To the editor:
I am writing in response to the letter (Nov. 23) by Marilyn Luther of Haverhill concerning saying "Happy Holidays" vs. "Merry Christmas." I see that the season for these petty arguments is once again upon us, so let's clear things up once and for all. Any educated and well-rounded person knows that Christmas is not the only holiday celebrated in the month of December. Here are some others, just to name a few:
Hanukkah, also known as the festival of lights, is celebrated this year Dec. 12-19 by the nearly 6.5 million Jews in the United States.
Kwanza, an African harvest festival celebrating cooperation, unity and faith, is celebrated between Dec. 26 and Jan. 1 by over 1 million African immigrants living in America, and countless other African Americans.
Dec. 13 marks St. Lucia's Day, a holiday honoring the patron of light in Sweden, whose population is represented in America by over 4.5 million Swedish Americans.
Las Posadas, celebrated by many of the 30.7 million Mexican Americans in our country, is a festival from Dec. 16-24 which includes a reenactment of the biblical tale of Joseph searching for an inn.
All told, these holidays account for nearly 43 million Americans across the nation, and countless others worldwide. So please try to remember this as we go through the holiday season. For, in reality, that is what this is, a season of holidays, of all types, lengths, and purposes, but that all share the universal ideals of togetherness and celebration of culture. How can anyone argue with this?
Please also note that, while it may seem like it in some minds, Christianity is not the only religion and culture to consider in the upcoming month. Please do not perpetrate the assumption that Americans are ignorant, ethnocentric and xenophobic.
In closing, Luther's final assertion is ridiculous. To try to draw any connection between "political correctness" in our country and the tragedies at Fort Hood is ludicrous and just plain wrong. The individual responsible for that crime was a religious ideological extremist, who believed his religion was superior to all others, and refused to acknowledge, accept or respect the beliefs of others. Sound familiar?
Sadly, letters like this bring to light that, unfortunately, Muslims are not the only religious group in our country with dangerous religious idealists. Happy holidays everyone!
Lindsay Johnson
Dracut
