You couldn't make this up...

[rhythmaning]

From today's Observer (unfortunately it isn't on their website... p25 of the news section) [Edit: abrinsky points out they have now posted it on the website: and the URL-tag uses the phrase "political correctness"... ;) ]:

Christmas Is Axed In Oxford

Council leaders in Oxford have decided to ban the word Christmas from this year's festive celebrations to make them more "inclusive". But the decision to rename the series of events the "Winter Light Festival" have been cticised by religious leaders and locals said it was "ludicrous".

Sabir Hussain Mirza, chairman of the Muslim Council of Oxford, said: "This is the one occasion which everyone looks forward to in the year... I'm angry and very, very disappointed. CHristmas is special and we shouldn't ignore it... Christmas is part of being British."

Rabbi Eli Bracknell said: "It's important to maintain a traditional British Christmas..."

What amused me most is that the Observer didn't print any comments from any Christian spokespeople!

Comments

[abrinsky.livejournal.com]

Now up on the website here.

They tried something just as silly in Birmingham in 1997 and 1998 to quiet justified derision. Christmas in Birmingham is now very different: fun and very welcoming to all.

[rhythmaning.livejournal.com]

Thanks for pointing that out - I've now included the link.

Every time you write about Birmingham, you make it sound very inviting. Some time I might even visit the place!

[abrinsky.livejournal.com]

Do find that The Observer puts things up through the day.

And why I like Birmingham now is possible influence by comparison to how horrible it was 20 years ago!

[miss-s-b.livejournal.com]

If you READ the article, Winterval was an overarching thing INCLUDING Christmas and everything else as well. There's another article debunking the Winterval myth here. Or, because I know not everyone likes Toynbee, how about this one? Or there's this one too.

This is, rather like the multi-purpose lights in Bradford which say "Happy..." and then they put in Christmas or Divali or Eid or whatever as applicable and just leave them up all year round, a complete non story, and is trotted out every year as an example of "political correctness gone mad" when it is, in fact, nothing of the sort.

I have no doubt that this story in the Obs will turn out to be more of the same, and will similarly enter into popular mythology as something that actually happened and people will trot it out as an example year on year too.

I'm sorry if I sound a bit grumpy about this, but as a secular atheist I have NO PROBLEM AT ALL with other people celebrating Christmas if that's what they want to do, and am QUITE HAPPY for my council tax to go towards festive lights, but I am pig sick of being bashed by all and sundry every frigging year for something completely made up.

(edited for rather angry typos)

[rhythmaning.livejournal.com]

I just loved that it was Muslim and Jewish community leaders who were angry at the plans!

[miss-s-b.livejournal.com]

Because they are the ones who are going to suffer. Anyone who is not part of the main cultural hegemony (Christian in name even if they don't believe in God) is to be viewed as The Enemy.