We live in a community where education is highly valued. From Early Childhood classes to doctorate degrees at MSU, we've got it all here. Private schools, public, you can get what you need. You can become enlightened, you can expand your mind ... Or you can sit around watching Jerry Springer, smoking cigarettes and fearing everything you don't know.
Did you hear about the fiasco surrounding the "Santa gets the heave ho-ho-ho" story? Reader's Digest version: Santa Claus's annual visit to a St. Peter Head Start got nixed because, the program's higher ups say, there were complaints from some of the refugee program attendees about having to be subjected to the annual rite. Head Start canceled Santa to appease, and OH MY GOD. You'd have thought someone ripped the heart out of Democracy itself.
I was on comment approval duty that week and had the joy of reading the words of person after person as they claimed, over and over, that "these people need to live by our rules and if they don't like, they can go back to Africa." (paraphrasing, there)
Folks, I'm sickened by this. I know that even in a community that values education, there will be a certain percentage of people who will just never be ok with outsiders. But we had hundreds of comments on this, and many of them were hurtful. Some hateful. Some we couldn't even publish on the website because they were simply too graphic or vitriolic.
Thankfully, more reasonable minds came out of the woodwork to bring common sense back to the table. These folks understood that maybe it's not fair to condemn and entire hard-working group of people because of one newspaper's account of what one of them may or may not have said.
So I just wanted to throw that out there. It was sad. To give you an idea of the flavor of the comments, I've include a sampling below. (And by the way, very few of them had last names attached. The anonymous, hate-filled rant has become the hallmark of American discourse. Sigh ...)
Good day to you.
Lori wrote:
Wow! Where to begin here...First of all, this is AMERICA!If the Somolians are so easily offended, and they must be because everytime we as Americans turn around, we are having to forfeit our traditions because they offend these poor poor people,why are they even here! Lets see, put up with the majority and the countries CULTURE and TRADITIONS or go back to the hell hole they came from. Hmmmm. I am so sick and tired of having to bend over backwards to please these people because they are 'offended'! Please!! You don't thing they aren't sitting back laughing at the stupid Americans that are so afraid to be the ones to 'offend' these poor poor people? They know exactly what they are doing, and that is, TAKING OVER!... They don't seem to have any dignity when it comes to being spoiled rotten and throwing a temper tantrum when we actually do things different than Somalia!! For crying out loud people! Are we this stupid to just sit back and let these people run us over? America, I fear has become the frog in the pan of boiling water! We have no desire to jump out of the pan! Wake up people! This is America, we are CHRISTIANS!!! Get over it or go home!
Oh ya, and MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!
Denise wrote:
This is totally absurd! When people come to this country, isn't it becuase they want a better life and opportunity for thier families along with the freedom this country was built on? Well, then, what about the freedom and traditions of all of we CITIZENS? The traditions of Christmas, including Santa, have been with this country for hundreds of years. Why should our children be punished because of one family that is offended...seems to me that everyone else is suffering beause of one. THIS IS NOT FAIR to all our kids! If they don't like, LEAVE! There is the door!!!
vallartagirl wrote:
The people who made this decision are cowards. Reminds me of the year the star was pulled from the roof of West High School because ONE atheist student objected. That student should have been told to 'get a hobby', 'get a life', or just don't look up at the star. To those people offended by Santa: you are free to leave; & you're welcome for the billions of dollars this state has spent on you in free food, rent, medical care, utilities, school, free, free, free - when we still have homeless Vietnam Vets and elderly who can't afford their prescriptions - so, either accept the culture that has been here since the immigrants came here long ago & did NOT get everything handed to them. These are OUR customs. Accept them, look the other way if you like, or go back to your 'acceptable' customs in your country. Personally, I'm tired of looking at the silly head-coverings but I haven't yanked one off your heads yet.
Robb- It isn't fair to blame our community for all of the comments. There were a lot of people from far off places who were posting comments. The story was being linked from various right-wing blogs with specific encouragement to the readers of those blogs that they should speak their minds.
ReplyDeleteWell ... I'll grant you that some of it's coming from outside our community. But there's enough in those comments to lead me to believe some of it's from our own backyard.
ReplyDeleteI don't know. I suppose I shouldn't get worked up about it. There are small-minded people everywhere, no matter how progressive you think your community is. I just hoped we'd respond better, I guess.
I don't disagree with your point that plenty of the xenophobia was local, starting with the would-be Santa impersonator at the center of the story, Dennis Jackson. For Free Press readers who missed his letter to the editor in the St. Peter Herald, he closed it with these jolly words: "Merry Christmas to all American Citizens." How's that for the real Santa spirit! With such charm and grace, one marvels that he ever has trouble getting repeat invitations.
ReplyDeletewow ...
ReplyDelete