Oh man.
It is the Christmas season and the whole country is in an uproar about the fact that we can’t use the phrase “Christmas season.”
This happens every year. Everywhere we go there is a large emphasis on the fact that it is the “holiday” season. In schools teachers have to be very careful not to say, “have fun on Christmas break!” so they don’t offend any students of other religions or beliefs. And that is just fine. I’m ok with trying to be politically correct and keeping the feelings of others in mind, but the uproar over the White House Hanukkah party is taking it a bit too far.
George W. Bush began having a Hanukkah party at the White House every year and President Obama has decided to continue that tradition. But the plans were leaked and now there are rumors that while Bush invited 800 people to his last party, Obama only plans on inviting 400. Oh my lord! The world might end.
Tevi Troy, a former Bush administration liaison to Jewish groups, warned that the Obama White House had given Jewish Americans “a number of reasons to fear that it takes its votes for granted.” He goes on to say that the reduced guest list created “a nagging sense that there may be a studied callousness at work here.” ARE YOU SERIOUS!? This is so ridiculous to me. Obviously President Obama doesn’t have anything more important to worry about.
One rabbi made the comment that once Bush sent out invitations with Christmas trees on them. “Hanukkah is a wonderful holiday to celebrate, but that’s not the whole ballgame, by any means, in terms of outreach to the Jewish community.” Obama has had the first ever White House seder, a conference with 900 rabbis in August, and a videotaped message to Jews for the High Holy Days. Does it seem like he is ignoring the Jewish people in America? I think not.
It is silly that things have been reduced to arguing over how many people are invited to a White House party. Don’t take it all so seriously. Not everything that Obama does has to have a deep political meaning behind it. Have fun! It’s the Holidays!
It seems pretty crazy to call Obama not religiously sensitive for decreasing a party list. If anything at all Obama has strived to create a some what neutral and open stance towards religion. He is vary comfortable talking about different religions from his own. This is exemplified in his speech in Cairo, in which he praises the Quran for parts of its messages. This can be a sensitive time of year as far as acknowledging all of the different religions and their particular practices, many people struggle with it and now we know the president is one of them. To not support Obama after this event seems a little radicle, hopefully the opinions of the article were of the few jews feeling particuarly offended.