Happy Whatever

"Merry Christmas"
"Oh...I'm Jewish"
"Well, then Happy Hanukkah"
"But we don't practice...we're more...reformed"
"Ummm...then have a good day..."

Yes I've had a conversation like this. Being politically correct has effectively bitch slapped the holidays. When someone wishes you a Merry Christmas, Happy Holiday etc. I would imagine that you would feel warm, fuzzy, appreciated as a human being, but never insulted. If someone wished me a happy Kwanzaa, I'd take it, thank the well wisher and be on my way. What would ever posess someone to pick apart a wish for wellbeing over semantics? How can you be offended over that? Maybe I'm just happy that someone is saying something nice instead of 'good riddence you horrible bitch' or similar.

"Merry Christmas"
"No, actually if we were to delve into the history of "Christmas" we'd find that it is a repackaged form of Yule, therefore I prefer Happy Yule"
"I'm sorry, Happy Yule then"
"So you are Pagan too?"
"NO. "

That conversation sounds to me just as ridiculous as the first one (the second one is fictional). A wish for wellbeing isn't a menu item that we can order and customize to our taste. It is given out of kindness and should be received with grace and without judgement. Can we take P.C too far? Can we totally abolish the Holidays with political correctness? If we adjust our attitudes for the sake of preventing possible offense what are we left with but a robotic and sterile approach to a once pure and joyful yearly occasion? I am not willing to give up wishing people a wonderful Christmas be it a religious holiday that they hold dear or just another day that means nothing more to them than a closure of the malls. I am wishing the person a great day no matter what it may mean to them, be they a Jew, Muslim, Hindu, Agnostic or other.

So Merry Christmas everyone and enjoy another beautiful day!

For Queen and Country

I saw the movie 'The Queen' with Helen Mirren which covered the turmoil that surrounded the Royal Family before and immediately after Diana's death. In the movie, public opinion about the monarchy was a major subject of conflict which caused me to remember the comments I had heard after Diana's death, even from my own British born family. For decades the monarchy has faced the emerging public view, especially from the younger generations, that they are a redundant, expensive and outdated figure head that needs to be forced into the pages of history.
They are, for the most part, similar to a retired professional who wants to keep their finger in the pie, kept around out of respect as a type of consultant. It is true they do not hold the power to govern as they once did centuries ago, that curtsies and bows are done out of tradition and respect rather than at the cost of ones head in the event of failing to do so, and dissolving the monarchy would not likely plunge the country into civil war in fact it may create a surplus in the coffers of England. Or would it?

I have recently returned from France and England. In France I was delighted with the sights, sounds and tastes of French culture. There was no shortage of things to marvel at. They haven't had a monarchy since the 1700's. England conversely has a monarchy, the sights are beautiful still and they have their own tastes and sounds though not to the exotic degree of other European countries. What is the main draw of England or more specifically London? "Going to London to see the Queen" I believe the old song goes. There are castles and churches that rank the highest on the tourism scale than any other European country. Their major landmarks recognized the world over are directly tied to the monarchy and its history. For every person that calls for the dissolution of the monarchy, I leave them to consider a few things;
Where would tourism in England be without the monarchy? And what would England have to do to stack up to the rest of Europe?
Could England really put a price on their traditions? It is frivolous true, however if one were to simply glance at some of the most popular cellphones, for example, they would likely come to the conclusion that we are not a people with an aversion to frivolity.

I am a monarchist. God Save the Queen!

Can it be fixed?