Well, it’s that time of the year again: time for Christ-phobes to complain about Christmas celebrations in public places. Once again we must endure weeks of whining about how seeing a Nativity scene and hearing the words “Merry Christmas” creates an exclusionary, hostile environment that leaves non-Christians feeling threatened. 2008’s first incidence of Christ-phobia takes place in Long Island, NY in the town of Patchogue.
On Nov 23 the town will hold its 15th annual boat parade along the Patchogue River. Last year the name of the parade was the Patchogue Christmas Boat Parade. This year the name has been changed to the Patchogue Holiday Boat Parade because of “complaints that the use of ‘Christmas’ seemed to make the parade less inclusive.” (http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gfA-XFWFSZjLAt-oIzxwehAhx4xgD9409U000) Organizers tried to justify the change by arguing that “the parade has had several names over its roughly 15-year existence”, but one group who rejected that explanation is the Grucci fireworks company. Last year Grucci donated $5,000 of fireworks to the parade. This year the parade will get zilch:
“The company's vice president, Philip Butler, who has criticized the secularization of Christmas in the past, said parade organizers were ‘using all the themes of Christmas and plagiarizing all those themes.’"
Bravo to Grucci. Not only should Patchogue Christians boycott the parade, but they should spend that evening decorating their property with as many Nativity displays and “Merry Christmas” signs as they can fit.
Merry Christmas . . . and get ready for a ridiculous two months.
Donald Tremblay
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