Roy Exum
When a New Jersey city council member resigned in a huff last week, I’ll admit I said “Good riddance.” People like Charlene Storey, who have taken the growingly-insane “politically correct” movement completely over the edge, are ruining the America we know. I, for one, have taken the “no more political correct” stance and, brother, if something I write offends you please hit the “delete” button because there are still too many of our traditions that mean very much to me.
Charlene, a former Catholic who now identifies herself as a “non-believer,” made a huge scene when her fellow council members in Roselle City voted to add the word “Christmas” to the annual “Tree Lighting Ceremony” and America’s media reacted like the rest of us care. A Christmas tree is exactly that, a Christmas tree.
In her resignation letter, Storey wrote, “I cannot in good conscience continue to be part of a council that is exclusionary or to work with a mayor who is such.” Citing church-vs.-state she added, “It’s been the Holiday Tree for 20 years. I think that if you are using municipal funds, you have to be careful to be representing as large a part of the population as possible.”
Earlier last week the administration at the University of Tennessee embroiled just about everybody else in the state when a 10-point memo was circulated to “ensure your holiday party is not a Christmas party in disguise.” It directed supervisors and managers not to “endorse, or be perceived as endorsing, religion generally or a specific religion.” And “If sending holiday cards to campus and community partners, send a non-denominational card …”
Of course, the whole thing is being stirred by the university’s idiotic Office of Diversity and Inclusion. These are the same yoyos who made world-wide headlines in August when they called for gender-free pronouns that still bring laughter on late-night TV. Instead of “he, she or we” they suggest strange new words like “ne, ve, or ey” and the resulting response was to portray the home of “Rocky Top” as a stumbling crowd of one-tooth morons.
My goodness gracious. Less than four months later, politicians, ministers and the majority of those who pay tuition are calling for the heads of Chancellor Jimmy Cheek, university president Joe DiPiero and inclusion expert Dr. Rickey Lake. All nine of the state’s Republican representatives in Congress are furious, the state legislature is calling for a harsh look at state funding for Dumbo U. and, thus far, the only backers the administration clowns have will come in an emergency meeting of the university faculty today.
Former UT president and current Senator Lamar Alexander even joined in the jeers. In a hastily-produced press release, Alexander is quoted as saying “’Merry Christmas, everybody!’ (is what) President Obama said yesterday as he and his family lit the National Christmas Tree at the White House. On Wednesday, House Speaker Ryan lit the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree. Maybe next year the president and the speaker should invite the UT diversity office to our annual national Christmas tree lightings so they can see how truly American it is to celebrate Christmas!”
To catch you up, the New Jersey councilwoman rescinded her resignation after the Mayor calmed her down and, while she won’t attend the Christmas Tree Lighting, she will chair a new diversity committee on the town council. Mayor Carl Hokanson, after restoring peace on earth, said “People are offended because we say Merry Christmas? I am offended when you tell me ‘holiday.’”
Ditto.
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The best essay I have ever read on “political correctness” at Christmas was written about 10 years ago by Firoozeh Dumas, who immigrated to Los Angeles from Iran in the 1970s. She wrote a wonderful book, “Laughing Without an Accent” and – for the record, she is a Muslim.
Here are some highlights:
“When we arrived in 1972, we were met with wonderful kindness. People ask me about assimilation, who wouldn’t want to assimilate in such an environment? (NOTE: Assimilation – to bring into conformity with the customs, attitudes, etc., of a group or nation … to take in an incorporate as one’s own).”
“We noticed right around Dec. 1 everyone started wishing us a ‘Merry Christmas.’ Merry Kereestmas! we replied. Sometimes well-wishers offered us homemade cakes, cookies in the shape of candy canes, stars … and covered with sprinkles. We ate them all.
“Then came invitations for caroling. Let me confess that aside from ‘Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,’ I learned no lyrics other than ‘pa-rum-pum-pum-pum’ from the Little Drummer Boy. But a few years ago people stated telling us that being wished ‘Merry Christmas’ was insulting. What? During all the years I have lived in the United States, it never once occurred to me that a ‘Merry Christmas’ was anything other than an excuse to say something nice in December, or an invitation to start a conversation.
“I never took those two words to mean, ‘come believe in Jesus, you non-practicing Muslim.’ Nor did I think that receiving a plate of rum balls was anything more than generosity and kindness.
“This is why I absolutely abhor so called political correctness. In fact, political correctness has done nothing other than make people nervous and stop conversations that should be taking place.”
She also wrote, “Let’s say you have a question about Iranian people or a basketball player. How are you going to have your question answered without asking an actually Iranian or a basketball player? Google just goes so far…. Now the only question asked on the Nightly News is ‘Whom shall I fear today?”
Her best came last. “This is what I suggest. Let’s get rid of political correctness all together and replace it with civil conversations and bridge-building …. We all have questions about other cultures and other religions – so let’s talk.
“Go ahead and ask me whatever you want and I’ll do the same,” promised Firoozeh, the Muslim. “Oh yeah, and don’t forget the rum balls. I’ll bring the baklava.”
Ditto, sweet lady. Ditto.
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TODAY’S BONUS: A “flash mob” is when a group of people gather suddenly for a purpose. Several weeks ago at the National Air and Space Museum's "Milestones of Flight" gallery, a single member of the U.S. Air Force Band sat in a chair and unexpectedly began to play. I will dare you not to cry as he is joined by 120 members of our finest in the most exhilarating beginning to the Christmas Season you have ever witnessed. The band, under the direction of commander and conductor, Col. Larry H. Lang, came in disguise, from behind air planes and space capsules, and as you watch, please take special note of the unsuspecting Americans who had no idea what was happening but who will never forget it. Click here to see the video.
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