Kate Stewart: Not mentioning the 'C word' is insulting

Kate Stewart

It's official - our need to appear politically correct has crossed the line, from bordering on madness to out-and-out sheer insanity and I've had a gutsful.

But I'm not going to let it spoil Christmas for me. There, I said the new dreaded 'C word' and I'm going to keep saying it. Christmas, Christmas, Christmas.

I expect the PC are rallying now. Emails are being exchanged and a dialogue is under way to determine a suitable punishment for my crime - once the memorandum of understanding has been signed off, of course. Much like the FBI's most wanted, I now probably top the Santa naughty list.

If you haven't already heard, use of the word 'Christmas' is being openly discouraged for fear its religious connotations may exclude those of other faiths and the faithless. This is the policy used by the Auckland Regional Migrant Services and was supported by our own Race Relations Commissioner, Dame Susan Devoid - sorry ... Devoy.

The blatant targeting of Christians is bad enough, but it's the double standard that gets my blood boiling. On one hand ARMS are asking us to be accepting, respectful and welcoming to all cultures who choose to relocate here, but when it comes to our traditions and our beliefs, we are meant to dumb them down and effectively minimise their importance to us to give the appearance of inclusion. That's not promoting tolerance and acceptance; it's promoting denial. How can people learn to tolerate or accept anything until they are exposed to it or educated about it?

How does swapping out Merry Christmas for Happy Holidays or Season's Greetings really benefit us? The PC brigade may be happy to give the gift of acceptance, wrapped up in crap-covered cotton wool but I find it highly insulting and refuse to play ball.

For Christians, Christmas is about Christ. It's rich in history and tradition and, for those who believe, it is so much more than just another public holiday. Why should they be the only faith/denomination specifically targeted to play down a festival of sorts? Why not Halloween, Diwali or Chinese New Year?

Over the years New Zealanders have embraced and adopted all three celebrations mentioned above and many more besides. On that basis alone it seems more than a little unreasonable that we don't get the same consideration and respect for our own festivals, whether they be faith-based or not.

Should we agree to this, what will be next? Will Christmas become an "alert word" in emails, sought out in searches by the GCSB? Does the policy extend to everything that can precede the word Christmas ... crackers, carols, cards, turkey, shopping? It's bloody ridiculous.

Both ARMS and Dame Susan should be ashamed of themselves. This is a classic case of creating a problem that was never there to begin with. There may be a percentage who already refrain from using the word 'Christmas' but I hardly think they truly feel threatened or excluded by the fact that other people choose to use the term.

For two organisations, reputed for their stance on diversity and tolerance, to show a complete lack of tolerance toward the use of the word Christmas is both sad ... and, ironically, intolerable. These PC nutters are living in La-La Land. They need to dismount from their horn-headed high horses, get their heads out of their own backsides and ask the pixies at the bottom of their garden for directions to the real world.

With a little bit of luck, if they all hold hands and sing Kum-ba-yah, they could be home in time for Christmas.

-Kate Stewart is a politically incorrect columnist of no repute who believes in Santa Claus and loves 'Christmas'. Your feedback is welcome: investik8@gmail.com