I'm Offended

I love the Christmas holiday season.  I like Christmas trees, menorahs, even the folks who simply celebrate the winter solstice. Basically, if you're happy in celebrating something I'm for it and hope you have a grand time doing it.  If you wish me Merry Christmas, I thank you.  Same for Hanukkah or Kwanzaa. If it is meaningful to you and you wish me a share of that good will I'm grateful, even if I don't normally celebrate that particular holiday in my own holiday tradition.

Since Christmas is almost upon us it is time for the stories of the various business and municipal leaders who are cowering in corners afraid that someone will claim some offense at a holiday display and demand it be taken down.  So far a Chase Bank has succumbed to the pressure as have a variety of schools.

Well, I'm offended too.  I'm offended that people of good will and understanding allow themselves to be bullied by the chronically unhappy and perpetually petulant members of our society who are only happy when no one else is. When I was an undergrad, my political science professor would explain that the great danger in a democracy is what he called the tyranny of the majority.  That is, when the majority rule infringes on the basic rights of some minority in the community. It seems to me we've no need to worry about that any longer for now it is the tyranny of the minority.  Any loudmouth can claim some offense and demand huge majorities of his or her fellow citizens set aside their rights to assemble or worship or simply celebrate.

We seem to have taken being offended to a national art form.  It is time for those who think this version of national curmudgeonliness has simply gone to far to stand up and say baloney. I simply don't care if you choose to make your life miserable and take offense at one thing or another.  If you choose to be offended you can just as easily choose to NOT be offended.  Offended, not offended, I simply don't care. You are only one of several hundred million people in the land and the country doesn't revolve around you and your perceived offense. 

So to all my friends, with no wish to offend, "Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!"