christmas stuff. Well we are no longer allowed to do that in our store anymore because apparently it offends people. Funny because it doesn't seem to stop anyone from going into a fully decorated mall to buy up gifts now does it?

Auw, Thanks!

Just doesn't have the same ring to it does it?


I'm also seeing an untapped market of Hallmark cards for this...

It doesn't offend me at all. I take it in the way it's intended. I don't get offended when people say they'll pray for me either, unless it's in response to my telling them I'm an atheist.

As for holiday nuetrality in public schools, I'm all for it. I don't think Christmas stuff has any place there unless it's a private Christian school. I have no desire for my tax dollars to support religious displays of any kind, even if the religion in question is consumerism.
We live in a pluralistic world. It's time we start acting like it.

Who is doing the feats of strength this year?

You are!

Gabe, that was exactly the story that got me thinking about this. I mean this was something to help the less fortunate... *wonders if you have to take a class on how to put your head up your butt*

Holy crap that's got to be one of the most ridiculous thing EVAR. I understand the need of separation of church and state and all that.. but COME ON!! "Giving trees" wasn't good enough? A STAR on top of the tree was offensive to ONE PARENT? rant rant rant rant. WTF is wrong with people. Might as well cancel every holiday because ONE PERSON might be offended by it.

I remember once upon a time when it was OK to have Halloween parties at work, but then someone was offended by Halloween - "it promotes evil" I believe is what she said about it... Then you can't call Christmas parties "Christmas parties" any more (she was offended that we couldn't call it a Christmas party) it has to be called Winter party or some other such bullshit, because a bunch of drunks from an office are surely gonna be witnessing and trying to convert the unwashed masses.

My apologies if I am offending anyone with this rant. But I do remember when people were able to say Merry Christmas to people of ANY religion (even those who are no religion) without having your ass sued off because you "offended" them. BULLSHIT saying Merry Christmas is offensive. Singling out people based on their religion, skin color, sexual orientation, sex, etc. is OFFENSIVE. Giant, ugly, spinning porn ads are offensive (to many people). grrrrrr rant rant rant rant.....

whew I feel better now

I challenge you to the feats of strength. You must pin me to end Festivus!

What a load of total exaggeration! Name a private citizen who has been sued for saying Merry Christmas to another private citizen. Just one. Just one, teeny tiny one. Yes, Giving Trees are Christmas Trees. You can't dress up your religious icons to disguise them and get the public to pay for them. It's a basic violation of the separation of church and state, and it denigrates the religious nature of the symbol itself. What's next? Manger scenes with the wise men in funny hats? "It's the Three Stooges in a Barn, but it's for charity..."

I like it when people wish me "Merry Christmas." I say it right back, and mean it. And in my job, (UPS Driver) it happens many, many times a day. I don't want the government involved though. There's enough money out there to fund the absurd spending spree that takes place every December that could be used to put up private decorations. When a business puts up a sign that says "Happy Holidays" or "Merry Christmas" I think it's nice. When a business runs an ad that says "Remember, Jesus is the reason for the season" I take note and don't shop there. If they're so ignorant to think that the winter solstice celebrations came about because of Jesus, I don't think they deserve my money.

Cid you could always get out of it if you have an appointment. I cant wait for the airing of the greviances myself. Happy festivus!

Last time someone tried to offer me a cup of eggnog, they drew back a stump.

~Ulrika~

I think that people who are offended by "Merry Christmas" should have to work on Christmas Day while all their co-workers are off.

P2

Yah, that's a nice idea. Punish the unbelievers! Let's take it even further, people who are offended by Gay Pride Month should have to work in June, while the cute gay boys dance in the streets!

Since when is a pine tree a Christian symbol? What exactly is its religious symbolism? Yes, I know some German theologians have tried to call it a cross, but it's not a cross; it's an evergreen tree, brought indoors because it's alive and kind of pretty at a time when everything else but us is hibernating. Most American "Christmas" traditions are totally secular in nature, and perfectly appropriate for public institutions. The "Christmas" menus? Probably a bad idea, particularly in a coastal city with a large immigrant and multiethnic population.

hahaha, thanks for that, Michael. Best laugh I've had all day, and I couldn't agree more.