Re: This will not get you flamed because I have a calm, rational demeanor and do not need return a fseanmcolDecember 30 2005, 06:13:10 UTC
I actually read this Monday, but haven't gotten around to unassing myself and responding until now, so here goes.
First, to clear something up, I wasn't saying that I expected you to flame me. It was just a general statement on how contentious and politicized everything about Christmas has become. Second, I get the impression from your response that you're more focused on the sub-issue of "Christmas trees" vs. the emergence of "Holiday trees". Your original post seemed to be one about the larger Christmas debate (given how you said "I can't use the "C" word anymore, lest I offend you" and the various strawmen arguments about how non-religious people shouldn't "tear down" Christmas traditions), which mainly focuses on how prevalent Christmas should be in the public sphere, especially when it comes to the phrases "Happy Holidays" vs. "Merry Christmas". That's why the comment I left was more about the general debates.
As for the sub-issue which you now seem more focused on, you're still wrong, believe it or not. The key point you seem to make is:
"If the Christmas tree is related to Christmas, call it a Christmas tree. Not a Holiday (because we need to acknowledge every faith in the world through one religion's traditions by politically correcting the hell out of it) Tree."
Well, the whole point a town or store calling it a "Holiday Tree" is that they are just dedicating the tree to the general holiday season and not Christmas in particular. Given how Christians stole the idea of dedicating their evergreens to Christmas from pagan celebrations, what's the problem with store or city officials stealing the same idea and dedicating it to all the holidays in the season that their constituents celebrates? Does it seem dumb? Maybe, but there's nothing fundamentally wrong with it.
First, to clear something up, I wasn't saying that I expected you to flame me. It was just a general statement on how contentious and politicized everything about Christmas has become. Second, I get the impression from your response that you're more focused on the sub-issue of "Christmas trees" vs. the emergence of "Holiday trees". Your original post seemed to be one about the larger Christmas debate (given how you said "I can't use the "C" word anymore, lest I offend you" and the various strawmen arguments about how non-religious people shouldn't "tear down" Christmas traditions), which mainly focuses on how prevalent Christmas should be in the public sphere, especially when it comes to the phrases "Happy Holidays" vs. "Merry Christmas". That's why the comment I left was more about the general debates.
As for the sub-issue which you now seem more focused on, you're still wrong, believe it or not. The key point you seem to make is:
"If the Christmas tree is related to Christmas, call it a Christmas tree. Not a Holiday (because we need to acknowledge every faith in the world through one religion's traditions by politically correcting the hell out of it) Tree."
Well, the whole point a town or store calling it a "Holiday Tree" is that they are just dedicating the tree to the general holiday season and not Christmas in particular. Given how Christians stole the idea of dedicating their evergreens to Christmas from pagan celebrations, what's the problem with store or city officials stealing the same idea and dedicating it to all the holidays in the season that their constituents celebrates? Does it seem dumb? Maybe, but there's nothing fundamentally wrong with it.
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