15 December 2008

2008 - Too PC???


With all of the different holidays on the winter horizon has society become too concerned with offending different races, ethnicities, and religions when discussing the holiday season? In other words has America become too "Politically Correct?"

21 comments:

Julie Pietrycha said...

I think that society is trying not to offend anyone by sending out the message that they think is correct. My mom tries to send out christmas cards that are religious with who the people are and what religion they are. It takes her a really long time. Sometimes it is okay to think about all of the things that may effect someone else, but it is not always necessary to change things to fix other's beliefs. It is somewhat too politically correct because everyone thinks too much about things that used to be so simple since today people take everything very personally even if its not meant to be.

Courtney Maratta said...

I believe that America has definately become to concerned with hurting others feelings, America has become way to Politically Correct. this has made others suffer and become deprived of the holidays. for example a christmas party is now called a midwinter party, but if the party is for christmas, it should be allowed to be called a christmas party. I believe that America shouldn't be so strict when it comes to holidays. The world isn't suppose to be perfect, things arnt suppose to always be politically correct. the holidays are suppose to be celebrated accordingly. i think that you should be able to celebrate the holiday of your racial background, it doesn't offend the majority of people when you name a party after your holiday. the holidays are about celebrating, and giving thanks and so forth, i dont think there should be limitations on giving thanks for what you have

theBaraness said...

I think people need to stop being so serious and get a sense of humor. There are so many races, ethnicities, and religions and there is no way you can not offend at least one person. People need to chill out and stop worrying about everything. This whole "politically correct" business is getting out of hand. You can't please everybody anyways.

S.Costa said...

I believe that we have because there shouldnt be any concern for people to go out to a store and say "merry Christmas" to some one and it offending them because they were jewish. when people say that they are just extending their message not trying to offend them for being a different race or ethniticity. Everyone should not make such a big deal about being "PC" there is no PC in America, we are so diverse that people should already know that people arent trying to offend them but merely wish them well during the holidays

Amanda Butler said...

America has definitly become way too politically correct. Not everything is going to apply to everyone and that is just the way life is, no one is going to have to go to couseling because someone said, "Merry Christmas!" when they celebrate Kwanza. It should not be offensive. We should be able to throw parties for a specific hoilday without being labeled as "politically incorrect." And the whole Santa Claus now saying, "Ha! Ha! Ha!" what is that?! He has been saying, "Ho! Ho! Ho!" for centuries. It really disgusts me that society is even connecting Santa Claus, a cheerful holiday figure, with being sexist and degrading. This "politically correct" business is just getting way too far. It's ludicrous.

Natalia said...

I also think that political correctness is getting too serious. People are taking this way out of hand when they get "offended" by something like "Merry Christmas" when they celebrate Hanukkah. This is America, there are a number of different holidays celebrated, and these do not apply to all cultures. I think it is sort of implied that the majority of people celebrate Christmas and that is why most say Merry Christmas, than something else, and i definitely don't think people say this intentionally, they simply don't know who celebrates what. But i guess it makes more sense if you just say "Happy Holidays", and not offend anyone.

Why, Jake, of course! said...

I agree with everyone so far. This is getting a bit ridiculous. I understand that not everyone celebrates the same holidays, but really, there's no reason to get offended by someone who asks you to enjoy the time of year. If someone says Merry Christmas, they're not saying "I hope you have fun celebrating the birth of Christ". It's just the common way to say "Have a good day" during this season. If people get offended by that, why not take Christmas lights off of all the houses, as well? Where do we draw the line? And besides, I have friends with Hindu and Atheist families who celebrate their own version of Christmas, which is essentially the same thing minus the birth of Christ part. Christmas has become a part of American culture, so there's no avoiding the Walmart sales and the claymation specials on TV. I think everyone just needs to relax and enjoy whatever they celebrate and not let differences in belief upset them. Happy holidays everyone, no offense.

nicole scalise said...

I definitely think that America has become too politically correct. So many things can be taken the wrong way and we are constantly trying not to offend anyone. Yet i think thats almost impossible. I realize that there are many different races and religions in America but you can't please everyone. People need to stop taking things so personally. We change the names of things so many times just because it might offend one person. I mean santa can't even say ho ho ho anymore because its derogatory towards women. That's ridiculous. I think that America needs to take it easy with the political correctness.

Tom burch was here said...

In my opinion people have become to Politically Correct. America was formed so people could have equal righs and freedom of religion. So by not saying your own holiday such as Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa it is limiting you right for freedom of religion. This is part of a persons identtiy and customs most people celebrate with there familys anyway. So is offending someone, not celebrating the same holiday as they do? I disagree so we should intergrad all holidays and not say one is better then another because neather is better or wosre its all about love, family, and presents! I say dont worry about offending if were all accepting to one another.

Brenda said...

I think America today is way too politically correct. For instance Spanish club cannot sell their candy grams, yes even with healthy fruit snacks, because it refers to the Christmas holiday. So we tried to changed the name but they still didnt approve it just for the fact the it is done in conjunction with Christmas. Each year we have to word our petition a different way in order for the administration to approve it. I think that if you dont celebrate Christmas then don't buy a candy gram. And if you recieve one, couldn't you just see it as, someone is trying to be nice by giving me a gift, maybe they dont know I dont celebrate Christmas? I think by being so politcally correct about Christmas people who do celebrate it are being offended which totally defeats the purpose. I think people should just be able to express themselves and their opinion without being afraid of offending people, provided they don’t go out of their way to be mean.

Anonymous said...

I definitely think that America has become too "Politically Correct". Everyone knows that the United States is a country with people of many different races and ethnicities. As a result there are different beliefs, holidays, and traiditions held by these different cultures. I think that everyone should come to understand this and see that it is hard to completely eliminate offending one group or another because "Christmas" for example can bring about different meanings, traditions and celebrations that people of different cultural background go through. People should relax and realize that with the diverse culture that we share in the U.S. it would be hard to give "Christmas" or any other holiday a name that would not offend at least one person or ethnic group. Everyone should just understand that people do not want to offend you by saying Merry Christmas, all they are doing is being polite, wishing you a happy holiday, they don't really stop and think whether you are Catholic, Jewish or any other religion and that you will be offended. They were brought up with saying Merry Christmas during the holidays, though now people take things way too seriously and personally.

Stephanie said...

I believe that America in some ways has become too "Politcally Correct." I feel this way because things that used to be so simple in life and to people have now become something way bigger then people imagined. I realize that at certain times people of different races, ethnicities and religons are offended because of different things but at the same time i feel as though were blowing everything out of proportion. America doesn't purposly do things to offend people. For example like someone stated in an earlier blog, were so used to hearing the words "Christmas Party" but now they are no longer referred to as christmas party but as a "Midwinter party." I believe there is a time and place to take into consideration the different races and religons that we have but at the same time small things such as that should not be blown up into a racial or religous issue because its not. I do believe America is becoming to politcally correct, although it makes us so diverse at the same time were becoming a too sensitive.

a. holmes said...

I find that America has become too politically correct when it comes to the holiday season. One of the largest contraversies that comes to mind is Christman/Holiday Recess - according to the school website. At first, the vacation that we have during December was originally referred to as Christmas Vacation. Then, eventually, schools had to become politically correct and refer to it as something else. However, the reason why it was originally called Christmas Vacation was because students wouldn't show up to school on the days surrounding Christmas. So, school systems decided to give these days off so the majority of students would not be absent from school. So, technically winter vacation is actually a vacation meant to accomodate those who celebrate Christmas. Instead now, it's referred to as Holiday recess or winter vacation or who knows how many other names. The point is, when I was little, I don't remember people making that much of a deal over it. And I'm guessing that there's still the same ratio of those who celebrate different holidays or none at all. The fact that people are making such a big about being politically correct is causing a fuss over these sorts of things and it's just getting to the point where being politically correct is annoying. I read Julie's post and what she said about different types of cards for the holidays can get annoying. The whole point of this time of year is just to be cheerful and spread the feeling to everyone else. But, because everyone's trying to be politically correct, the cheerful feeling is replaced by stress because you're trying not to offend anyone else. Also, I was watching the news a couple of days ago and there was this man who happened to be Jewish talking. He was talking about when people greet him around the holidays by saying "Merry Christmas," he doesn't bring out the *gasp* "I'm offended," he says it back to them and takes it as something as "Enjoy this time of the year" and nothing meant to be offensive. So, I believe that if everyone had this kind of outlook on this, the holidays would be alot better, which in fact does make me believe that America is becoming too politically correct.

Little Bermudez said...

I think it is polite to respect other peoples religions but I think america is to politicaly correct. I think america looks bad being so politicaly correct because if we want to be so racially connceted like we say we are than it shouldnt be a problem. If everyone was equal it wouldnt be such a big deal but its shows us all how racially n religiously we are equal

Tim McDonald said...

I think that Americam has become too politacally correct. I think this because if you display a bunch of different holiday symbols, chances are someone is going to be left out or someone is going to complain about the size or amount of the symbols and the decorations.To me, if one symbol isn't part of everyone's religion, then we are told to pretend it's part of nobody's religion?

A Holzhauer said...

In my opinion America has definetly become to Politically correct. When did we all of a sudden assume that saying merry christmas was a term that is offensive to people who are not christian? There has been no big controversy in the news, and there has been no big law suit saying that it is. I think its wrong for us not to say merry christmas to whom ever we feel like it. If I say it to a Jewish person, they have no right to get mad, I am being a friendly person. I know that a majority of Christians would not be offended if a Jewish person said happy Hanukkah. All religions are supposed to be loving and that's what we are trying to do, love and be happy with other human beings who on the earth.

erinzenzie said...

I think that society has deffinitely become too concerned with being politically correct. I began noticing this more when i got into high school and was a teacher in the preschool here and we couldnt say anything about santa or christmas or any holiday. We were told to be very careful and to respect what other people believe in. I strongly believe that there is a big difference between mentioning something about christmas or a certain holiday, without offending someone, and saying something purposely to someone that doesnt celebrate that holiday. I think schools and society are taking it way to far.

Mikayla Belle said...

I think America is defiantly becoming too politically correct. People should be able to accept each others religions and beliefs. It doesn't mean that they have to convert to that person’s religion, but they don't have to throw a fit, and start a lawsuit against them if they are expressing their beliefs in public. They have become too critical of race, religion and ethnicity, and too concerned with what they think.

Michelle Post said...

I dont think that society has become too concerned with the different races, ethnicities, and religions. I dont think that they are concerned enough. I celebrate christmas, which is the majority, but if i did celebrate something different like Hannakah or Kwanza then i would be offended if i didnt have cards in the stores dedicated to my holiday or time off from school when the kids who celebrate christmas do. It seems a little ignorant to me when we have this time off basically just for the people who celebrate chrismas and new years. Yes, it is the majority and the school systems want to be accomidating to all the kids as possible, but it can be considered offensive to some religions.

Mel Ruiz said...

I feel that America has become too politically correct. Being politically correct can be a good thing since America is made up of people with many different cultures, religions, and ideas and it allows each to be held at the same value and be shown equal respect. However when it starts to limit people from expressing their identity, then it becomes a problem. It is a shame that people aren’t able to celebrate their own holiday the way they would like because they are afraid to offend someone who does not celebrate the same holiday. The people who do get offended need to realize that there are many different belief systems different from their own and they have to right to celebrate just like they themselves do.

sean parent said...

"One nation under god, indidisible with liberty and justice for all" it is sas to say but this country is a christian country. i think it is totally wrong that holidays partys cant be called holidays parties. this country has become way to politically cautious. when i was in 4th grade we were told that we must stand and say the pledge. now if a teacher did that in the new era the teacher would be in serious trouble. there is nothing wrong with sayin happy holidays to someone. during the time between december and feburary most of the races and ethnicities are celebrating a holiday. this country needs to relax with all of the talks of being politically correct.