OT: Politically Correct Holiday Party

[Guest guest]

Hey y'all,

 

Rita commented .. and I agree:

>>Yes, funny it is, but it is also sad

 

Then Ien commented .. and I also agree:

> Indeed! I really miss hearing those beautiful old-fashioned Christmas

> carols on the radio. I am NOT a Christian. But that is the traditon I

> grew up I grew up in, and those beautiful songs still resonate in the

> heart.

 

Yep .. I miss it too. Haven't been to the USA for Christmas since 2002

I think it was .. but I heard all of this on the radio, TV and in the

stores then.

 

> Now we have those insipid plastic winter songs like " Frosty the

> Snowman " . Blech!

 

I love it. ;-)

 

> Not to mention that red-nosed reindeer and his insufferable

> foes/friends.

 

I love Rudolph too. And the Chipmunk songs and the Grinch. ;-)

 

Also like Miracle on 34th Street and such .. brings back nice memories

of a time when lack of money didn't mean a bad Christmas.

 

> What kind of friends will love you only because the big boss

> finds a use for you? This is supposed to be a happy ending?

 

Down South East USA way .. least ways in 2002 .. things had not changed

since I was a yonker .. might be changed now in some places .. I can't

know that .. but I know it will not change in many other places.

 

> Anyhow....If we are to have a multi-culti world, and I am all

> in favor of that, let's celebrate ALL the high holidays. Extra

> days off for everyone!

 

We can carry this multi-cultural business a bit too far if we are not

careful .. there is a limit to everything. Extremes means chaos. As

for celebrating all the holidays .. here in Turkey we have Christian,

Jewish and Muslim houses of worship on the same streets .. and workers

who have different religions. Those workers who are covered by a Union

Employment Agreement have provisions for time off for their holidays.

Those who don't have to hope they have bosses who are smart enough to

allow them to take time off.

 

> I am quite willing to put up with Diwali and Hanuka songs etc mixed

> in with the carols.

 

Heck yea .. me too. Now lemme tell you how it can go to the other

extreme. For many years I sponsored charity functions regardless of

where I was .. always had Command support while in uniform and Board of support when I entered the corporate world. Supported old

folks and handicapped children with parties they participated in and was

able to dump a few tens of thousands on their organizations .. places

from Texas to Hawaii and Vietnam to Turkey .. and such.

 

When I joined the corporate world here (after retirement) I kept it up.

The company I worked in had 2,500 or so employees .. around 2,000 were

Turkish and around 98% of the Turks were Moslems. I had a Spring Fling

and a Winter Whing Ding each year .. got entertainers and such to donate

time and me and the other directors practiced dumb things like getting

the heavy fellers to dance Sugar Plum Fairy in Tutus and such .. and

roasts and lots of fun. Made lots of money for charities. Always had

an Oriental Dancer and Folk Dancers .. tis customary here. Went through

two GREAT Top Bosses during a period of 4 years and they liked it since

management and labor become much closer as a result of our efforts.

 

One little 17 year old gal sang for us in 1989 .. was the sister of my

girlfriend of the time. Little gal's name was Sebnem Ferah .. she is

now the hottest Pop Singer in this country .. want tickets to one of her

performances you get them months in advance .. at that time the only

other public performance she had ever made was as an amateur at a Rock

Festival in Bursa .. the second was at my Winter Whing Ding. She is on

all the search engines now .. and a sweet little gal she is.

 

Then the third boss came along .. a real knuckle head who had a wife who

was a bigger knuckle head .. she was a Born Again Christian who knew

nothing of the spirit Christians claim to be filled with .. more like

one of the Inquisitors .. and he was a wimp .. didn't give a crap about

religion but he didn't buck his wife. The Boss told me there would be

no more Oriental Dancers or funny skits during the Winter Whing Ding,

that the event would be called a Christmas Party .. and we would sing

Christmas Carols and such. I told him that the American directors had

many private Christmas parties and this one was for every one. But he

insisted so I told him I would not organize the function unless it was

for all the employees and the Christians were the minority. I didn't

care what he thought cause I was good and locked in for the duration of

my contract and I didn't like him and was planning to quit after my 5

year contract and go to law school .. good it is to not give a crap.

 

Turks came to me and asked me to relent .. they liked the function ..

and they said they could deal around the problems and we could survive

the lack of an Oriental Dancer. I asked fellow Directors to practice

carol singing and they refused since they were as opposed to this as I

was .. so .. the Turkish middle managers came up with an idea of them

singing the carols .. and I got someone to practice them.

 

The night of the Christmas Party a group of 15 or so Turkish men and

women sang .. and only one of the songs was religious .. " Silent Night, "

which Turks like anyway since they hold Jesus Christ and Mary in great

esteem. But songs that brought tears from some tough Americans were the

songs like " I'll Be Home For Christmas, " and " Silver Bells " and such.

 

After that December party my 5-year contract expired .. in May .. and I

didn't renew it. There was never another Spring Fling or Winter Whing

Ding .. nor support to the handicapped or elderly or orphans and such.

And though there were Christmas Parties each year .. the Turks who came

were those who were at management level .. not the worker bees.

 

I HATE extremism of any form .. be it Right or Left. And I don't allow

it to affect my personal behavior .. nor will I go along with it by

being politically correct or sucking up to the right wingers. As for me

they can all kiss my grits.

 

Y'all keep smiling. :-) Butch

 

> Ien in the Kootenays

> **************************************

> You ought to be Thankful,

> a Whole Heaping Lot

> for the places and people

> you're lucky you're not!

> ~Dr Seus

> who is this Kootenay person anyway?

> http://www.greatestnetworker.com/is/ien