The American Spectator

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12.29.06 @ 12:01AM

SEASON'S GREETINGS
Re: R. Emmett Tyrrell, Jr.'s Happy Days:

Well-meaning locals in this part of the world have added a new wrinkle to Mr. Tyrrell's lament over the loss of Merry Christmas and (potentially) Happy New Year as person to person greetings in this time of year. In an apparent attempt to be the most sensitive and inclusive human life forms on the planet, local newscasters and more than one co-worker have wished me a Happy AND SAFE Holiday. Exactly where safety figures into the Christmas/New Year scheme of things, I haven't a clue.

Is it possible that they mean that I should celebrate the season by avoiding excessive amounts of alcohol, fast driving, tobacco smoke, domestic abuse, crass commercialism, fossil fuel use, foods high in trans-fats, fireworks, live Christmas trees, DDT, conservative thoughts, red meat, processed white sugar, non-fair trade coffees, religious symbols, sweatshop produced apparel, lead based paints, handguns and jogging along I-95 at night wearing dark clothing?

Well OK, I'm adult enough to avoid most of these and my Momma has already warned me about some of this stuff, too. I do not need to be reminded to follow the safety prescriptions of those self-anointed busybodies among us. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year will continue to do nicely for me, thanks.
-- Deane Fish
Altamont, New York

Mr. Tyrrell should get on a plane that doesn't "fly over" this part of the country and spend a few days here next Christmas season. It seems to my wife and me that "Merry Christmas" has made a small but noticeable resurgence in our locale. To be sure, there are still many commanding a "Happy Holidays" as we are about to leave the checkout stations, but try greeting some of these people first with "Merry Christmas" and you will be surprised at the reaction (here at least). I have personally made it my mission to reply to a "Happy Holidays" greeting with a "Merry Christmas" and now "Happy New Year to you too!" and if that labels me a bigot or racist or whatever, OK, no skin off my nose, and from reading Mr. Tyrrell over the years I suspect he could deal with the few that think that way.

I'll admit to spending as little time on either coast as possible, so perhaps Mr. Tyrrell's commentary is perfectly correct for where he is, but the pendulum appears to be headed back, or part way back, to where "Merry Christmas" is indeed a greeting that extends the very best of thoughts and intentions to whomever it is directed at. Sincerely Mr. Tyrrell, come and spend some time here.
-- Roger Ross
Tomahawk, Wisconsin

Thanks to Mr. Tyrrell for this column. I made a point this year of saying "Merry Christmas" to every grocery checker and bagger, every retail clerk and all who came to my door. I don't remember any one of them saying those words back -- just a "same to you" or a "Happy Holidays" after an uncomfortable hesitation. Who are these wackos who make us feel that we should apologize for saying "Merry Christmas"?

I look at this political correctness as a form of abuse. Abuse can be described as doing something to harm someone (like beating your wife) and then standing there waiting for an apology (it's her fault for making him do it). This applies to politically correct progressives stealing our "Merry Christmas" and forcing us to apologize for saying those awful words. It also applies to the Muslim cartoon controversy. Muslims explode bombs, wear suicide vests, wreak havoc all over the globe in its extreme form, but they expect the apologies when cartoons are created to show that because we made them do these terrible things. That's called abuse, folks, and like that woman in the abusive relationship we need to extricate ourselves from it. Let's start now with a rebellion against political correctness.
-- Deborah Durkee
Marietta, Georgia

Good morning. I have read R Emmett Tyrrell, Jr.'s article. I always enjoy his works. I can't agree with him more than about this. However, I wish to shed a grain of light on those that are still battling for humanity. I was in a local eating establishment (I forget which one) last week, and the person behind the counter, who was black (oops, I mean African-American), said with a big sincere smile on his face, "MERRY CHRISTMAS" as I took my food and left. As I am a devout Catholic (read bigot if you will) I said, "Thank you, and a Merry Christmas to you, too!" I can't explain the warm feeling I had in my heart, for I had dealt with the horrors of traffic and such all day. It is just nice to see that someone in a service industry acknowledges that today, since it is rare.
-- Erik Bendorf
German-Danish-Irish-American

The term "Merry Christmas" nearly gone? Hardly.

But its use certainly depends on one's -- or a group of ones' -- perspective and willingness to share that, as Wal-Mart found from its ridiculousness of Christmas 2005. The Apostle Paul said he wasn't ashamed of the Gospel of Christ. If enough of those who call themselves Christians would conduct themselves likewise, especially at Christmas, perhaps "Merry Christmas" would be spoken in even more places, not fewer.

Meanwhile, the more secularists, relativists, liberals and other politically correct species try to suppress "Merry Christmas," the more it -- and, thus, Christ -- is discussed publicly. That intolerant and hostile crew, fearful of God, makes the same mistake that the princes of the world did when they crucified Christ: They thought they'd gotten rid of Him. We need to pray that the true spirit of Christmas overtakes them, tongues, minds and all.

As for their current influence in our society, it's directly proportional to the ignorance and lack of spine exhibited by public officials and the judiciary, as well as the general cowardice of the public to stand up to those officials, the PCs and an unfriendly, bigoted mainstream news media and shout, "Enough of this tripe!"
-- C. Kenna Amos
Princeton, West Virginia

Re: Happy Holidays. I am surprised that even this greeting has survived the secularist onslaught. It is after all a exhortation that one's "holy day" be happy. How is there any "holy day" allowed in are anti-religious culture.
-- Roger Thompson

You give up too easily. Some of us fought back and made Wal-Mart etc. respect our dollars. We will keep up the fight. This greeting business is just the camel's nose under the tent. You gotta put a stop to them. Did you see where that modern day Dr. Mengele (Tiller) in Kansas is finally being hailed into court. Never, never give up.
-- Annette Cwik

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