Please accept with no obligation, implied or implicit, my best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low-stress, non-addictive, gender-neutral celebration of the winter solstice holiday, practiced within the most enjoyable traditions of the religious persuasion of your choice, or secular practices of your choice, with respect for the religious/secular persuasion and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all. I also wish you a fiscally successful, personally fullfilling and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally accepted calendar year 2009, but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures whose contributions to society have helped make America great. Not to imply that America is necessarily greater than any other country nor the only America in the Western Hemisphere. Also, this wish is made without regard to the race, creed, color, age, physical ability, religious faith or sexual orientation of the wishee.
posted
I didn't tell you why I was annoyed. Still am though- a joke at someone's expense about how that person has no sense of humor (which means the "joke" is tacitly aggressive) doesn't really give me my yucks. I don't care who the joke's about- I'd feel the same way if the parties were reversed, because the same cheap laugh could be had either way. That's why it isn't funny. To me.
Posts: 9912 | Registered: Nov 2005
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posted
Would it help if I said I personally was emailed this very same joke by a friend who's quite happily a Democrat? Posts: 6689 | Registered: Jan 2005
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posted
It's funny, I guess, but the reality is that there are a lot of people who don't celebrate Christmas and if you know a lot of them this is basically what you intend to convey if you send group emails. Generally I think the accepted greeting is "Happy Holidays" although "Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year" also works depending on your audience.
Yes, our world is more complicated than it used to be.
Posts: 8473 | Registered: Apr 2003
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quote:Originally posted by Orincoro: Am I allowed to be annoyed by this? I have several competing reasons.
Absolutely. And of course it could apply to anyone under the sun, on either side of any fence you choose. This was sent to me by a colleague -- he and I are firmly on opposite sides of the fence in many philospohical and political ways -- but name ourselves members of the same political party. Go figure.
Before I passed it on to my beloved friends and family, I added the following wish:
Dear Friends and Family -- This made me chuckle -- a lot -- even before the first cup of coffee!
My Christmas Wish For Us All -- That Together We:
*Celebrate the joys and beauties of our country and world. *Heal its ills. *Honor and care for our elders. *Build a healthy and happy future for our children.
Blessings and peace to each of you and your families in the year ahead!
So, I add the same wish for the folks here at Hatrack. After all -- it's you folks here, in all the years I've followed the discourse and debate, that give me hope for a meeting of minds -- or the willingness to keep trying to meet -- of people on opposing sides of all sorts of issues!
Blessings to you this holiday season -- no matter which one you celebrate, or don't celebrate . . . well, you get the message. Posts: 5609 | Registered: Jan 2003
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quote:Originally posted by Orincoro: I knew you'd say that. I knew somebody would pull that "I got this from a Democrat so it's ok" move.
It's usually Dag though, so this is certainly a shock.
Are you deliberately being contrary here? I'm probably a little bit to the left of American Democrats (yeah, one of those dreaded almost socialists) and I'm an atheist. And I loved it. Not sure on whose behalf you are taking offense at this.
Posts: 4519 | Registered: Sep 2003
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posted
That particular comment was facetious. I've given up caring about it either way.
That being said, I'm also an athiest, and I didn't love it. It's kind of pretty much what I find to be lacking in the Republican mentality, and given the present moment in history, it feels a little malicious and mean-spirited. Now, if it was written by a democrat, or a non-partisan author, then it's an interesting criticism of both parties.
Posts: 9912 | Registered: Nov 2005
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posted
Would you prefer I delete the thread, Orincoro? My intent was not to offend anyone. I found it funny -- even if the funny pokes at me personally in many ways. But I figure, livijng in policy wonk land every day, that I'd better laugh at myself.
But if it's that big an issue to you, I'll happily delete the entire thread.
posted
You're pulling a fast one slick willy. I know your moves. I know who stole my Christmas yams. And you won't get away with it this year. :raises pitch fork: you hear me? You Won't Get AWAY WITH IT THIS YEAR!
Posts: 9912 | Registered: Nov 2005
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posted
(Doesn't this really poke fun at both groups anyways? I don't really see why either group would take disproportionate offence. *shrug* )
Posts: 7593 | Registered: Sep 2006
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quote:Originally posted by Mucus: (Doesn't this really poke fun at both groups anyways? I don't really see why either group would take disproportionate offence. *shrug* )
You're right. It's all the Jewish Republicans (and there are lots and lots in my circles) who should be annoyed.
quote:Originally posted by ketchupqueen: Who gets yams in their stocking? That's just a recipe for disaster.
Not if they're still raw and whole.
Posts: 32919 | Registered: Mar 2003
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posted
Well, you have to realize that in my house, unwanted stocking contents are likely to be used as missiles at some point...
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
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posted
You could change the concept of stockings into a part of the christmas dinner, filling them with cooked vegetables instead of strange trinkets. mmm sock veggies
Posts: 655 | Registered: May 2005
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quote:Originally posted by Mucus: (Doesn't this really poke fun at both groups anyways? I don't really see why either group would take disproportionate offence. *shrug* )
Not really. It is far more at the Democrat's expense.
I found it both annoying AND funny. Figures. Posts: 15082 | Registered: Jul 2001
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posted
Well, when you take rivka's observation into account, you could interpret the joke this way:
Democrats: So careful to avoid giving offense that they offer lukewarm greetings buried in legalese.
Republicans: So careful to avoid being politically correct that they offer improper greetings to some people.
Posts: 3546 | Registered: Jul 2002
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quote:Originally posted by Starsnuffer: You could change the concept of stockings into a part of the christmas dinner, filling them with cooked vegetables instead of strange trinkets. mmm sock veggies
"And then the kiddies rushed to the fire, to open their thermal insulated, Reynolds steamer bag wrapped, sterile stockings, with looks of glee upon their faces as they imagined all the wonderful vitamins and minerals they'd soon consume."
I smell a delicious holiday tradition in the making!
Even better, I smell a marketing opportunity at hand.
"Act now! Just throw your raw vegetables in the stocking, and when the kids wake up in the morning, throw the whole sock in the steamer! 5 minutes later you'll have hot, delicious, nutritious winter favorite vegetables for the kids to eat. Then throw the sock away! No muss no fuss!"
Posts: 21898 | Registered: Nov 2004
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posted
I only say Merry Christmas to litigious atheists.
quote:Originally posted by Farmgirl:
quote:Originally posted by Orincoro: Am I allowed to be annoyed by this? I have several competing reasons.
No. You're supposed to have a sense of humor. Otherwise, you prove the point.
Best post in the thread.
I once started a thread called the Alcon Filter in which I suggested everyone first submit any comment they think might be humorous, so that Alcon could go over it and determine if it was in fact funny. I got in trouble for it, presumably because Alcon didn't think it was very funny.
One of the funniest things in the world to me is when someone (invariably a liberal or a pious snob) with no sense of humor tries to explain why something everyone else is laughing at is simply not funny. I think if Orincoro tried to tell me why that isn't funny, I'd probably die of laughter.
Posts: 1286 | Registered: Dec 2005
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On the first day of Obama's Pres, the Govt. gave to me.....
Joy to the world, Obama's Pres....
We wish you a happy Innaugrial. We wish you a happy Innaugrial. We wish you a happy Innaugrial, and a merry administration.
To My Republican Friends:
On the last days of Bush's Pres, the Govt gave to me....
Oh, you better not pout, You better not cry You better not shout I'm telling you why.. President Bush is leaving--real soon.
They're making a list Checking it twice Gonna find out who's naughty or nice Cheney left the spy's to Obama.
They see you when your sleeping. They know when your awake. They know if you've voted correctly So be Dem for goodness sake.
Posts: 1941 | Registered: Feb 2003
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posted
I'm tired of the Democrats getting all the credit for stealing Christmas when it's the unsung atheist heroes who are working so hard to secularize it and turn it into a public holiday about gifts and long lines. Credit where credit is due!
Posts: 3950 | Registered: Mar 2006
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quote:Originally posted by Reshpeckobiggle: One of the funniest things in the world to me is when someone (invariably a liberal or a pious snob) with no sense of humor...
I'll take Irony for 2000 Alex.
Posts: 3950 | Registered: Mar 2006
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quote:I once started a thread called the Alcon Filter in which I suggested everyone first submit any comment they think might be humorous, so that Alcon could go over it and determine if it was in fact funny. I got in trouble for it, presumably because Alcon didn't think it was very funny.
you got in trouble for it because it was a stupid idea concocted by a guy with way too much sand in his nether-regions
Posts: 15421 | Registered: Aug 2005
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