Christmas Tree or Holiday tree

I read this today:


Apparently the White House referred to Christmas Trees as “Holiday Trees” for the first time this year which prompted CBS presenter, Ben Stein, to present this piece. I think it applies just as much to many countries as it does to America.

"My confession:

I am a Jew, and every single one of my ancestors was Jewish. And it does not bother me even a little bit when people call those beautiful lit up, bejewelled trees, Christmas trees. I don't feel threatened. I don't feel discriminated against. That's what they are, Christmas trees.

It doesn't bother me a bit when people say, “Merry Christmas” to me. I don't think they are slighting me or getting ready to put me in a ghetto. In fact, I kind of like it. It shows that we are all brothers and sisters celebrating this happy time of year. It doesn't bother me at all that there is a manger scene on display at a key intersection near my beach house in Malibu. If people want a crib, it's just as fine with me as is the Menorah a few hundred yards away.

I don't like getting pushed around for being a Jew, and I don't think Christians like getting pushed around for being Christians. I think people who believe in God are sick and tired of getting pushed around, period. I have no idea where the concept came from, that America is an explicitly atheist country. I can't find it in the Constitution and I don't like it being shoved down my throat.

Or maybe I can put it another way: where did the idea come from that we should worship celebrities and we aren't allowed to worship God? I guess that's a sign that I'm getting old, too. But there are a lot of us who are wondering where these celebrities came from and where the America we knew went to.

In light of the many jokes we send to one another for a laugh, this is a little different: This is not intended to be a joke; it's not funny, it's intended to get you thinking.

Billy Graham's daughter was interviewed on the Early Show and Jane Clayson asked her: “How could God let something like this happen?” (regarding Hurricane Katrina). Anne Graham gave an extremely profound and insightful response. She said: “I believe God is deeply saddened by this, just as we are, but for years we've been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government and to get out of our lives. And being the gentleman He is, I believe He has calmly backed out. How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we demand He leave us alone?”

In light of recent events... terrorists attack, school shootings, etc. I think it started when Madeleine Murray O'Hare (she was murdered, her body found a few years ago) complained she didn't want prayer in our schools, and we said OK. Then someone said you better not read the Bible in school. The Bible says thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, and love your neighbour as yourself. And we said OK.

Then Dr. Benjamin Spock said we shouldn't spank our children when they misbehave, because their little personalities would be warped and we might damage their self-esteem (Dr. Spock's son committed suicide). We said an expert should know what he's talking about. And we said okay.

Now we're asking ourselves why our children have no conscience, why they don't know right from wrong, and why it doesn't bother them to kill strangers, their classmates, and themselves.

Probably, if we think about it long and hard enough, we can figure it out. I think it has a great deal to do with 'WE REAP WHAT WE SOW.'

Funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why the world's going to hell. Funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but question what the Bible says. Funny how you can send 'jokes' through e-mail and they spread like wildfire, but when you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing. Funny how lewd, crude, vulgar and obscene articles pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion of God is suppressed in the school and workplace.

Are you laughing yet?

Funny how when you forward this message, you will not send it to many on your address list because you're not sure what they believe, or what they will think of you for sending it.

Funny how we can be more worried about what other people think of us than what God thinks of us.

Pass it on if you think it has merit.

If not, then just discard it.... no one will know you did. But if you discard this thought process, don't sit back and complain about what bad shape the world is in.

My Best Regards, Honestly and respectfully,

Ben Stein"

Now although this refers a lot to religion, that is not my reason for posting, It has some very valid points.

Do we really think that every person who follows a different religion gets offended when celebrations other than their own get mentioned?

Calling Christmas trees, holiday trees is just ridiculous. Yet again, it is people thinking they have to do, what they consider, the right thing so as not to offend anyone, when in actual fact  it's probably offending those that want to call it a Christmas Tree. Do we see "Holiday" trees being decorated at any other time of the year - I certainly don't, only at Christmastime. 

I don't get offended when Diwali is celebrated, I don't get offended when some people don't want to celebrate any festival. Each to their own. Why does the American President & other leading bodies feel they have to protect people from "words", not offensive words, but words they feel some may take offence to. 

This type of over-protection of some groups is getting worse, we do not all celebrate the same things, we do not all worship the same god, we do not all speak the same language, we are not all homophobic, we are not all racist ... but we are all different and that should be celebrated (or tolerated) by everyone.  

Let us enjoy what we want to enjoy without feeling bad that we may offend someone.

Stop worrying about what others are doing, what others are saying, what others are celebrating, they're not doing it to offend anyone just to enjoy themselves.

ENJOY LIFE

 I've got my Christmas tree up :)

Racism

So I have finally decided to tackle a blog on racism.  Before I start let me just say I am not a racist, I don't agree with any kind of bullying whether its because of skin colour, hair colour, intelligence, disabilities, sexuality or anything. (please don't be offended by any words or phrases I use)

So what is racism? The dictionary says:

1. a belief or doctrine that inherent differences among the various human races  determine cultural or individual achievement, usually involving the idea that one's own race  is superior and has the right to rule others.

2. a policy, system of government, etc., based upon or fostering such a doctrine; discrimination.

3. hatred or intolerance of another race  or other races. 

When I was growing up and in junior school there were not many "black", or "Asian" people in fact, in my class, there was one "black" girl, I sat next to her and she was my friend. Her skin colour was never an issue and neither was mine to her. When I started senior school I think there were 3 or 4 "black" boys in my year and I can't recall there being any "Asian" or any other nationalities for that matter. Again skin colour was never an issue with me, I made friends with pretty much everyone.

As the years have passed things have become more difficult. Once the acceptable term to use to describe someone with dark skin was "coloured", not any more and to be fair I can understand why, as lets face it, everyone has coloured skin of one shade or another. Today's acceptable term is "black".  There are more Asians, more Polish, more Indians, more Pakistanis and several other nationalities living in multi cultural Britain today and therefore even more terms to be conscious of that may be offensive.

Over the last year I have heard more than I care to, with regards to someone being a racist or using racist language, whilst totally unacceptable to use racial abuse, I do think things are now being blown out of proportion.

Let me use an example: The recent case of footballer John Terry, allegedly, using  racist language towards Anton Ferdinand.  This has been widely broadcast and most of us have seen the footage of JT mouthing the words "f**king black c**t" (sorry for the *'s but I don't like using bad language). This stems from an argument between 2 adult males on the football pitch during a heated game of football. JT was in court this week on this issue. Now what is insulting in the phrase used, The word black?  Really? is not being called a "f**king c**t" the real insult?  Like I've said these words were used in the middle of a heated confrontation, supposedly it's a misunderstanding, but for whatever reason the phrase was used it was between to grown men who can handle themselves, was there really any need for an expensive court case.

We have another example where another footballer, Luis Suarez was accused by Patrice Evra of calling him a "nigger" (a unacceptable word most definitely), however the actual word used and spoken in his native tongue was "negritto" an endearing term used in his country, Uruguay. I can understand how there may have been a misunderstanding over the translation of the word. However what I found racist throughout this affair was the FA (football association) choosing to ignore the difference in the Uruguayan culture and language to that of the British. Basically saying "you're in our country now so what's acceptable for you to say or do in your own country doesn't come into it"  (this is just my opinion).  The FA were in their own way being racist.  However yet again the incident was between 2 grown men, during a heated football match, who can give as good as they get and believe me Patrice Evra has been caught on camera actually calling a French international team-mate a nigger, so it baffles me how or why he found it offensive when he thought the word had been used towards him.

So we have racist comments that are referring to a persons skin colour, we have racist comments referring to a persons birth place. People from Pakistan find it offensive to be referred to as a Paki, why? I'm not trying to be offensive if they don't like that term that's fine but I just want to know why they find it so offensive? We, as British people shorten words all the time. A Scotsman is called a Scot or even a Jock, do they find that offensive? The Italians refer to white Britons as lymies, the Australian use Poms do we find that offensive. We even refer to ourselves as Brits and I'm sure other nationalities refer to Britons as Brits too, I can't see what's so wrong.

Are some people really that sensitive?  Or do they use the "racism" thing to get their own way. 

I know there are racist people in the world from every nation and I know some people still suffer from racial discrimination and it is appalling and must be stopped, but lets concentrate on the real issues and not petty squabbles between grown adults. I've heard many a thing said in the heat of an argument and far worse than what colour someone's skin is or where they are from.

We always hear of incidences of racism against non-whites. But racism works both ways. White people are suffering against racism too. In 2006 an article was written in The Guardian called "Racial murders: Nearly half the victims are white"  In 2011 a survey was carried out by Sociologists from Harvard and Tufts universities in America with both black and white people and it became obvious that racism against blacks has decreased over the years whereas racism against whites has increased.

Racism in Britain is not just a problem against black people, or Asian people or any other non-white "people" it is also common against whites just usually ignored or unreported. Interracial violent crime is overwhelmingly black on white ...

“Our true nationality is mankind.”
― H.G. Wells