John Leo is a whiny hypocrite.

In his article that appeared December 21, John Leo bemoans the purging of Christmas from the public arena (like he and every other conservative columnist do this time of year). For years, I've been entertained by Leo's hand-wringing over stories of political correctness run amok, usually relating events that occur on college campuses--where the most absurd cases of political correctness always take place.

I get a kick out of Leo because it's funny to watch a straight, white man get all worked up because those with demographic traits or beliefs unlike his also have a voice in the public square. To me, except for a few truly absurd cases that few would defend, political correctness simply means treating others as you would like to be treated. If Native Americans would prefer not to be called "Indians," a designation that was erroneous to begin with, who am I to disagree? The tacit message in Leo's outcries, of course, is that white Christian males have always run things (including setting the lexicon) and it shouldn't be any other way. Naturally, Leo will never come out and say that. But it's heeeesterical watching him dance around it.

Everyone who's ever read a Leo column knows his pet peeve is political correctness, which he usually frames as a freedom of speech issue. So why is Leo so worked up that Federated department stores (specifically Macy's and Bloomingdales) have holiday displays that don't emphasize Christmas? Isn't Federated a private company who can do what they damn well please with their holiday decorations? Is Leo's faith so wobbly that he needs commercial outlets to validate it? Leo says:

Federated apparently ignores Christmas because it doesn't want to offend anyone, though at least 80 percent of Americans say they are Christian, and 95 percent observe Christmas in some way.

The implication is, of course, that since Christians make up a majority of our society, Macy's should have nativity scenes on every floor and pipe in "Silent Night" (not "Religion-Free Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Secular Fire") through the speakers. Leo goes on to mock the idea of "inclusion," calling Federated "victims of the campaign to make people feel uncomfortable about Christmas." Mr. Leo, if someone at Federated is trying to suppress your personal celebration of Christmas or Hannukah, kindly make with the concrete examples. As you well know, neither Federated nor the dark cultural forces victimizing them is stopping me or you from celebrating any holiday we choose in any way we legally choose.

So just where does a free-speech advocate like Leo get off going after a private company for choosing to decorate a store the way they want? Moreover, he's referring to two stores in New York City. Have you been to New York? It would be hard to find a more diverse city in this country, and they host an astonishing number of international tourists this time of year. If any location seems appropriate for a toned-down Christmas display, this town seems to be the right place. So stop whining, scaring people, and dampening the holiday spirit, Mr. Leo. Just accept that not everyone in your city looks, thinks, or feels like you. Ethnic and religious minorities have been doing it for years.

P.S. These anti-PC folks are plain spiteful at times. Leo tells the story of Jill Stewart, a California-based columnist. "Stewart is not religious, but in protest against anti-Christmas campaigns, she says she will skip saying 'Happy Holidays' at Christmas parties this year and just wish everyone 'Merry Christmas.'"  Cause that's really what the holidays are about; being so anti-PC that you embrace views you don't even hold just to spite those who.....also don't hold them...I guess.

Comments

[Kathy]

Thanks for articulating my discomfort with Mr. Leo's comments. I expect that with his next breath he also bemoans the commercialization of Christmas. Why should Christians be so concerned with the Christmas displays (or lack thereof) at Macy's? Perhaps we should be a bit more concerned with living as Christ taught.