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Dec. 21st, 2004
So, it's back. The big "should christmas be celebrated at school" debate.
Well, no, it never really went away, but it's back in the limelight again.
I definately have a position about this, and I'll get to that, but first a little bit of personal history.
My senior year of high school, my school district, Williamsville School District did the unthinkable: they banned overtly religious songs and displays from their schools. This was unheard of, unthinable! Well, not really, but as a Senior, that's a great deal of what I heard.
The problem was this.. and this is true, I suspect, of all these suburban school districts that this argument is happening in.. as far as anyone could see, the district was predominantly christian (false - it turns out the neighborhood had a really pretty good mix of christians (all denominations), jews, muslims and.. other (I had no understanding of the other, but trust me, they were there.)
The issue at stake wasn't about songs like Frosty the Snowman, but about "Silent Night" and "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen". There was a growing majority of the district population who did not feel that these overtly religious songs belonged in a public school setting.
A referendum occured (at the time, I did not want to go, my mom dragged me. But 11 years later, I'm glad I was there.). I remember it fairly clearly, actually. My mom, Marc and I went to North. As we stepped in, we passed a bunch of Born Agains singing Christmas Carols.. and one loonie old woman going on and on about how the jews were trying to take away their heritage. We went inside the auditorium and all concerned citizens were allowed to speak their minds. There was a little of both: both people who felt that these songs were harmless, part of American heritage and should be left alone.. and those who felt it was specifically not.
Anyways, a vote passed and overtly christian songs were banned. Gone.
Instantly, the entire school district was a mockery. We were the PC school district.
An interesting note.. at the time all of this was going on, yours truly was collecting CDs from a local radio station: 97 Rock. By and large, the CDs were bad (I loved them anyways) parodies of rock songs about.. The Buffalo Bills. (Yellow Submarine turned into the Yellow Steelers Team and, my favorite right now, Dude Looks Like a Lady turned into Drew (yes, Bledsoe) throws like a lady.) Anyways, the year this happened (and a whole slew of other big item tickets in Buffalo THAT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH SNOW) happened, 97 Rock turned out a CD about Buffalo. I still have and enjoy this CD. (Especially songs like "Erie County Fair" and "Peace Bridge" and "Cheektowaga Polka" (I'll hook you two up,![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
blackfelicula and ecwoodburn. You would appreciate!) And, of course.. the Williamsville School District's CHristmas Carols.. like We Wish You a Memorable Seasonal Tidings.
At the time, I was both angry that we kids had been put into the middle of a very adult problem.
11 Years Later..
It's back.
I've grown up since then and I've definately learned some things since then.
And I still staunchly agree with the Williamsville Policy.
Personally, I have a very Grinch-like attitude toward Christmas. I suspect it's because I'm an outside. I've never celebrated Christmas. It's meant nothing to me. All I see is that for one month a year, everyone gets "Holiday Spirit"( they try to be nice to one another. Something they apparently can not do the other 11 months.), and the popular media is awash with a butt ton of Christmas Songs, Christmas movies and Christmas TV Specials.
I see the truth behind the facade. People who will be nice on the phone go into a store and start cussing out the poor guy at the counter because they are too stupid to read the sale sign correctly or because the manufacturers cause a drought of Tickle-Me-Elmos until the week before Christmas so it seems like they're always sold out.
Moreover, I see an important religious holiday converted into a capitalist's wet dreams: presents and cards and candy and gaudy lawn displays.
More than all that, though, what I see is an otherwise secular nation suddenly converted into Christmas Mode. And it disturbs me.
I wonder how many people have ever thought about what it says about our culture that for over a month, America lives and breathes Christmas, despite the fact.. and I want to make this perfectly clear, America is NOT a Christian nation and Christmas is NOT a national holiday.
I think this is the important point right there. America is NOT a Christian Nation. I'm not sure how many Americans do actually celebrate Christmas, but I strongly suspect it's a great deal less than one might guess due to the complete tidal wave of Christmas songs, movies, television specials etc.
So, let's get back to our original topic of discourse: religious songs in public theatre.
And I say no. No that's not right.
I'm not saying No to Frosty or Rudolph or We Wish You a Merry Christmas. I'm saying that Jesus should be left at home.. or at church, but not at school.
This is the part people don't get: They're upset because we want to close one forum. Yes, I do agree that school is an important place for your child, but you have no more right to demand that they sing "o Holy Night" than I do that they go up on stage and sacrifice kool aid and graham crackers to the Lord and Lady and wish the Lord a happy death.
That's the heart of it right there. Just because there are more of you doesn't mean it's right. Just because the nation goes Christmas-crazy doesn't mean it's right either.
Keep Jesus out of the Christmas Play.
Thank you.
I am keeping comment enabled. Feel free to argue.
Well, no, it never really went away, but it's back in the limelight again.
I definately have a position about this, and I'll get to that, but first a little bit of personal history.
My senior year of high school, my school district, Williamsville School District did the unthinkable: they banned overtly religious songs and displays from their schools. This was unheard of, unthinable! Well, not really, but as a Senior, that's a great deal of what I heard.
The problem was this.. and this is true, I suspect, of all these suburban school districts that this argument is happening in.. as far as anyone could see, the district was predominantly christian (false - it turns out the neighborhood had a really pretty good mix of christians (all denominations), jews, muslims and.. other (I had no understanding of the other, but trust me, they were there.)
The issue at stake wasn't about songs like Frosty the Snowman, but about "Silent Night" and "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen". There was a growing majority of the district population who did not feel that these overtly religious songs belonged in a public school setting.
A referendum occured (at the time, I did not want to go, my mom dragged me. But 11 years later, I'm glad I was there.). I remember it fairly clearly, actually. My mom, Marc and I went to North. As we stepped in, we passed a bunch of Born Agains singing Christmas Carols.. and one loonie old woman going on and on about how the jews were trying to take away their heritage. We went inside the auditorium and all concerned citizens were allowed to speak their minds. There was a little of both: both people who felt that these songs were harmless, part of American heritage and should be left alone.. and those who felt it was specifically not.
Anyways, a vote passed and overtly christian songs were banned. Gone.
Instantly, the entire school district was a mockery. We were the PC school district.
An interesting note.. at the time all of this was going on, yours truly was collecting CDs from a local radio station: 97 Rock. By and large, the CDs were bad (I loved them anyways) parodies of rock songs about.. The Buffalo Bills. (Yellow Submarine turned into the Yellow Steelers Team and, my favorite right now, Dude Looks Like a Lady turned into Drew (yes, Bledsoe) throws like a lady.) Anyways, the year this happened (and a whole slew of other big item tickets in Buffalo THAT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH SNOW) happened, 97 Rock turned out a CD about Buffalo. I still have and enjoy this CD. (Especially songs like "Erie County Fair" and "Peace Bridge" and "Cheektowaga Polka" (I'll hook you two up,
blackfelicula and ecwoodburn. You would appreciate!) And, of course.. the Williamsville School District's CHristmas Carols.. like We Wish You a Memorable Seasonal Tidings.At the time, I was both angry that we kids had been put into the middle of a very adult problem.
11 Years Later..
It's back.
I've grown up since then and I've definately learned some things since then.
And I still staunchly agree with the Williamsville Policy.
Personally, I have a very Grinch-like attitude toward Christmas. I suspect it's because I'm an outside. I've never celebrated Christmas. It's meant nothing to me. All I see is that for one month a year, everyone gets "Holiday Spirit"( they try to be nice to one another. Something they apparently can not do the other 11 months.), and the popular media is awash with a butt ton of Christmas Songs, Christmas movies and Christmas TV Specials.
I see the truth behind the facade. People who will be nice on the phone go into a store and start cussing out the poor guy at the counter because they are too stupid to read the sale sign correctly or because the manufacturers cause a drought of Tickle-Me-Elmos until the week before Christmas so it seems like they're always sold out.
Moreover, I see an important religious holiday converted into a capitalist's wet dreams: presents and cards and candy and gaudy lawn displays.
More than all that, though, what I see is an otherwise secular nation suddenly converted into Christmas Mode. And it disturbs me.
I wonder how many people have ever thought about what it says about our culture that for over a month, America lives and breathes Christmas, despite the fact.. and I want to make this perfectly clear, America is NOT a Christian nation and Christmas is NOT a national holiday.
I think this is the important point right there. America is NOT a Christian Nation. I'm not sure how many Americans do actually celebrate Christmas, but I strongly suspect it's a great deal less than one might guess due to the complete tidal wave of Christmas songs, movies, television specials etc.
So, let's get back to our original topic of discourse: religious songs in public theatre.
And I say no. No that's not right.
I'm not saying No to Frosty or Rudolph or We Wish You a Merry Christmas. I'm saying that Jesus should be left at home.. or at church, but not at school.
This is the part people don't get: They're upset because we want to close one forum. Yes, I do agree that school is an important place for your child, but you have no more right to demand that they sing "o Holy Night" than I do that they go up on stage and sacrifice kool aid and graham crackers to the Lord and Lady and wish the Lord a happy death.
That's the heart of it right there. Just because there are more of you doesn't mean it's right. Just because the nation goes Christmas-crazy doesn't mean it's right either.
Keep Jesus out of the Christmas Play.
Thank you.
I am keeping comment enabled. Feel free to argue.
