"School Ban on Xmas Carols Spark Debate"

[Bluebear]

And the media dutifully beats the drum of the New Wedge Issue!


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NEWARK, N.J. - As a Jewish boy growing up in Texas, Joel Schwartzberg performed many traditional Christmas songs in the elementary school choir.

Uncomfortable about singing evangelical versions of songs like "Silent Night," Schwartzberg kept his lips sealed during those parts. He remembers being told by his teacher that he had to sing all the words if he wanted to participate.

Schwartzberg, whose young children are about to enter school, said those memories surfaced this month when the South Orange-Maplewood school district decided to ban instrumental Christmas carols at school-sponsored holiday concerts.

The move has brought considerable publicity to Maplewood, located about 10 miles west of Newark, and echoes a larger debate over what public religious displays or expressions are acceptable during the Christmas season.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20041222/ap_on_re_us/carol_controversies_1

[Sandpiper]

1. What good little press whores we have

Dutifully flogging the latest non issue.

[AliciaKeyedUp]

4. So it's not news that this happening?

I don't agree with that position. I think it is news.

[RetroLounge]

of course you do

:eyes:

RL

[AliciaKeyedUp]

14. Isn't the definition of news something new?

This is a changed policy and that means, well, news.

[Kathy in Cambridge]

6. ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzz

:boring:

:eyes:

[Sandpiper]

18. Considering this happens every year

No.

The meme used to be "Christmas is too commercial."

It's turned into "Christmas is too secular."

[Behind the Aegis]

2. I wonder...

...how would they feel if their children were made to recite the Shema or sing songs about the victory of the Maccabees. I grew up Jewish in the deep South and it was embarrassing when I would get called out and told to sit in the hall while the other kids had a Christmas party, instead of asking me about Chanukah and including me. These people make me ill!

[Bluebear]

3. But, theirs is the "right" religion, don't you see?

I picked up a copy of "Canadian Living" this month while up north and saw recipes for latkes, recipes for Eid...so many cultures celebrate winter holidays but as another poster pointed out, only the Christians seem to think theirs is the valid one to celebrate.

[Hippo_Tron]

5. Why couldn't you join the Christmas party?

Did you choose not to or did they not let you?

[Behind the Aegis]

17. In some cases, i wasn't allowed...

...I wasn't Christian, so they didn't want to "force" their ways on me. So, instead, they made a 4th grader sit in the hall by himself, while others had a party. There were a few that allowed me to be there, I just didn't sing the songs....of course, I didn't really know them.

[Hippo_Tron]

19. Did you go to public school? If so, that was a lawsuit waiting to happen

I sympathize with you, that's a horrible situation. If that is the kind of crap that happens in schools, then I agree with those "secular jihadists" who are trying to take the "christ" out of christmas. Those assholes simply abused using religion in schools as part of the holiday season and it is not fair to others.

NOW... If we could avoid discrimination like this, I would not have so much of a problem with semi-religious symbols (trees for example, NOT nativity scenes) and christmas carols in schools so long as, if a child requests that they sing songs of another religion, that the teacher honors that request.

Basically, if Christians (and I'm not talking about all of them, just some) could take some simple steps to respect everybody else's religion, we wouldn't have this problem.

[Behind the Aegis]

20. This was back in the late 70s, early 80s

This was before everyone got sue-happy! My mom sure did make a stink though! She can be a real tough bitch when it comes to protecting her children! :) I can say those experiences help mold me into a more sensitive person. I am more likely to listen to a different point of view than had I not been challenged that way as a child. So, from adversity, came compassion for others. So, at least I got something positive out of it! :)

[Kathy in Cambridge]

7. We learned about all the holiday traditions in school

both public school AND Catholic school. I bet these pseudo Christians would be very upset if their kids came home singing "Dreidl, Dreidl, Dreidl". :eyes:

[Bluebear]

8. They would be the first to sue.

"Oh Hannukah, oh Hannukah, the sweet celebration.....".....GAAAAAAAAA where did you learn THAT!!!?!?!?!?!?!?!!?!?!

[Kathy in Cambridge]

9. What if they learned Ramadan prayers too?

you never hear of the public schools putting on Ramadan programs where the all children learn Ramadan prayers and recite them to their families in the auditorium.

you never hear of any town or city sponsoring a Passover Festival for the entire community with public funds.

Also, I can't think of any other religious event where we expect to be greeted by the merchants where we are shopping.

Poor, put-upon Christians. Some much Bullshit I can't even take it-AND I'M A CHRISTIAN!

[Bluebear]

10. Heaven forbid, learning about Eid.

Poor poor fundies, so persecuted.

[Kathy in Cambridge]

11. They were the biggest whiners about forced multiculturalism

and now they're the biggest whiners about taking the 'Christ' out of Christmas. :eyes:

[blondeatlast]

12. I feel your pain, I really do. And I practice Christianity, too.

I'm sick of "Christians" in the US claiming persecution.

Um, Christ knew from persecution; Susie Suburbia doesn't.

[Kathy in Cambridge]

13. It's a Goebbelsian tactic: the Germans used the same

rhetoric against the Jews. These so-called Christians are bottom feeders who given half a chance would love to get rid of non-Christians by any means possible.

[blondeatlast]

15. I suspect they'd get rid of a few Christians like us while they're at it.

In fact, some are so ignorant they might get rid of Christ himself...

[Solomon]

16. If Christ came back today we would promptly convict him of terrorism,

electrocute him, and then everybody would be walking around with little chairs around their necks.