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| This is the only picture I could get. I was trying to control Emma and console Lincoln at the same time. |
Can I tell you how much I hate political correctness? It is the spawn of Satan.
Jeremy had his school's Winter Arts Festival today. It is supposed to be the equivalent to old school Christmas singing programs--except today kids are supposed to stand there and sing songs about building snowmen because snowmen are generic and safe.
We live in a neighborhood full of diversity. There are high concentrations of Jewish people and black people. This is awesome in my opinion. I think it's cool that the kids get to make friends with children who are different from them. Of course it was necessary to alter what was traditionally a Christmas program when we were kids, to something that would represent all the children who would be singing. This however was not done.
Every single song was about winter, Kwanzaa (which is a made up holiday people, it's like secretary's day or grandparents day; I know if I still allowed anonymous comments I'd get hammered here, but it's true), or Hanukkah. There was one winter song that mentioned December being a time for "Ho, Ho, Ho" and that was the extent of Christmas. The only mention was a reference to the commercialization of one of the most sacred holidays. Excuse me? Really? While the words Hanukkah and Kwanza were repeated and even shouted at times through the entire program, the word Christmas was used maybe twice.
I'm sorry, but I have a problem with this. Are they worried that the Jewish population will get upset if a small group of kids (that doesn't even need to include their kids if they want) sing Silent Night or Angles We Have Heard on High? Stupidity!! Do people really not see that "political correctness" has made our society stupider? On so many levels people are dumber because of political correctness. I could go on here, but it's a different topic.
Jeremy has no idea what Kwanzaa or Hanukkah are. No clue. He doesn't realize that the songs he sang today were in honor of those holidays. You'd think that if they were trying to have the kids understand the diversity of the songs they would be singing, that they'd bother to teach them something about the holidays. By the way, his class didn't sing the winter song that mentioned "Ho, Ho, Ho." The whole group did sing Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star, which I also thought was ridiculous.
So in my frustration I wrote a letter to the principal explaining my disappointment. I'm sure it won't change a thing, but at least I feel better and know that I didn't just sit on my hands and ho-hum about it. And next time there's a winter program, I'm going to get involved before the day of the program.
16 comments:
Oh my gosh, I couldn't agree with you more! Isn't it just sad and wrong?
We just moved to a much more conservative area and Lilly actually learned Silent Night in music class. I was elated. I guess ours is the only school in the district who does Christmas songs. I was surprised when they actually had a Veteran's Day assembly that was very patriotic too. That's what it is supposed to be like.
I'm sad about what the politically correct movement has done to our children.
P.S. The gum really helps with the morning sickness. Thanks!!
Great post today, I'm going to link this. You make a great point, and it's something we, as mother's, need to grab by the horns. You're a good example.
I hate that this is a large part of why my kids are homeschooled.....I cringe at the idea of my kids getting kicked out of public school because they openly love Jesus. If they loved other boys on the other hand well then,.......but don't even get me started down that road!
Bravo!
Way to go!! We all need to be a little bit more proactive in taking a stand. It is just crazy that everyone else can say what they want and sing what they want, but if we do it than we are bigots. I agree with you completely. It is Christmas for Heaven's sake! Deal with it people!!
you got this one right between the eyes, sister! seriously, when did commercialism, PCness, and winter walk in the front door, and everyone's brains walk out the back?! were we all alseep? it's just plain ridiculous. just like the "winter solstice" display that went up in my state's capital last year. the stupid sign pretty much blasted the crap out of Christmas and religion in general, and created an entire firestorm of criticism from tax payers. but the group behind it (an atheist group), claimed if religious freedoms must be observed then so must non-religious. BAH! crumbcakes!
anyhow, i hopped over from annie's blog.
kudos to your dental family! good luck in the last couple years. not easy, but soooo worth it!
(p.s. some of my favorite dentists i've assisted were army dentists coming out of school. i appreciate how they can just get in there and do their jobs thoroughly. wish the rest of the world approached life in a similar fashion and did away with all this extra fluff that's plaguing our society, including this winter festival nonsense!)
P.P.S.
you'll totally appreciate the cartoon at my friend's blog. she just posted it today even. perfect timing!
http://bakowbabble.blogspot.com/2010/12/friday-funny-politics-of-christmas.html
Annie sent me over and I wholeheartedly agree. It's ridiculous how everything is now a winter festival. Totally generic. And way to leave out Christmas when trying to be politically correct. Perhaps there should be Christmas Rights Association.
Stopping by form Annie's. Way to go! Sometimes the people in charge of educating our youngsters are in need of a refresher course in intelligence!
Amen, sista friend. And thanks for having the guts to tell everyone that Kwanzaa is a freaking made up holiday!
I've had it with political correctness, too. The last time I checked, we were allowed to say what we want in this country. Apparently not anymore, however.
First, I need to say that I agree with you. But there is another side to this.
You asked if Jewish kids would be offended by singing "Silent Night" or "Angels We Have Heard on High", and based on my experience the answer is "yes". The difference between Kwanzaa (you're right; a culturally obscure and grossly inaccurate contrivance) and Hannukah (a minor observation only recognized in the U.S. as anything other than worth noting) and Christmas is, by your own example, Christmas is a Holy Day, as compared to a "holiday". And like it or not, there are laws in place prohibiting religious observances in public places. Right or wrong, it's the law.
One other thing to consider: Imagine you lived in a community with a high concentration of Muslims. They were your friends and neighbors, and you certainly had no beef with them. But for the elementary winter festival, they insisted on singing songs that promoted the most sacred tenets of their faith, which starts and ends with Jihad - the declaration of holy war against your kids and mine.
Would you be as quick to defend their right to sing sacred songs at your kids' school?
Finally, I advise you to do what I did when faced with this same thing 20 years ago. I didn't stop with a letter to the principal. I wrote to the Seattle Times, and eventually was interviewed by a reporter on the subject and everything.
Like I said, I agree with you!
DeNae,I understand what you are saying, but our country was founded on Christian principles, not Muslim. If I lived somewhere where I was surrounded by Muslims, it wouldn't be here and while I wouldn't want my children celebrating the Jihad, I also wouldn't have my children in a situation where that would be an option. Why is it that it's accepted that Jewish people can be offended when asked to sing Silent Night, but we can't be offended being asked to sing one of their songs? Also, they don't have to sing the Christmas songs. There could be an option for smaller group choirs, pulling Christian children from the classes to sing them. The laws that were put into place were to ensure that there would be no national religion, that's what was intended, not that religion in general couldn't be mentioned or celebrated.
Very interesting. Good for you, writing a letter.
Kellie,
The US was founded on Christian principles, yes, by Christian immigrants. Now we have all sorts of other immigrants here, so why shouldn't we respect their beliefs and religious practices? Celebrating holidays shouldn't make anyone this upset. I agree that being overly political correct is ridiculous, and there is nothing wrong with recognizing Christmas as a holiday, but the US is NOT a land of Christians. No body should have to feel offended or left out because their religion does not believe that Jesus Christ was the son of God, a man whose birth we remember.
And anyway, if you want to complain about Kwanzaa being made up, Christmas is exactly the same. Most people accept that Christ was not born in December, but early Christians needed to make their religion more palatable to converts, so they allowed them to keep celebrating December 25.
So, putting a sign up for the winter solstice seems to me to be exactly what this holiday is about.
Rachel, I didn't say we shouldn't celebrate other beliefs. That was not at all what I was saying. I'm saying where's my belief's 5 minutes? Everyone else got theirs, but because the school is afraid of offending the Jewish people, my beliefs got cut out.
Kellie, You don't know me, but I believe that my children went to the school you are referring to just last year. I too found myself frustrated at the "Winter Program." I totally understand what you are talking about. I loved living in such a diverse area. We were invited over one night to celebrate Hanukkah with some of our Jewish friends. My kids loved it and I thought it was great. I want my kids to know that there are other religions out there and they are not "weird or crazy," just different. And actually my kids played the dradle game on Christmas. But I digress. I left the winter program last year upset as well. If they want to call it a "Winter program" then leave out the other holidays as well and only sing winter songs. If we are going to sing about winter holidays they should sing about all of them...including Christmas and not just Jingle Bells. Good for you for writing to the principal, I hope that she too will see the problem with the "Winter Program."
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