Ironic Inclusiveness

It feels as though finally, popular culture is beginning to acknowledge that its population isn't made up entirely of Caucasians and Christians. And then, like a child stunned out of its reverie, we (as in, the US) scampered around trying to figure out how to include everybody. And in doing so, we simply excluded everybody.

Every time the holidays come around, this scene replays: I'll say Merry Christmas to a day care teacher, and she'll respond with "Happy Holidays". The fancy stores now celebrate "holiday season" instead of Christmas, but of course, with red and green decoration and one token Spanish holiday song. As a non-Christian who loves Christmas, I find the whole thing laughable at best and stupid at worst.

I recently read this article on CNN about New York City trying to ban offensive words from their school tests. What might these words be? Dinosaurs (because they are part of evolution and can offend creationists - DON'T EVEN ASK), Christmas, Hanukkah, Divorce. Because you know, we want to raise children who can't handle reality, or religious diversity, or evolution.

It sounds eerily like a mix of the many dystopian novels I've read. The Government takes words away from the language, it forces you to think and speak in simpler words, it tells you what you should celebrate or not celebrate, and it finds you your perfect husband so you never get divorced. What about the alternative? The world where we are willing to talk about Christmas and Hanukkah and Ramadan and Diwali and all the other festivals I don't know about? The world where I can enjoy my Diwali lights with my Christmas cake? The world where my child not only knows about marriage and divorce, but also about 2-mom and 2-dad families, evolution, creationism (and my views on it...), and all the other things that we think will offend when mentioned?

To me, abuse is offensive. Being rude is offensive.

What is not offensive, is hearing about someone else's faith in an objective manner (As long as I can spout my views too - its only fair!). Or having our history taught as the brutal and bloody past that it was. And being gracious enough to say "Thank you" before telling someone they wished you for a holiday you are not celebrating (if you must make that point). Because what are you going to do when your kid sees a dinosaur skeleton in a museum? Say its a knockoff?

All said and done, trying to create inclusiveness by in effect excluding everything is offensive.