Shots Fired

So the proponents of the fictional war on Christmas have taken out a new weapon this year.  In light of the Covid-19 pandemic and the record rise of cases and hospitalizations public health figures are suggesting that people shouldn't gather in large groups or travel for the holiday season.  Of course this is common sense as we are seeing the results this week of those who ignored this suggestion at Thanksgiving.  But leading Republicans, who seem to think that the pandemic and the nearly 300,000 deaths from the disease are some how not a public health issue but an attack on Christmas.  Matt Gaetz, a congressman from Florida, known as a simple-minded sycophant of the President gathered with young Republicans in New Jersey in violation of local public health regulations and Congressman Jim Jordan, another right wing member of the House who has a passing connection to reality suggested that Dr. Fauci, who is calling for Americans to take this recent surge in cases seriously, wants to stop people from saying Merry Christmas.  This is nuts.  

 For decades it seems there has been a fight over what a branch of government can do in terms of promoting Christmas using public land, money and schools.  Supreme Court rulings have created a still confusing patchwork of what can be placed on a courthouse lawn and in a classroom.  Too often people don't dialogue about it and litigation has been the answer.  Often causing unnecessary uproar in communities.  The issue is that as a culture we have come to understand the diversity of practice beliefs or lack there of and wanted to be more inclusive.  Christmas plays in public schools became holiday shows and that should be okay.  But for some that was some how a personal attack.  But what has been more idiotic to me is that attacks on private organizations.

It seems about a decade or so ago retailers discovered that not everyone celebrates Christmas and started to change their advertising to reflect this.  Some began using age-old phrases like Season's Greetings or Happy Holidays.  Some on the right called for boycotts of stores.  One of the most anger inducing changes was asking people not to say Merry Christmas, but to say another holiday greeting when a stranger was the customer.  This is common courtesy as well being aware of your customers.  The argument from the right wing noise machine and some elected officials has always been that it doesn't matter that people get offended, it is the Christmas holiday.  However, the only people I ever saw offended by an expression that time of year were people who hate to make room for others.  Starbucks every year create a holiday cup that often has the colors red and green, things that look like Christmas lights or bulbs for a tree.  However one year it was just a red cup.  The right went nuts.  People actually bought coffee and then dumped it out in the parking lot to stamp on the cup.  But my absolute favorite was the time I was in line at a grocery store that catered to the small Jewish community in the neighborhood more than any other.  At check out the cashier, a teenager if I recall correctly, said "Happy Holidays", the man checking out said, "In my house we say Merry Christmas".  Now it was a few years ago but I think I remember saying (as I stood there with my kippah on my head) "In my house we aren't rude to people wishing us well".  Maybe I just thought to say that.  I don't know.  But the fictional war on Christmas has been something that has bothered me for quite some time. 

So here we are, in the midst of a raging pandemic.  With leadership that is throwing rocks at the ship of state trying to navigate these waters and members of Congress and the Executive Branch are saying the public health measures that are easy to take (no large gatherings, stay in your bubble, and avoid unnecessary travel) are yet another attack on Christmas.  I am simply too tired to continue to listen to this nonsense.  I think it is criminal for elected officials to continue to repeat the idea that Democrats, or Liberals or Leftists or whatever they choose to call us are saying we hate Christmas, (some even said we hate Thanksgiving).  It is nuts and they should be forever questioned about this nonsense.  

While there is hope on the horizon, this holiday season is going to be a difficult one for many Americans.  By the time I finish writing this there will be 300,000 dead from Covid 19, over 100,000 who will be in the hospital maybe until the New Year, and over a million families who have had to deal with the disease, many with long-term effects of this terrible virus.  Let's stay away from each other for a few more months.  Let's keep the masks on in public and let's pretend it is March again and we sing our songs as we wash our hands, we buy cool mask to show off our style, we use the internet for more than just playing games, and we take into account that our country has had the worst situation of the developing world.  So when someone says that public health requests are an attack on a faith, or a holiday.  Remind them that there are hospitals who have Ipads on IV polls so loved ones can say good-bye as someone dies in isolation.  Remind them that doctors and nurses are stretched to capacity all over the country and the worst is yet to come.  Remind them that they have the power to slow the spread.  Celebrations can always wait when people are dying.  

Oh and if your congressperson is one of those who is flaunting the public health guidelines and saying that Christmas is under attack.  Work hard to vote them out.  They don't deserve to represent you.