The Christmas Beating

Or Why We Need More Political Correctness

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/12/12/subway.attack/index.html
Every year there seem to be more and more articles by people who complain that Christmas isn't getting its fair share. There aren't enough Christmas specials on TV (something less than 24/7), the (obvious) Christmas Tree in the office is called something else, people say "Happy Holidays" as if Jews, Muslims and Hindus might think you actually know what our holidays are.....but the real truth is that people in America need more of an education in tolerance, not less.

Last week in New York City a group of young people on the subway shouted out "Merry Christmas!" Three Jewish passengers had the effrontery, the audacity to respond "Happy Hanukkah." One of the young people said "Oh, Hanukkah. That's the day that the Jews killed Jesus," and then they began to beat the Jewish passengers and offer anti-Semitic taunts. A Muslim passenger intervened.

Do you think those young people need more or less political correctness in their education? Some people are going to say that education wouldn't help. But you know what? Education and teaching that other people can believe differently is all that we have.

In 1921, notorious anti-Semite Henry Ford would publish The International Jew, which included a series of complaints about how Jews in America were engaged on a "War Against Christmas." Ford would also be one of the publishers of The Protocols of the Elders of Zion, an infamous work forged under orders of the Czarist government of Russia, that continues to resurface to this day. The roots of anti-Semitism have always been in lies, from the old Blood Libel to the modern day myths.

I'm really sorry if acknowledging that not everyone in America is Christian weakens your holiday enjoyment. But if it saves one beating, it seems worthwhile to me.

Oh, and Merry Christmas.
4,995 views 22 replies
Reply #1 Top
Many Christians seem to have a persecution complex.

Happy Hanukkah, Larry!
Reply #2 Top

political correctness in their education

They need none of that crap.  Political correctness is a disease.  Being politically correct does not equal tolerance.

Tolerance is something I advocate and something I practice.  People pulling the kind of crap you described need an ass kicking and some major education.  PC doesn't help anything...it doesn't change minds, it doesn't really do anything besides make someone feel better...maybe.  These people would have the same attitude and would have still attacked those people but might've refrained from shouting anti-Semetic remarks.  PC is about language, not about behavior.  People like that are just the general scum of the earth and no amount of wordplay you use on them would make them think any differently besides, some major life reaffirming exercises.  Chances are they were just looking for a fight and pounced on the first thing they could.  It's pathetic and idiotic.

~Zoo

Reply #3 Top
I think, generally, PC means sensitivity.

Sometimes you want and mean to offend. I agree with you, Zoo, that "sensitivity training" in school likely would not have affected the outcome in the situation LK described.

Like him, though, I am so freaking tired of Christians complaining about how Christmas is being encroached on. Christmas is everywhere. It's big. It's HUGE. Enjoy it (or don't) however you want. Have a Happy Hanukkah or a Merry Christmas or a Happy Holidays or whatever (or don't!). Why do we have to be up everyone's butts about what they say or don't say or do or don't do during the month of December?
Reply #4 Top
Like him, though, I am so freaking tired of Christians complaining about how Christmas is being encroached on. Christmas is everywhere. It's big. It's HUGE. Enjoy it (or don't) however you want. Have a Happy Hanukkah or a Merry Christmas or a Happy Holidays or whatever (or don't!). Why do we have to be up everyone's butts about what they say or don't say or do or don't do during the month of December?
End of quote


I agree with this. I just wish people would shut the hell up and say what they want...that's pretty much why I'm so anti-PC. I define PC as more of a subversive brainwashing kind of thing. Restricting what people can and cannot say isn't a good thing in my book.

Luckily there's an alternative to the crazy PC movement and it's completely voluntary. It's called being polite. :)

~Zoo
Reply #5 Top
I feel, as a Christian, that Christmas is getting a very bad rap from everyone! All the people who are not Christians get offended at the word Christmas, so to make everybody happy, the word "Christ" is being taken out, the greeting is Happy Holidays, even Santa Clause is getting a bad rap!

If after all these years, everyone did their own thing, celebrated in their own way, had no problem with the way things have been, why all of a sudden is Christmas being abused and made to look like all Christians hate everyone else and only think of themselves? That is totally wrong!

Education is right, a few people really need it because they have no knowledge of anything other than what's between their own four walls! Tolerance is right and should be used, and everyone just enjoying the season, celebrate whatever the heck they celebrate and leaving each to their own devices should be the thing to do. Anyone who gets violent over the fact that I celebrate Christmas, and you don't, or someone saying to me Happy Hannukah, is just stupid becuase it shows them as having no class and being ignorant asses! Them beating that person was just wrong! Political Correctness is just overated and being used as an excuse to get people to 'fight' with each other!
Reply #6 Top
That's the day that the Jews killed Jesus," and then they began to beat the Jewish passengers and offer anti-Semitic taunts.
End of quote




yea to bad those so called christians didn't learn history.


since christ was killed in april, 3 days after his birthday


and before you say it. the last supper was the pass over meal.
Reply #7 Top
foreverserenity said " I feel, as a Christian, that Christmas is getting a very bad rap from everyone! All the people who are not Christians get offended at the word Christmas" Had you not used the words "everyone" and then "all the people" I would not take as much exception to your comments, but you did. You have no clue as to what offends non-Christians.

Its not the Greetings, its the BEATINGS we don't need.

I write an article about a real life and recent case of Antisemitism and you respond about people getting "violent over the fact that I celebrate Christmas" clearly demonstrating why you need to learn the facts. You understand that is the exact OPPOSITE of what actually happened?

As danielost points out, the date of the birth of Jesus was changed to appease the pagans. Evergreens and mistletoe are pagan symbols. But thats fine, its your religion and traditions, observe what you want. But I look around at all the Christmas decorations and all the Christmas shows aimed at kids (I recently learned that Shrek is a Christian- who knew?) and I still hear Christians whining that it isn't enough. How dare anyone acknowledge that there are other holidays?

If you want to show that you really understand Christian values, this would be a good time of year. Teach your kids that its not all about you and what you believe, that Jesus certainly celebrated Passover and probably celebrated Hanukkah and Sukkoth and all the other Jewish holidays. Teach your kids that its good to embrace other cultures and traditions. Jesus certainly did.



Reply #8 Top
Every time I hear or read about how bigotry would be solved if we just learned more about each other, I am reminded of a lot of people I've known in my life. These are people who had nothing against a certain race, until they got to know people of that race. The line "reality breeds racism" is what I've heard people say.

These people didn't grow up hating any race, but when they were mistreated by enough of one race or another, they learned to despise everyone of that race.

For me, I grew up in Whitebread, USA... Except for the Indian kids who were living with local families during the school year, and back on the reservation during the summer, everyone I knew was White.

We moved to Florida when I was 16... We moved to another Whitebread neighborhood. We were bussed to a school 12 miles away though, because Tarpon Springs High School didn't have enough White Americans in it.

There I got to know people of all sorts of backgrounds, and learned that there are some great people, and real jerks in all walks of life.

I think that is a much better lesson than "tolerance" for each other. Why should I tolerate a jerk just because of their race anymore than I should hate someone great who happens to be different than me?
Reply #9 Top
Happy Hannukah, Larry.

I don't think "political correctness" would have prevented the idiocy of these morons, frankly. Education, yes, PC, no. And there IS a difference. In a PC world, they wouldn't have been free to utter "Merry Christmas".
Reply #10 Top

Reply By: Zoologist03

Reply By: Gideon MacLeish

I cant add anymore to what they said, as I agree totally with them.

But I will add Happy Hannukah Larry - from one who is anti-PC, but not intolerant.

Reply #11 Top
Many thanks, Parated2k, Gideon and DR. Guy and a very Merry Christmas and Healthy and Happy New Year to you all.
Reply #12 Top
I hope your Hanukkah is a happy one!
Reply #13 Top
Merry Hanukkah!

Like him, though, I am so freaking tired of Christians complaining about how Christmas is being encroached on. Christmas is everywhere. It's big. It's HUGE.
End of quote


Christmas is attacked on two fronts. One front wants the elimination of Christmas from everything, while the other front tries to make Christmas into a secular holiday and take it away from what it's supposed to be celebrating - the birth of Christ. It doesn't matter where the customs came from, and it doesn't matter whether he was actually born that day. That's the day it's celebrated, and those are the traditions we follow. But the Christmas that's huge and everywhere has more to do with consumer spending than Christ.
Reply #14 Top
Christmas is attacked on two fronts. One front wants the elimination of Christmas from everything, while the other front tries to make Christmas into a secular holiday and take it away from what it's supposed to be celebrating - the birth of Christ.
End of quote


Only one is a legitimate threat. Eliminating Christmas from everything would effect the general excitment of the holiday, but how secular or spiritual Christmas is to you, is entirely up to you.
Reply #15 Top
Only one is a legitimate threat. Eliminating Christmas from everything would effect the general excitment of the holiday, but how secular or spiritual Christmas is to you, is entirely up to you.
End of quote


Apparently, it's not a legimate threat because it's already succeeded.
Reply #16 Top
How has Christmas been eliminated from everything?
Reply #17 Top
I thought you meant the other one.  :p 
Reply #18 Top
ah, well, no one can decide how secular or spiritual Chirstmas is for you.
Reply #19 Top
Hey Larry, I'd say Hag Semach Chanukah to ya but I be late or really really early hehe. ;p

I'm not sure I agree with everyone here. Yes PC is OC (out of control) but I'm not sure 'education' is the answer. Too generalized. I think Zoo's comment came the closest with:

It's called being polite.
End of quote


It's more than politeness and more than just education but a manner of respect. We don't respect each other's differences. Lack of respect to me is the root of intolerance. I can have respect for that which I have not been educated on (Kwanza for instance). I think politeness is a manifested aspect of respect.

Would have been interesting if the Muslim shouted, "Happy Kwanza!" following the Happy Hanukah.

JMO
Reply #20 Top
I hope you had a great Hanukkah, Larry!
Reply #22 Top
" FEAR IS THE MINDKILLER MAN"

Indeed it is....