Soft As Baby Jesus' Bottom

Michael Whitcomb

America seems to be becoming more and more sensitive every day. Last week, Muslim citizens were offended by President Obama’s asking Muslims to be more vigilant in their neighbors for extremist, Muslim youths.  Before that, Duke University banned the phrase ‘man-up’ because of its discriminatory nature, and other campuses across the country recommended banning the use of the phrase “man-cave.” All of these point to an outer shell in American society that was once strong like bullets but is becoming more like a piece of tissue paper.

Trigger warnings have been around for years. They originated online to with the idea to warn people who have had a traumatic experience in their past about what was about to be discussed or viewed. Soon, trigger warnings gained momentum and began being applied and, in some cases, required of college professors in lecture halls throughout the country, stirring the current and heated controversy.

A Yale University organization conducted a survey revealing that 63% of students support the use of trigger warnings by professors. Most professors now warn students in their syllabi about possibly uncomfortable topics they plan to explore. The idea behind this is that students who have had a traumatic experience can prepare themselves and plan accordingly.

Similar to colleges becoming politically correct and sensitive to all possible conflicts, many companies have switched from the traditional 'Merry Christmas’ to ‘Happy Holidays’ for similar reasons, particularly to avoid "offending" people. Some companies that are saying ‘Happy Holidays’ are Staples, Footlocker, PetSmart, and Family Dollar. They have moved away from saying "Merry Christmas" because its Christian overtones can come off as offensive to other religions.

However, there are companies that still using the traditional phrase of ‘Merry Christmas.’ Some of these are Lowes, J.C. Penny, Wal-Mart, Macy’s, and Home Depot. These places do not get scrutinized by most people, but have had a complaint every now and again.

These continual conflicts surrounding the unintentional ramifications of primarily harmless traditions highlight America's progression towards becoming softer than Drake. Ideas, concepts, themes, and phrases that used to be acceptable are now being ridiculed for being ‘too offensive.’ People can’t make a joke anymore without someone trying to sue or give a lecture on why what was said is wrong. Understandably, jokes can sometimes be bad, such as a racist joke that is very offensive, but even little jokes that might just use a swear are ridiculed.

Little stuff like this epitomizes the strictly first world problems we are too often consumed and divided by.  In a world where rap lyrics allow children to idolize drug dealers and gang violence, and pornography is at everyone's fingertips, it's funny to think people are offended by a simple phrase intended to express happiness and well-wishes. Instead of accepting the phrase for what it is, so many people use this to divide rather than bring us together, which seems, whether or not you call it Christmas or Holidays, to be counterintuitive to the spirit of the season. So, try to keep your earmuffs tight if you need to and your heart as warm as the unseasonable weather, for I'm going to go there: Merry Christmas!

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Labels: editorial