This message was posted on the internal web bulletin board for Ramsey County employees:
Holidays, Displays and the Ways of Americans
Lately I have had a number of questions concerning Easter Bunnies. Various times of the year holiday decorations become a focal point of what I do. Are we being politically correct? Are we being too politically correct? Are we taking away when we should be adding? Are we adding when we should be taking away?
We can make distinctions between religious celebrations and historical ones if we wish but the issue for me is how do we, as a community, respect one another and the celebrations and holidays we observe. In the case of fluffy stuffed Easter bunnies, chocolate bunnies and marshmallow peeps this all seems great to this writer; but to others we don't know what it means. I think we need to start asking. The question here isn't just about Bunnies; it is also about the changing communities we find ourselves in. It is about asking the questions that let all people in our community know we are struggling to understand what all Americans need to be a part of the greater community.
Recently the Iranian New years was celebrated. This month is Irish American Month. Also this month is US Women's history month. In America, Indians, Ghanaians and Grecians will be celebrating Independence days and soon many people in this country will be celebrating Passover and Easter. Many people will not be celebrating anything because that is not a part of their beliefs.
Americans are Iranian, Grecian, Cambodian, French, Serbian, European, Hmong, Russian, Nigerian, Afghani, Laotian, Bosnian, Polish, Romanian, Sudanese, Ethiopian, Sierra Leonians, Tibetans, Liberians, Burmese, Vietnamese, Somalian...as you can guess the list goes on and on. Americans come from different races, ethnicities,languages, religions, economics, values, beliefs and lifestyles.
As I think about the struggle of inclusiveness I think about the nations dialogue on language. The United States has never had an official national language (many individual states have adopted English as their official language: Minnesota is not one of them--) and throughout its history many languages have been spoken along with English. Many citizens feel strongly that the government should establish English as the official language of the United States. Other Americans believe that linguistic diversity is a key aspect of our heritage and that English-only laws are motivated by fear and by false stereotypes about non-native speakers.
As the Country struggles with issues of language, as this community struggles with issues of holiday displays we must keep in mind we are in a period of national and state change that requires tolerance, patience and intelligent discourse.
What do you think?
[Name witheld to protect the innocent], Diversity Program Manager
What do I think? You want to know what I think? Are you serious? Like I'm going to put in writing, to the Diversity Program Manager, my personal thoughts on her waffling, wandering wonderings about diversity. I'm really sure. Just how stupid do you think I am?
This feels like a Darwin test, to weed out the evolutionary dead ends. All replies go in your permanent file. All who reply get sent to re-education camp if they keep their jobs at all. Oh, and since you now have demonstrated your lack of commitment to the County's core value and mission of diversity, you can kiss your promotional opportunities good-bye.
Look, this flap isn't so much about taking down the bunny poster, it's the blatant hypocrisy that's insulting. Local government is not religion free, it's just that some religions are better than others.
The Courthouse has a Roman goddess carved into the stonework right outside the door. Yeah, it's a traditional figure of Justitia holding her scales, but it's still a religious figure on a government building. You notice there isn't a Saint Peter standing by Pearly Gates with his big book of names, which is a perfectly legitimate alternate symbol of judgment. On the other side of the door is Ceres, another Roman goddess (of agriculture). Why does an Easter Bunny promote Christianity but Roman goddesses don't promote pantheism?
The Ramsey County Courthouse houses a 36-foot-tall statue of an Indian god, installed in a ceremony blessed by no less than three different tribal shamen. No problem there, eh?
Maybe it's not about religion, maybe it's all about traditional culture. You know, the carvings celebrate all the Romans who settled here in St. Paul (inadvertently omitted from Jules' list). Celebrations of culture are good. After all this month is Irish American month, so says Jules. Really? So how come the display cases are still crammed full of Black stuff? We're done with Black Awareness Month, that was February. Hell, we're done with March. When does Black culture give way to Irish culture? Why do we leave up the Kwanzaa stuff but never put up any Saint Patrick or Saint Columba stuff? Maybe I'm paranoid, but it sure looks like another example of a favorite group getting preferential treatment.
Irish American Christians must be the bottom of the barrel around here. Could there be any less favorite group?
Oh, right. Frogtown. So named for the French-Canadian Americans who lived there. Catholics, too, no doubt, just look at their church, named for St. Agnes, a virgin martyr, for crying out loud.
Maybe we can zone them out of the city, like gun shops and dirty book stores.
No comments:
Post a Comment