Progressives: Wish Each Other a Merry Christmas!
In my little Maine town some of the local folk are wearing buttons that say, "Merry Christmas." Far from being holiday cheer, they are, for the most part (at least those with the same button) part of the local fundamentalists flocks that are making a statement in their ever increasing culture wars. I guess they expect liberals to wither in fear, as though we are some kind of vampires facing the sun. But I have learned to wish them a Merry Christmas. It leaves them fuming. How dare I! They and only they have the divine right to speak the magical greeting!
I decided after last years' culture wars to fight fire with fire and now I greet them all with a Merry Christmas. I preempt their empty speeches and pious pontifications with a little of my own. It goes something like this:
ME: Merry Christmas!
SCARY WOMAN WITH BUN,
LONG SKIRT AND
CHRISTMAS BUTTON: Well, I guess we're still allowed to say, "Merry Christmas!" (semi-sneering)
ME: Don't worry! The religious right has no patent on the saying or holiday. Don't let them steal your right to say Merry Christmas!
SCARY WOMAN WITH BUN,
LONG SKIRT AND
CHRISTMAS BUTTON: WTF?
Maybe I'm just not into the season like I should be. I've celebrated a lot of Christmases with Christian, Muslim, Jewish and gay friends and a number of family members of various faiths. The imaginary "War on Christmas" is a propaganda conflict I just don't care to fight over. That is unless corporate funded local churches either in bed with the Republican Party or at least dressing to attract their attention try to turn a Merry Greeting into a sneer with a button.
Now you may ask what happens if someone simply wishes me Merry Christmas in return? I smile at them and go on shopping. After all, it's a season of good will"except to those of bad will. Someone has to get the coal in their stocking! Progressives that get my greeting and wonder get this little message. And then they start wishing people a Merry Christmas. I do hope this catches on!
