Political Correctness will be our downfall!
By soccermom
@soccermom (3198)
United States
December 6, 2007 11:19am CST
It started this morning when I logged on to my work at home job and received a message not to wish people a "Merry Christmas' because people find it offensive. "Happy Holidays" I guess is now the more appropriate term. Isn't the point that you are wishing well to somebody? So I got to thinking about how I was offended that I'm not allowed to say Merry Christmas anymore. Does this mean the tree downtown is offensive too? Maybe we should take that down, heck let's do away with all public decorations what so ever, they may be offensive.
This country has gotten way to caught up in being "politically correct". I think we are blinding ourselves with our concern over not being offensive. Some situations should just be called as they are seen. And I am convinced this will be our downfall. People are no longer lazy, they are "motivationally challenged." I could rant on forever, but I guess my basic point is this, are we really doing ourselves any favors as a society to sugar coat everything, or mask our beliefs in order to maintain "political coorectness?" Isn't half the reason this country was founded because people were offended by their treatment? I think that being offended can lead to growth, open communication and solutions to problems, and we are only hurting ourselves. And BTW, Merry Christmas mylotters!
4 people like this
16 responses
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
6 Dec 07
The most hypocritical is when non religious people insist on the use of the word "Holiday" instead of the name of the holiday itself.
How is a derivitive of "Holy Day" any less religious than "Christmas" or "Channukkah", or even "Winter Soltice"?
That is one of many reasons why I don't think they should be taken seriously.
2 people like this
@soccermom (3198)
• United States
7 Dec 07
I couldn't have said it any better myself Para.
1 person likes this
@mamasan34 (6518)
• United States
6 Dec 07
Oh I completely and totally agree. Don't get me on my soap box about that girlfriend! It's ok for everyone else of different culture to state their beliefs and be unapologetic about it and we are supposed to worry about their feelings. Hello! What about those that have lived these traditions for their entire lives? What about us? We here in the United States are so worried about offending someone else, we are literally wiping our own traditions and culture out in the process!!!! Anyhow, thanks for posting this. I am glad I am not the only person who believes this...AND MERRY CHRISTMAS to you!
2 people like this
@soccermom (3198)
• United States
7 Dec 07
This is what gtes me...even though there are varous interpretations of religions it all boils down to the same principle for 90% of the worls, give or take. I'm done with PC too, and talked about it to my boss at my "real" job today. He told me he is a christian and he'll say Merry Christmas if he darn well pleases and expects me to do the same.
1 person likes this
@MntlWard (878)
• United States
6 Dec 07
This is a work-at-home job? Your bosses at this job are telling you not to say Christmas? How are they going to know? :-/
But anyway, businesses are using the word "holiday" to avoid making customers go elsewhere. They know their customers probably practice various religions and for a company to only recognize one religion *is* offensive to some people.
1 person likes this
@soccermom (3198)
• United States
7 Dec 07
My calls are all monitored for performance on a random basis. It's a way the company I work for keeps us on our toes, you never know when they will be listening.
@seagoddess28 (873)
• Canada
20 Dec 07
Oh, I am SO with you on this! I will say the appropriate holiday greeting to my friends who come from all over and who have different religious beliefs, but I am not going to stop saying MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR to whomever and whoever I want to say it to! (Sorry for the dangling preposition, ooops!) Reminds me of some kerfuffle last year that happened in some bureaucratic institution in downtown Toronto. The staff put up a Christmas tree in the lobby and one of the head honchos had the poor tree taken away because it might offend the multicultural community that the institution serves. The staff comprises Jews, Christians, Muslims, agnostics, and they all banded together to get this ridiculuous memo shot down. The little Christmas tree was put back in its rightful place in the middle of the lobby and a wonderful Christmas was enjoyed by all!!! So, merry Christmas and a happy new year to you and yours, dear SM!
1 person likes this
@seagoddess28 (873)
• Canada
20 Dec 07
I would love to read that email. Would you mind sending it to me? I will leave my email address on your profile page.
1 person likes this
@soccermom (3198)
• United States
20 Dec 07
That reminds me of an email my boss sent me at the insurance agency. It was a joke written by Human Resources about the evolution of the Xmas party. (or the downfall of the Xmas party) not only was it hilarious it was very true. As long as we keep trying to please everyone this country will soon lose our identity. Yes, we were founded on the idea of freedom, but in essence all this PC garbage is taking that freedom away.
1 person likes this
@soccermom (3198)
• United States
21 Dec 07
I got your address, I thought I forwarded it to my home but it's still at work. I'll send it to you when I get there today. I wish I could post it here, but there's some words in it that aren't "suitable". LOL
@crazyredhead (954)
• United States
7 Dec 07
I completely and totally agree. We got into a discussion about this in one of my classes today because apparently the CHRISTMAS tree we usually put up in the commons which had been called a 'holiday' tree last year is now neither...it is a Winter Tree.
I started a discussion on this a couple of days ago as well...things are just getting way out of line. If you'd like to see my discussion here is the link.
http://www.mylot.com/w/discussions/1345745.aspx - Stupid PC!
Oh, and have you gone to pcphrases.com? They have some interesting stuff there.
@soccermom (3198)
• United States
8 Dec 07
You're right crazy, things have gotten way out of line. Remember as a kid when you couldn't wait for "Christams Break"? It's now "Winter Break." It's just stupid. I'll chek out pcphrases. Thanks!
@Stiletto (4579)
•
7 Dec 07
Oh it's not just in your country. We have all that nonsense here in the UK too but most people have the good sense to ignore it. I certainly do. I just can't be bothered with political correctness in general and you know what - most of the time the people whose feelings are supposed to be "protected" by that stuff usually couldn't give two hoots about it anyway! Here in the UK most of this pc garbage is dreamt up by white, middle class, do-gooders with way too much time on their hands and way too little common sense. Merry Christmas!
1 person likes this
@Thoroughrob (11742)
• United States
14 Dec 07
I do think people are getting too carried away with it. I think some just try to find things to keep things stirred up. If we are not careful we are going to be totally told what we can do or say by our government. If you don't agree with things, just don't say or do them. Is it that hard to figure out. I thought we had freedom of speech? It seems not lately.
1 person likes this
@bobmnu (8157)
• United States
8 Dec 07
For the past few years I have been saying Merry Christmas to the store clerks. Most will give me a nice smile and a nod, their store did not want them to use the Merry Christmas greting. Several times I had the clerk respond Merry Christmas. This year most stores have dropped the policy and it has not caused tehm to lose customers like the no Merry Christmas policy did.
There is a saying that fits here. "If you don't stand for something, you will fall for anything" The PC people want us to give up our beleifs and then they can control us. MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!
1 person likes this
@Lakota12 (42600)
• United States
6 Dec 07
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!
I will shout it to the roof tops. You can open your mouth and say merry CHristmas I do I dont care what they think. also say happy hanukkah to whom ever which I did to my nurse his morning for I found out she was a jew the other day and she beamed all over.
Then ya can say happy what ever they beleive in when the days are right if ya want but to me its Merry CHristmas and Happy New Year where ever I go. and Iwould probably be fired if I worked at a place that wants you to say happy holidays!
1 person likes this
@hmbw_24 (404)
• United States
15 Dec 07
soccermom, this is one of my pet peeves!!!! i hate all this politically correct business! I refuse to be concerned with it. if people keep trying to impose all this politically correct stuff we will not be a free people anymore. we are slowly losing our rights in this country and this is just one more example!
1 person likes this
@cyberpunk (53)
• Philippines
7 Dec 07
ugh, I hate political correctness too! Everyone's too sensitive and everyone's too busy trying not to offend anyone.
As for "Happy Holidays", it's weird. If Christmas is a tradition in your country, then what's wrong with saying "Merry Christmas"? What the heck is offending about that, right?
i can argue that those political correctness advocates who prohibit the "merry christmas" greeting are discriminating against the christians' right to celebrate their faith.
1 person likes this
@spiderlizard22 (3444)
• United States
6 Dec 07
Nobody should be offended by the word Merry Christmas. In the Past it wasn't offensive but now it is. Will bad words ever become good words? I know good words can become bad words.
1 person likes this
@alli120 (11)
• United States
20 Dec 07
I myself say Happy Holidays until the day after Thanksgiving, and then it is Merry Christmas. I would have no problems if when I said this someone said Happy Huanika (honestly don't know how to spell that one) to me. SO WHAT!?! It's a time for peace and love for all holidays. Like it or not, when you think about it, we are all celebrating the same basic thing just if different religions. Next... on the PC thing. Being a 23 year old graduate from a very liberal university... I aim at not being politically correct! I like to shock my very conservative Catholic roommates with the things I say. I want to get them to lighten up, and until there are more people out there willing to say "Merry Christmas and if you don't like it bite my butt!" we are going to continue down this spiral.
@kurtbiewald (2625)
• United States
6 Dec 07
Many People celebrate other holidays than Xmass.
So maybe it IS better to say happy holidays since it also covers Kwansa and others.
I think most people are ok with Merry Christmas anyway and would understand.
Its the thought that counts mostly.
@froggylovesu (173)
• United States
6 Dec 07
I still say Merry CHRISTmas . Will not take the Christ out of Christmas.For Jesus is the reason for the season .
1 person likes this
