MSNBC: Should the White House card say "Happy Holidays" or "Merry Christma

[sabra]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3080261/#survey

Should the White House card say "Happy Holidays" or "Merry Christmas"?

* 2527 responses


Happy Holidays 52%
Merry Christmas 48%

[thoughtanarchist]

1. it should say

"I resign"

[Connie_Corleone]

2. Where's the third option "Who gives a shit?"

[MallRat]

9. Hear, Hear!

Doesn't this whole thing smell like just another attempt to misdirect the American people from all the shit that's been going down?

Christmas-killers? Puh-leeze. Could someone, anyone in the MSM stand-up and yell, "STRAWMAN!" Who the hell is trying to "kill Christmas?"

As Jon Stewart likes to say, "LOOK AT THE SHINY OBJECT! OOOH... SO NICE AND SHINY!"

[distantearlywarning]

15. My thoughts exactly.

Just another example of the "God Warriors" out there throwing a hysterical fit about absolutely nothing, and the media encouraging them.

At this point I am so sick of this whole stupid, meaningless, NOTHING argument that I never want to hear "Happy Holidays" or "Merry Christmas" again.

[DefenseLawyer]

17. Well personally

I think telling a jewish person "Merry Christmas", while not the end of the world, is just thoughtless and totally unnecessary. If I were jewish and the white house wished everyone a "Merry Christmas" I would probably see it as an intentional slight, given that the all inclusive "Happy Holidays" can be so easily said in its place.

[Loonman]

3. No "C"?

c) Don't really give a good goddamn

[Oceansaway]

4. Done....

[gauguin57]

5. The card should say, "SUUUCKERS!"

... for all the bad boys and girls who voted for the lying sacks of coal who now make mischief in our White House.

[prolesunited]

6. This is all manufacture B.S.

that just takes away focus from real issues. And the media is more than happy to keep feeding it.

[Marr]

7. It's insulting.

The way they try to make people quibble over meaningless bullshit- it's insulting.

[G_j]

8. "War on Earth, & Bad Will to All"

have a miserable holiday! Satan

[IntravenousDemilo]

12. Well, he may be Satan,

but at least he's a Great Satan (TM).

[Norquist Nemesis]

10. Option C: WHO CARES???!!!

What a STUPID poll question! What does it matter? Besides, what are they going to do if 95% vote "Merry Christmas"...re-send them with an apology for the first batch?

[Luminous Animal]

11. This atheist is almost tempted

to vote "Merry Christmas" Let's give the fundies more ammunition to go after the White House. The greater the hue and cry, the more opportunities to sit back and watch the adminstration blunder its response.

[IntravenousDemilo]

16. Well, as a third-generation atheist/agnostic

On both sides of my family, I still say "Merry Christmas", not because of the "Christ" part, but because the phrase reminds me of snow, tinsel, pine-cone wreaths, Christmas trees bedecked with coloured lights and garlands, pink-cheeked Currier & Ives children skating on the pond, all that tasty food, including those Christmas oranges you can't get the rest of the year, tinted Victorian Christmas cards, all that red and green stuff like holly and poinsettias, Christmas carolling (which I happen to do for money), Alastair Sim as Scrooge, and my quite-happy childhood, as well as the occasional prezzie. And I admit here that "Merry Christmas" could evoke unpleasant memories in some who were unhappy children, or completely different ones in people not raised around snow etc.

Anyway, I'm sorry, but "Happy Holidays" just sounds sort of anaemic in comparison. I like "Merry Christmas" more or less for aesthetic reasons, rather than religious ones.

Besides, let the Jews have Hanukkah, let the Hindus have Diwali, let the Muslims have Ramadan, let whoever still celebrates Kwanzaa have Kwanzaa, and let's wish them all a happy Hanukkah/Diwali/Ramadan/Kwanzaa. If a Jew were to wish me a Happy Hanukkah, I don't think that as an atheist I'd get all that riled up. And my Hindu co-workers at the hospital would wish me a Happy Diwali and offer me some yummy burfi, and I'd say Happy Diwali right back. Thus it would seem illogical to me for a Jew or Hindu or Muslim or whatever to object when I say "Merry Christmas" -- in fact, as a non-believer, I obviously am not trying to foist any Christian religious views on them. I mean it in the most secular way possible.

Most important, I'm not much different from an atheist who was raised a Christian or an atheist raised as a Jew or as a Muslim or as a Hindu. We are all secular people. I just happen to prefer "Merry Christmas". I suspect there are a lot of people like me, too. So if someone happens to say "Merry Christmas" to you, I hope you won't automatically take it the wrong way. It could be an atheist wishing you a happy time.

[Eugene]

13. Done.

3072 responses

[Pam-Moby]

14. Done

Should the White House card say "Happy Holidays" or "Merry Christmas"? * 3403 responses


Happy Holidays
52% Merry Christmas
48%

[Javaman]

18. Happy Festivus!!!

[seemslikeadream]

19. NOT SO MERRY CHRISTMAS

Masters Of War

Come you masters of war
You that build all the guns
You that build the death planes
You that build all the bombs
You that hide behind walls
You that hide behind desks
I just want you to know
I can see through your masks.

You that never done nothin'
But build to destroy
You play with my world
Like it's your little toy
You put a gun in my hand
And you hide from my eyes
And you turn and run farther
When the fast bullets fly.

Like Judas of old
You lie and deceive
A world war can be won
You want me to believe
But I see through your eyes
And I see through your brain
Like I see through the water
That runs down my drain.

You fasten all the triggers
For the others to fire
Then you set back and watch
When the death count gets higher
You hide in your mansion'
As young people's blood
Flows out of their bodies
And is buried in the mud.

You've thrown the worst fear
That can ever be hurled
Fear to bring children
Into the world
For threatening my baby
Unborn and unnamed
You ain't worth the blood
That runs in your veins.

How much do I know
To talk out of turn
You might say that I'm young
You might say I'm unlearned
But there's one thing I know
Though I'm younger than you
That even Jesus would never
Forgive what you do.

Let me ask you one question
Is your money that good
Will it buy you forgiveness
Do you think that it could
I think you will find
When your death takes its toll
All the money you made
Will never buy back your soul.

And I hope that you die
And your death'll come soon
I will follow your casket
In the pale afternoon
And I'll watch while you're lowered
Down to your deathbed
And I'll stand over your grave
'Til I'm sure that you're dead.

-- Bob Dylan

[OnionPatch]

20. Hmmmm, this seems like a no-brainer

Are all Americans Christians? Will all Americans be celebrating Christmas? No, you say? Many, many Americans celebrate other religious holidays during this season?

Well then, Case Closed.

[TahitiNut]

21. It depends on the addressee, of course!

When (genuinely) wishing another person a positive experience, it should be in the context of their faith and their beliefs. Projecting one's own faith on another isn't generous; it's dogmatic and condescending. It's remarkable how lacking in generosity and good will people have become. Disgusting.

An oligarchy of religion is even more reprehensible than an oligarchy of commerce.

Here's my favorite greeting ...

May the child who lives within us
Gently teach us how to find
Joy and trust in one another --
Lasting faith in all mankind.