Happy Holidays...

I was never a huge fan of Christmas, not to the extreme that I wanted laws that forbid any signs of it in public, just wanted things toned down a bit. And on my ride home last night, I was listening to the worstest person in the world, Bill O’Reilly, as he rambled on about how some leftist members of the media were rallying against such displays. Simply said, O’Reilly is a jackass.

He claims his show is the “no-spin zone” but that’s even misleading. No spin, only because it’s just straight up propaganda. Anyone who disagrees with his opinions, are interrupted and called names. At best, he’ll just call them irrational, if he’s being nice.

It isn’t that I’m offended by Christmas, in fact it’s now very important to me, but if you want people to be accepting of your beliefs and take your feelings into consideration then you have to be willing to do the same. O’Reilly had beef with those who would prefer the greeting of the season be “Happy Holidays” rather than “Merry Christmas.” He continued to drop the phrase, “its accepted tradition” and state that 70% of Americans agree with him. Fine, so be it. Does that mean we shouldn’t give a shit about the other 30% or care what they think? How can you have zero respect for their feelings based on the fact that you feel they don’t respect your feelings? Hello, Pot, meet kettle.

If “Merry Christmas” is so acceptable, than so is my response, “fuck you.” Seriously, I don’t mean any disrespect, just as I’m sure anyone saying “merry Christmas” doesn’t mean any disrespect. But both phrases can be disrespectful, or uncomfortable. It probably isn’t something a Christian would give a second thought to, but when you say “Merry Christmas” to a Jew, or for that matter an atheist, Muslim or anyone else, you’re putting them in an uncomfortable situation. Go back to my religion as sports philosophy, and think for a second, how a MU fan would feel if someone came up and said “Go Hawks.” That’s the same as telling a Jew, “Merry Christmas.” The Tiger won’t be happy, even if there was absolutely nothing malicious intended. It’d be the same as going up to one of Bill O’Reilly’s followers and assuming they love Keith Olberman.

Those who are offended or uncomfortable are undoubtedly the minority, but that doesn’t mean they don’t get a say or their feelings aren’t important. To think so, well that wouldn’t be in the Christmas spirit as I understand it. I hear words like: hope, joy, peace, giving, and sale. How does that go along with being inconsiderate, ignorant, arrogant, or O’Reilly?

We have freedom of religion in this country, but that doesn’t just mean the freedom to practice whatever religion you choose to. It means the freedom to not practice any, and also to not be ostrizied if you don’t agree with the masses. And O’Reilly or you, or someone next to you, might not realize that when you throw Christmas in the face of someone who doesn’t believe, you’re doing just that. A simple, “Merry Christmas” puts me on the spot. Should I wish you a happy Hanukkah in return, nod and smile, or return the pleasantry? Or should I follow my gut and go with the “fuck you.” That’s what the Tiger fan would say to the Jayhawk.

And best of all, O’Reilly some brought up how he has issue with the fact that schools aren’t supposed to be supporting or celebrating Christmas. He suggested school assemblies with carolers and such. And for those that aren’t comfortable with that? Well, they can have their own assembly at the same time. What is next Bill, arm-bands and tattoos?

And know this, I’m an agnostic Jew who has a Christmas tree and an apartment full of Christmas decorations that I really like. Because it means a lot to two very important people, it means a lot to me, and we also have a Menorah and celebrated Hanukkah. The difference here is they respect my beliefs and wishes, and I respect theirs. We don’t follow O’Reilly’s thoughts that the minority has to accept Christmas; I accept it out of respect because I’m given the same respect. It’s that simple.