RASPUTIN wrote: 
how come he gets to sit in 1st class! 

 winter wrote: 
Crushed or cubed?

 winter wrote: 

The Holiday Season is a recent phenomena to be politically correct for Christmas and nothing more.  It seems to have started taking hold shortly after the invention of Kwanza.  Channakah has always been around, but it moves around, as do all the other Jewish Holidays.  Sure, there have always been winter festivals, more related to the solstice than anything else.  Celebrating Christmas in public was cool until about 20 some years ago.

Working retail, I have participated on the front lines during this politically correct attack of Christmas and have seen the evolution of this situation we are now discussing.  Its kinda hard to whisper Merry Christmas to someone and not fear losing your job for doing so because someone might overhear you and report you.  You just give up, ashamed and wondering what happened to understanding and also free speech.  That's what it has come down to, feeling ashamed and afraid to wish someone Merry Christmas in public and especially in a retail environment.  How can you have a Santa in the building and not say Merry Christmas to someone at the same time ?  I don't get it and it kinda has made me angry from time to time. 

I agree with you that if someone wants to have a Christmas parade, it should be paid for privately with public security.  No problem, just pull the permit and make it legal.  Just as I believe that any Holiday parade should not be financed by public funding as well.  Security costs and funding for a legally permited event should follow whatever guidelines are in place for similar events.  But the people paying for it privately have a right to call it whatever they want.

 RASPUTIN wrote: 


*laughingfacethingygoeshere*

 RASPUTIN wrote: 


Rocks.

 RASPUTIN wrote: 
that actually sounds pretty good
 
 
and don't be an airline - gimme the whole freakin can!

 winter wrote: 

Rocks or neat?

 RASPUTIN wrote: 
I'll take a Coke, thanks.

 Manbird wrote: 

Sierra Mist for you?  That's what I'm having.

 winter wrote: 
He must have drank a couple extra red bulls today or something. Dang. 

 kurtster wrote: 
I think a religious symbol in a typically religious place is quite appropriate.  Like a church yard (even if it's publicly owned) or a cemetery — like your example... well, you're not going to find anyone who'll raise outrage there.

These things aren't black & white.  It pains me when people get angry about creches (or not) on public property... but I also empathize with the feeling of repression.  It must be difficult to be non-Christian, and have all these assumptions about Godliness and America thrust upon you all the time.

Although we were started by a nation of Christians, it's crucial to separate the men's personal habits from the government they set in motion.  Did you know that Jefferson was certain America would make Unitarianism it's State Religion?  But only because he thought it was the logical next step. He knew it was wide open.

The Founders very intentionally and purposefully created the basis of a government that would not favor one religion over another, in spite of their own personal beliefs and subsequent use of Christian language.   

So. The important thing is an intent for TOLERANCE.  And when the Christians push too hard that they have some higher status, then the minorities will (appropriately) push back.  And the Constitution will back the minorities in a fight against a group attempting to gain benefits from majority status... as it was designed to do.  I see it this way: the Christians need to take their place as ONE OF MANY religions, and stop trying to claim some higher moral ground that has some sort of preference over other religions.  Although its a majority, like so many other things, it does not get any special rights.

So, a cemetery has a variety of symbols, including crosses.  We expect them there as much as we would expect them in a Museum of Religious History.  It's not an affront to anyone. 

 hippiechick wrote: 


Your Words:

In Israel, this holiday gets very little attention, but in the Diaspora, especially in the US, Hanukkah has grown bigger and bigger, as Jews defend themselves against the onslaught of the increasingly commercial holiday of Christmas. We put up with the Christmas lights contest in the neighborhoods, the Christmas parties at school, and all the other Christmas crap that is shoved into our faces.


Sure sounds like you are speaking for The Jews.

If you are so concerned about your tax dollars, why aren't you leading the campaign to eliminate the Federal holiday known as Christmas. We spend a boatload of bucks giving government workers a paid day off.

 winter wrote: 
I know, it was a coin toss.  What are you having?

 RASPUTIN wrote: 
Okay, you're buying the next round for that one. MAJOR punalty points.

 BlueHeronDruid wrote: 
Jewpiter?

 buzz wrote: 
And all this time I thought you were alien. nttawwt.

 buzz wrote: 
I don't begrudge others celebrating their holidays, I just don't like having to pay for their celebrations with my tax dollars. And I wasn't speaking for you, if you don't want me to. And, if I am not mistaken, you don't have any kids.

 hippiechick wrote: 


Please don't try to speak for Jews. Speak for yourself. I'm Jewish and I certainly don't harbor the anger and resentment you do. I don't celebrate Christmas or most other holidays, but I have no problem with other doing so. you come across as being incredibly selfish.

 winter wrote: 
And, btw, this country was not founded on Christian roots; our founding fathers were very specific about this.

 kurtster wrote: 
You are remarking on how our nation has Christian roots, and implying that Christmas is the most important holiday in the holiday season. It's not such a great leap from there to "this is a Christian nation". Surely you can see that?

The difference between crosses at Arlington and a Nativity scene at City Hall is that one is an expression of religious freedom (the fallen soldiers') and one is an implicit endorsement of Christianity by the city government. If we buried everyone at Arlington under a cross with no regard for their beliefs, that would be inconsistent.

If non-government organizations want to celebrate Christmas in public with parades or festivals or what have you, by all means they should do so - on their own dime, with no involvement from any government agency other than what's needed for public safety.