Bizarro is brought to you today by The War on Christmas.Today's cartoon is from this time last year and is one of my favorites. I like the gag but I also like that people on both sides of the holiday fence can relate to it.
Long before I was interested in politics I wondered about the contradiction of "separation of church and state" and national holidays like Xmas. Constitutionally, this is clearly not a "Christian nation," as so many right-wingers are fond of calling it, but at the same time we have many laws and government customs that are based entirely on Christianity. Maybe there is a reason other than the Bible that I'm missing, but why can't a person have more than one legal spouse, as long as all spouses are consenting adults? Why is Xmas a legal holiday for government workers, but Yom Kippur is only a holiday if you're Jewish? And the most significant current example of course, is our denial of basic rights to gay couples.
Each year I get one of those Christmas War emails that people circulate about how "it's a Christmas tree, not a Holiday tree, not a Hannukah bush, not a Quanza" something-or-other... I usually respond by sending to the same list an explanation about the pagan origins of what is now called a Christmas tree. If you're going to be sanctimonious, seems you should at least have the facts.
Most rational people don't take this so-called "war on Christmas" seriously, but those who do fear the loss of their right to use government facilities and funds to celebrate their religion publically. But there are always loopholes. One can always resort to "Mary and the Magic Baby."
the proliferation of overvalued individual rights and selfishness will spell the shattering of this nation. it is impossible for any country to please everyone.
ReplyDeleteWhat a tired theme. We get it - the holidays are getting more politically correct. How about some funny?
ReplyDeleteWhen someone says Happy Holidays, I assume they are talking about Christmas and New Year. I don't understand how people can get upset at people saying that.
ReplyDeleteI celebrate both Hanukkah and Christmas. I also understand that Christmas is not the actual day Jesus was born, its symbolic. A day made up by some Catholic guy a thousand years ago.
My pastor even says that during his message each Sabbath.
So why all this fight over a symbolic day celebrating Jesus? And what the hell does an evergreen tree have to do with Jesus' birth? Its not like those trees grow anywhere near Bethlehem.
I say we have a war against lying to kids about Santa Clause. Taking credit for parent's thoughtfulness and hard work for over a hundred years.
every cultural celibrates a holiday at the beginning of winter, probably because the end of winter was a pretty grim time. every culture has a spring celibrations too, after most of the crops are planted. that religion would glom on to those is no suprise...nor even magical
ReplyDeletei like the holidays myself, everyone gets extra cheerful and all...ow and happy holidays to ALL
What a glutton for punishment you must be Anon, for tirelessly reading all these unfunny comics and then taking the time to go online and post your opinion of how tiresome you are at these comics. Day after day.
ReplyDeleteYou must wait at your computer to pounce, cause you are usually one of the first posters.
Maybe the theme you are tired of is of your own making?
Its getting old, YOUR theme is lame.
Seriously, Anonymous. If you dislike these comics so much, then just don't look at them! Or do you have nothing better to do all day than sit here complaining about someone else's opinions? Get a life.
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ReplyDeleteI agree, Gary.
ReplyDeleteCheck out all the newbies getting their panties in a bunch. Calm down, ladies.
ReplyDeletehahahahahahahahh panties in a bunch ..but what non anonymous said was 100% true
ReplyDeleteWhen I lived in Switzerland, I remember we had several holidays every month related to obscure religious events the original motivation for which nobody much cared. They were, essentially, reasons to have a day off, hang out with friends, and generally enjoy life.
ReplyDeleteI think there is a lesson in that.
Oh, gosh, not only does anonymous post these negative comments, he comes back later to see if there were any panties in a bunch. Now that is what I call very sad.
ReplyDeletehahahahahahahahaa love it
ReplyDelete=v= Thanks for linking to the Xmas Resistance! Nina and I have been a bit overwhelmed ever since the elves went on strike.
ReplyDeleteJeremy makes a good point..."Holidays" is plural. I usually just remind those "war on christmas" crazies that when I'm saying "Happy Holidays", I'm wishing them more than one holiday. (I assume they celebrate New Years after Christmas, afterall.)
ReplyDeleteHeck, I sometimes say it in November and thus Thanksgiving is included too.
Not Anonymous/Pantybuncher - you use the word "gosh", eh? Was "dagnabbit" too big a word?
ReplyDeletemary was a genius.
ReplyDeleteSee, this is why I always greet people around this time of year by saying "Happy Whatever The Hell You Celebrate." That way, no one gets offended.
ReplyDeleteCan I get a link for the pagan tree spankdown/explanation for all of those in my life who need it? There are so many that I just get tired of saying it out loud.
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ReplyDeleteGreat post! Thanks for the mention and link.
ReplyDeleteCheers,
kerrin