Merry Love and Compassion Day

By Christine Rose copyright 2009

In the early days of this country, census takers declared that 91% of this county was Christian.  Today, that number is down to 78%.  Still a hefty number, but dwindling for sure.  Grumblers will declare that this is a Christian Country and that as the majority, they have the right to name the holidays and the minority be damned.  I say, Not so. 

Political correctness really must be dissected.  What are the proponents of all things dominant really saying?  They are declaring themselves the winner in all contests, without hearing the voices of the underrepresented.  They want to own the holidays, and name them after their own heroes.  They also don’t want to listen to the reasons why other groups may have other ideas.

I was playing Scrabble with my mother the other day.  She is a darling elderly woman, with friends from many races and creeds.  Yet she does things I cannot understand.  At the grocery store, she asked the well groomed African-American man wearing the name tag “Omar” if he was Omar from the Jungle.  She announced during a game of scrabble,

 “Chinkie say as Chinkie do.”  Stunned, I asked her what that meant, and she said, “You know, Chinkie Chinese!”  At lunch the next day, she announced to my guests that her Indian name was Bea Stays in Pajamas All Day.  With my head in my hands,  all I could do was take deep breaths and ask her to please stop tormenting me.  I did not say it nicely.

The oldest living generation does not understand political correctness because they ruled the country for almost two centuries, and in some places, longer.  In many places, where the dominant race is white and the dominant religion is Christian, the insistence that there is only one way to live is becoming obsolete, and to many it may be frightening.  To give in is to admit they are losing their footing. I believe this is the problem with the current disrespect being shown our president, who is being criticized for crazy things like bowing too low to an Asian diplomat. 

The dominant folks are being moved a little to the left as other groups, including those of us white folks who voted for Obama, say that it is now time to Play Nice!  No more bullying or name calling!  Being the dominant culture does not mean that they get to make all of the rules!  What it should mean is that they look out for the underdogs.

So if we look at today, this holiday called Christmas, this beautiful day of family, generosity and love, the dominant people are asking, “Why would they want to do away with Christmas?  Why do they want to throw Christianity out and bring the non-religious in?”

Why indeed.  Lets turn the question around and ask it another way.  Are the non-religious guilty of a lack of love, of generosity,  of lack of morals simply because they celebrate all of those wonderful qualities without the stamp of Christianity?  Religion is at its best when it is a community of loving people dedicated to spreading love and assistance to those in need.  It is at its absolute worse when it become a disrespectful imposition of one’s beliefs upon another. 

There are so many problems in the world but none so bad as disrespect, the cause of all woes.  Wouldn’t it be far better if we found the common ground and united under that?  Couldn’t we celebrate each other under the premise that all religions call for Loving our Neighbor and Compassion for all?  That may not be a particularly capitalistic sentiment, but then again, there are few religions based in self-service to the detriment of the downtrodden.

I was in the giant mega grocery store at 6 a.m. the other morning.  Its an interesting time of day, because the only people in the store are those who are stocking shelves and emptying boxes.  I go there often to hand pick the best boxes for sending out goods to our friends and to the most unfortunate children on Indian reservations in South Dakota.  I was standing next to a man who was unloading the potato chips and talking with him about Changing Winds, the charity that I run every fall and winter.  He remarked that he so wished he could participate in helping such a good cause.

I smiled at him, and said, Look at what you are doing.  You are helping me with those boxes.  Some people show up at my door with no money but a deep desire to help.  They pack and load boxes, clean goods, drive trucks and help me maintain my sanity when my house is floor to ceiling, wall to wall boxes. 

The point is, You CAN help.  You CAN change the world for someone less fortunate.  All you have to do is be willing to see beyond your own comfort level to the discomfort of others.  And when you see it, reach out and do something.  Anything.  Because every little bit of help moves the mountain.

Celebrating Christmas has become an argument about whether or not to celebrate the birth of the man people call Christ, the Son of God.  It could not be a sillier argument, and one that no doubt left Jesus shaking his head and wondering, How the heck did that idea get to be the overwhelmingly important one?

What did Jesus call for?  Loving your neighbor, humility, compassion.  That is what is important!  That is what brings together all people, from the religious to the atheists. And the Call to Arms for more Love could not come at a better time.  Merry Love and Compassion Day!!