Last week, I was unconsciously sucked into the Merry Christmas vs. Happy Holidays brouhaha that has infected the likes of Bill O’Reilly, the ACLU, and countless homeowner’s associations. 

 

Upon leaving a meeting with a local City Councilmember’s staff person, I opened my mouth to wish them Merry Christmas when I halted my self at “Mer…” Uncomfortably, but without hesitation, the words “Happy Holidays” came rumbling uneasily out of my mouth instead.

 

The recipient of my greetings, a Democrat and self identified liberal, countered my Happy Holidays with an emphatic “Merry Christmas!” 

 

I went away humbled as I realized that despite being on the pro-“Merry Christmas” side of the political debate, I had somehow been infected with a political correctness that did what political correctness was meant to do—stifle free and honest speech.

 

How could this have happened to me? I thought.  I’ve always been one of those who lament the fact that the word Christmas has been shunned in some sectors of our nation, and not just our halls of government (but that too!) 

 

People involved in politics on a day to day basis like I am, dealing with Republicans and Democrats, conservatives and liberals, and people of all different faiths, often have this issue thrust upon them.  Political correctness has run rampant as not only has the U.S. Congress shunned Christmas in recent years, but it has trickled down through department stores, then grocery stores, and now trickled down to me.

 

I grew up in an area of Long Beach, and particularly a street, where I estimate 45-50% of the residents are Orthodox Jews.  I followed after my dad (who as a former City Councilman helped get a 6 foot tall menorah placed in City Hall) as he greeted our neighbors almost weekly with “Happy Shabbos!” after daybreak Friday and throughout Saturday.  This same sentiment has always been passed along to us during Christmas.

 

It was dejecting to know that not only was I shunning Christmas, I was adding to a rejection of the greatness of religious diversity that makes our city, state, and country great.

 

I also pondered the idea that if being dejected and preoccupied about the decrease in “Merry Christmas” and the rise of “Happy Holidays”, as people like Bill O’Reilly have seemed to do, makes it worse than just making a personal commitment to say it more. 

 

Self help tomes like The Power of Positive Thinking and The Secret ascribe to the idea that by focusing on the negative (as in, “Those liberals are stealing Christmas from the baby Jesus”), you may actually do more to worsen the situation you’re trying to change. 

 

So as penance for focusing on the negative, shunning not only Christmas but religious tolerance and diversity, and stifling free and honest speech, I would like to make my penance here in this column:

 

Merry Christmas! Sretan Bozice! Feliz Navidad! I’D Miilad Said! Shenoraavor Nor Dari! Fröhliche Weihnachten! Gajan Kristnaskon! Joyeux Noël! Shinnen omedeto! Mo’adim Lesimkha! And…

 

…Happy Birthday, Jesus Christ!