Political Correctness – My Personal Crusade

reply to post by Polynomial C


I'm still confused how me not acknowledging other religions is discrimination? What is the harm of discrimination? Where is this discrimination protected against in any current law? There has to be a better word for it. "Indifference" maybe?

Originally posted by snusfanatic
reply to post by Polynomial C

 

I'm still confused how me not acknowledging other religions is discrimination? What is the harm of discrimination? Where is this discrimination protected against in any current law? There has to be a better word for it. "Indifference" maybe?

Yeah, you are right .. it is not really discrimination, is more like alienation and indifference..

reply to post by Polynomial C


Well I understand what you are requesting. I am just saying I am not willing to do that for anyone. I have a right to free speech, and putting up a sign that says Happy Holidays is insulting to me just as much as you find Merry Christmas signs to be a violation of your rights.

I suggest what you should do is to handle it like me. I ignore the Happy Holiday signs and when someone says Happy Holidays to me I give them a big fat smile and say Merrrrrrrryyyyyyy Christmaaaaassss!

So when someone tells you Merry Christmas just say Happy Holidays, and if they try to give you a sermon tel them to save the drama for their mama and walk off laughing.


[edit on 22-11-2009 by HotSauce]

Merry Cashmas?

Really doesn't bother me that much, not a christian, but people wishing me a merry xmas doesn't bother me, nor would happy honika - misspelt?

I try to place emphasis on the things I believe in.

I agree political correctness has gone way over the top, people should just try to be nice.

reply to post by Polynomial C

Originally posted by Polynomial C
Let me tell you a little conversation i once had with a "Christian" ..


Christian - " Happy X-mas"
Me - "Happy Holidays , mate"
Christian - "What ?? you don't celebrate X-mas"
Me - " no i don't"
Christian - "Why not"
Me - " i don't know, i am not religious i guess"
Christian - "What????, you are an Atheist?"
Me - " yeah something like that"
Christian - Insert religious sermon here-
[..]

This is how the conversation should have been ( if he used Happy Holidays instead of Happy x-mas)

Christian - "Happy Holidays"
Me - " Happy Holidays mate"
Christian - " okay see you next week, have a nice rest"
me - " Thank you, enjoy your rest too. bye"

[edit on 22-11-2009 by Polynomial C]

And this is how the conversation should have been according to me (and hopefully our OP):

Christian - " Happy X-mas"
Me - "Happy Holidays , mate"
Christian - "What ?? you don't celebrate X-mas"
Me - " no i don't"
Christian - "Why not"
Me - " i don't know, i am not religious i guess"
Christian - "What????, you are an Atheist?"
Me - " yeah something like that"
Christian - "Awesome, I never spoke to an Atheist before - tell me everything! Aren't you scared as hell of going to hell?"
Me - " No, that's the upside of being an atheist."
Christian - "Well.. I can see how you think that, but just because you don't believe in it doesn't mean it's not real"
Me - "And the exact opposite is true as well. Have you ever heard of the flying spaghetti monster?"
.. etc.

Even though the above conversation may have yielded the exact same results (ie co-worker ex-communicating you), the difference is that there is a superficial tolerance. The original conversation went wrong because the christian had absolutely no respect for you or tolerance for your thoughts; he actually took offense that you didn't 'share' his merry feelings. That's what's wrong - it's not the fact that he used the phrase "Merry christmas", but his reaction on indifference and/or disagreement.

By the way, can I infer that there are a lot of Christians in your environment? I can understand your frustration if practically everyone is actively celebrating Christmas in a religious fashion.. Not taking part would automatically cause some kind of social isolation and probably a lot of 'strange looks'. Of course that's just as zero-tolerance as the conversation you had - these negative effects are inherent to the social processes that make civilization possible, so until the society gets more diverse, there will be some problems. But the point the OP is making is that 'solving' these problems by removing the public displays only destroys our cultural diversity, and the sacrifice we have to make to keep it is worth it. That means, try to spread tolerance - at the very least superficially - and when met with zero-tolerance, try not to get cynical. As a society we're still learning to be a community; it takes some time and suffering, but let's not stunt our growth by saving our senses.

reply to post by Polynomial C




Here ya go,





Can you imagine.... #Feed the wooooorrrrlllld... let them know it's holiday time#

No one's telling us we can't say "Merry Christmas" in public. What they're telling us is that it's not OK for public officials and workers to express religious sentiments while at work. Some private employers also forbid expressing religious sentiments, on the theory that it could alienate some of the customers.

It is a well-established custom that employers can put limitations on the speech of their employees, while the employees are working. Employees represent the company. What they say can reflect on the company. Therefore, the company has the right to restrict certain speech that they feel may reflect badly on the company.

But if you're just an ordinary person, out and about, for heaven's sake say whatever you want. I'm not Christian, but I am pleased when someone wishes me a Merry Christmas. Or a happy Kwanzaa, or a Happy Hanukah, or Happy Yule, or any other friendly, cheerful blessing. I say Merry Christmas back to them, or Happy Yule, or whatever they wished. How hard is that?

Originally posted by Polynomial C
Yeah .. we should all say what we Believe .. let's throw our respect for other cultures out the window ..



.. In your home you can say whatever you want .. in public .. you should be a little more sensitive to the other cultures (Coexist)

[edit on 22-11-2009 by Polynomial C]

When you hear the words Merry Christmas (which is a secular holiday implemented by Congress) what happens to you exactly? Does your head explode? Do you suddenly develop bruises or cuts? Does it cost you money? What harm exactly do you suffer?

Why does exchanging gifts offend you? Why does expressing love for each other through exchanging gifts offend you?

Or is it possible that if you did not have Christmas to complain about, you would just find something else or make something up? I think that is closer to the truth in most cases.

Since political correctness is divisive and tears us further apart, what exactly is good about it? Isn't it actually a divisive, destructive thing, making it a bad thing?

When I say Merry Christmas to people they smile and say it back. How horrible exactly is that! Imagine being nice to each other. The inhumanity If people start being nice to each other and exchanging gifts, who knows where it will end. Next thing you know we will all be getting along together! I can't imagine the horror in that.

OP,

Merry Christmas and Happy Hollidays

reply to post by chiron613


Bull. PC is just a bunch of complaining whiners who would find something else to whine about if they did not have this. Call it like it is. The PC crowd are the same souls that are always unhappy about something even if they have to invent something. They are intolerant Bigots. What the PC Crowd does is genuinely offensive as they attempt to force their views on everyone else. Even if they have to bribe or threaten politicians to do it.

The words "Merry Christmas" can not and could not harm anyone physically or emotionally. Those who claim otherwise are liars and they know they are liars. Either that or they are not of reasonable sensitivities (mentally ill).

People who get angry over a friendly greeting should seek help. You have an anger issue that is hurting you.

Originally posted by Blaine91555

Originally posted by Polynomial C
Yeah .. we should all say what we Believe .. let's throw our respect for other cultures out the window ..



.. In your home you can say whatever you want .. in public .. you should be a little more sensitive to the other cultures (Coexist)

[edit on 22-11-2009 by Polynomial C]

When you hear the words Merry Christmas (which is a secular holiday implemented by Congress) what happens to you exactly? Does your head explode? Do you suddenly develop bruises or cuts? Does it cost you money? What harm exactly do you suffer?

Why does exchanging gifts offend you? Why does expressing love for each other through exchanging gifts offend you?

Or is it possible that if you did not have Christmas to complain about, you would just find something else or make something up? I think that is closer to the truth in most cases.

Since political correctness is divisive and tears us further apart, what exactly is good about it? Isn't it actually a divisive, destructive thing, making it a bad thing?

When I say Merry Christmas to people they smile and say it back. How horrible exactly is that! Imagine being nice to each other. The inhumanity

If people start being nice to each other and exchanging gifts, who knows where it will end. Next thing you know we will all be getting along together! I can't imagine the horror in that.

OP,

Merry Christmas and Happy Hollidays

Hahaha, when people say Marry Christmas to me i respond back with Happy Holidays...

.. but my point is that saying Merry Christmas to NON-Christians just alienates them completely..(in my opinion) ..

.. If it's between Christians they can do whatever they want (exchange gifts, whatever etc..).. but when you walk down the streets and you know in your mind that diversity exist.. I THINK it will be nicer not to alienate the non-Christians and just say Happy Holidays

reply to post by Polynomial C


Christmas is secular holiday implemented by Congress. Please check me out on that. You have it wrong.

Even if it were not, you still have not identified how a simple friendly greeting harms you or anyone else. I hate Polka Music but when I hear it, I don't demand it be shut off as others do like it and it does me no harm. Same thing here exactly. I don't care for green paint on the walls, but I don't petition Congress or sue in a court if a public building happens to have green paint on the walls because it does me no harm.

Its not that you are not Christian, it is that you are offended by Christianity is it not? Is that not the definition of bigotry and intolerance?


By the way, what does the Constitution actually say?

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech

PC where religion is concerned is a direct violation of the Constitution. Read it. You have been lied to about what it says for years but as you can see, it is being misused by the intolerant, even by corrupt judges. Or prohibiting the exercise thereof, is not hard to understand.

The real answer is for people to grow up emotionally and be tolerant of one another. Most people are and its time to say no to the tiny minority of intolerant people who want to control us and our speech.

I always wish my Jewish friends a Happy Chanukah. That is tolerance, not me getting upset if they say it. The PC Crowd has it backwards, on purpose. Nobody is being fooled.

[edit on 11/22/2009 by Blaine91555]

reply to post by Polynomial C


Why would you assume that people of faiths other than Christianity would be offended or alienated by being wished a "Merry Christmas"? Have you spoken to many Muslims, Jews, Buddhists, etc outside your immediate circle of friends who have expressed this view?

This sort of political correctness is incredibly condescending in the sense that it assumes that other cultures and faiths are so fragile that they will somehow be damaged or demeaned by a simple expression of faith or culture.

If someone gets upset by you wishing them a "Happy Holidays", then they are intolerant. If you get upset by someone wishing you a "Happy Christmas", then you are the intolerant one.

Why would someone respond "Happy Holidays" to a greeting of "Merry Christmas"?

If they greeted you "Merry Christmas", obviously they celebrate Christmas, even if you don't. If you responded "Merry Christmas" back, it would be no reflection on you celebrating it or not, just a nice wish to them.

Personally, I don't celebrate christmas, but I have no problem responding to the greeting of someone who does. If I'm feeling bored, or I know the person reasonably well, I might say "I don't celebrate it myself, but Merry Christmas to you!".


If you are worried about problems of alienation, they go much deeper and are more subtle than that. If my kids went to school somewhere with a high percentage of christmas/easter/halloween/etc. celebrators, they might feel left out, or troubled with all the other kids talking about it, enjoying it, discussing it, and them being left out. Then they might feel resentful that I don't have a tree in MY house, or that I don't encourage them to dress up and go begging for candy, or hiding chocolate eggs in the house.

Unfortunately, banning "Merry Christmas" signs in public wouldn't fix that .