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What he did was start us down the path that led to where we are now.
Thom Hartmann explains it at the end of this interview.
Monday, December 15, 2008
Friday, December 12, 2008
The War on Hanukkah
Recently I was interviewed by a reporter for local television news. They were planning a feature about the so-called War on Christmas and wanted me to be the representative of our tiny Jewish community (that role is part of my job).
The reporter didn't seem to know very much about the issue, which is typical in small-town stations where most of the reporters are fresh out of school (where they probably majored in "communication"). She was fixated on the retail-sales aspect that James Dobson and Bill O'Reilly keep yammering about: should store associates say "Happy Holidays" or "Merry Christmas"? Was I offended if a checkout clerk said "Merry Christmas" to me?
I replied that I tried to accept the greeting in the spirit in which it was intended, but usually responded with "Happy New Year." I was about to say that the difficulty was in knowing exactly what that spirit is, but I thought better of it and stopped talking. I think that this is the only part of the interview that they used.
I did add that most people say what is comfortable and familiar, but it's not much of a problem in real life.
Then she asked about gift cards and gift certificates. Apparently some stores have special gift cards or gift certificates made for Christmas giving. Should those refer to Christmas or just "happy holidays"? I said that I didn't care whether stores had special gift cards for Hanukkah, because every store has a standard, no-message gift that is available year-round. But I asked: if a store had a special "Happy Hanukkah" gift card, would you give one to someone you knew wasn't Jewish?" The reporter seemed startled.
From that she somehow extrapolated that I had no problem with Christmas trees, Christmas carols, Christmas concerts, or Christmas parties in public schools. In fact, I have problems with all of those things, albeit in varying degrees. I told her that public schools were a different question, because the school district is an arm of government and the Establishment Clause of the Constitution applies, and because school attendance is compulsory. She seemed startled again.
Right now our local public high school has a large wreath on the front of the building. I wish it weren't there; to my eye it looks like an endorsement of religion. I distrust arguments that a Christmas tree, or a wreath, or whatever, isn't really a religious symbol (even though I know that the tree, in particular, has no religious meaning and that courts have held that it is not a religious symbol). I tend to see the defense of Christmas decorations, concerts, and parties as a form of Christian triumphalism, even if the triumphalism is more cultural than religious.
So where did this so-called War on Christmas idea originate? The greatest number of people probably associate it with O'Reilly (even though his employer, Fox News, and its parent, News Corporation, consistently proclaim "Happy Holidays," not "Merry Christmas"), or with James Dobson and Focus on the Family, which organized a boycott of stores that don't force Christmas on their customers.
But it turns out that the claim that there is a War on Christmas really originates with anti-Semitic, white nationalist groups. So please understand why I'm suspicious of claims that it subjects Christianity to unfair discrimination if anyone at all says "Happy Holidays."
From the point of view of a Jewish educator, all this complaining about a War on Christmas constitutes a War on Hanukkah, in various senses. First, it's a claim that the United States is a Christian nation, maybe even a Christians-only nation. Since Jews have lived here since 1654, when New York was still New Amsterdam, this is a strange idea.
Second, it's a claim that there is pervasive discrimination against Christianity and Christians in the United States. Given that Christianity is more successful here than in any other modern democracy (and maybe even more successful than in some medieval monarchies where the king could force it on everyone at the point of a sword), such a claim is just bizarre. If any religion is suffering from discrimination in the U.S., it's not Christianity.
So let's all give up the War on Hanukkah. Let individuals say whatever they like as a greeting, including saying nothing. Let retailers do whatever they think is best for business. And stop using a mendacious and unnecessary defense of religion to build ratings, raise money, or whatever you're using it for.
The reporter didn't seem to know very much about the issue, which is typical in small-town stations where most of the reporters are fresh out of school (where they probably majored in "communication"). She was fixated on the retail-sales aspect that James Dobson and Bill O'Reilly keep yammering about: should store associates say "Happy Holidays" or "Merry Christmas"? Was I offended if a checkout clerk said "Merry Christmas" to me?
I replied that I tried to accept the greeting in the spirit in which it was intended, but usually responded with "Happy New Year." I was about to say that the difficulty was in knowing exactly what that spirit is, but I thought better of it and stopped talking. I think that this is the only part of the interview that they used.
I did add that most people say what is comfortable and familiar, but it's not much of a problem in real life.
Then she asked about gift cards and gift certificates. Apparently some stores have special gift cards or gift certificates made for Christmas giving. Should those refer to Christmas or just "happy holidays"? I said that I didn't care whether stores had special gift cards for Hanukkah, because every store has a standard, no-message gift that is available year-round. But I asked: if a store had a special "Happy Hanukkah" gift card, would you give one to someone you knew wasn't Jewish?" The reporter seemed startled.
From that she somehow extrapolated that I had no problem with Christmas trees, Christmas carols, Christmas concerts, or Christmas parties in public schools. In fact, I have problems with all of those things, albeit in varying degrees. I told her that public schools were a different question, because the school district is an arm of government and the Establishment Clause of the Constitution applies, and because school attendance is compulsory. She seemed startled again.
Right now our local public high school has a large wreath on the front of the building. I wish it weren't there; to my eye it looks like an endorsement of religion. I distrust arguments that a Christmas tree, or a wreath, or whatever, isn't really a religious symbol (even though I know that the tree, in particular, has no religious meaning and that courts have held that it is not a religious symbol). I tend to see the defense of Christmas decorations, concerts, and parties as a form of Christian triumphalism, even if the triumphalism is more cultural than religious.
So where did this so-called War on Christmas idea originate? The greatest number of people probably associate it with O'Reilly (even though his employer, Fox News, and its parent, News Corporation, consistently proclaim "Happy Holidays," not "Merry Christmas"), or with James Dobson and Focus on the Family, which organized a boycott of stores that don't force Christmas on their customers.
But it turns out that the claim that there is a War on Christmas really originates with anti-Semitic, white nationalist groups. So please understand why I'm suspicious of claims that it subjects Christianity to unfair discrimination if anyone at all says "Happy Holidays."
From the point of view of a Jewish educator, all this complaining about a War on Christmas constitutes a War on Hanukkah, in various senses. First, it's a claim that the United States is a Christian nation, maybe even a Christians-only nation. Since Jews have lived here since 1654, when New York was still New Amsterdam, this is a strange idea.
Second, it's a claim that there is pervasive discrimination against Christianity and Christians in the United States. Given that Christianity is more successful here than in any other modern democracy (and maybe even more successful than in some medieval monarchies where the king could force it on everyone at the point of a sword), such a claim is just bizarre. If any religion is suffering from discrimination in the U.S., it's not Christianity.
So let's all give up the War on Hanukkah. Let individuals say whatever they like as a greeting, including saying nothing. Let retailers do whatever they think is best for business. And stop using a mendacious and unnecessary defense of religion to build ratings, raise money, or whatever you're using it for.
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