Once again the beautiful Christmas season with its universal message of love, peace, hope and goodwill toward all men, preached by a Christian prophet named Jesus Christ, whose symbolic and celebrated date of birth is Dec. 25 and the reason for the season, is upon us.
Alas, many Christmas traditions in Canada and elsewhere that honour the birth of Jesus Christ and His message of peace and love toward all men are apparently being suffocated, disrespected and treated with a callous disregard under the guise, metaphorically, of the dark side of a new religion or structure called diversity and inclusion and political correctness.
The recent and appalling debacle at the Pine Centre Mall in Prince George, where Christmas carols were clearly blacklisted, serves to illuminate diversity and inclusion and political correctness's dark and draconian side, and its concerning and rapidly growing adverse effects on our cherished traditions.
To exclude Christmas carols, along with the indignity proffered to the Salvation Army via an edict by the Pine Centre Mall's management not to play them in order it seems not to offend someone of a differing faith or those with a subjective perspective about Christmas traditions, or any other faux rationalization used by those "in charge" who now appear to be walking back their pathetic decision, is a backward approach to the concept of "inclusion for all." But it's only "inclusive for all" as long as some are excluded it seems - a hypocritical double-standard.
What's transpired at the Pine Centre Mall is something far more insidious. It's a loss of overall freedom for the many who enjoy and are comforted by the cherished tradition of listening to beautiful musical messages of peace, joy, hope and goodwill to all mankind, in order to cover up something that remains unspoken, ugly and cowardly but visible to those with eyes wide open.
What has transpired in Prince George, precipitated by unnamed complainants or decisions made by management, if not both, might aptly be called reverse religious racism at a maximum or snowflake stupid at a minimum, could it not?
Sandra Craig
Kelowna
