Pagans and Political Correctness, Fighting Disinformation Globally
Have We Gone Mad?
To glance around at our current societal trends, one would think the world has gone mad. Words are being BANNED [?!]
in favor of non-secular humanist beliefs. While this current social doctrine is not acceptable to many
Christians who have been in the [USA] majority for so long, they are accustomed to everyone
having to stomach their terminologies; it is a most welcome change to those of us who are
of "minority" religions. Or...it should be.
Instead of enduring having blatant [sometimes offensive] expressions of their
beliefs foisted upon everyone else on every celebratory day, many would prefer no reference to religion
whatsoever when in public. As a Pagan, I can accept that. I won't wear my pentacle
while in the workplace, if "they" don't wear their crosses, doves, fish, or any other item
of Pagan symbolism "they" have bastardized. Fair enough.
Where the "holidays" are concerned, the very word, "HOLIDAY," is a blending of the words,
"Holy Day." That renders the word unusable in the scheme of political
correctness. Historically speaking, these days of celebration, the ones most heavily
debated, were first Pagan planting and harvest days. Some were Pagan days celebrating
life, and the Mother and Father or, to put it more secularly, the Moon and the Sun and the life
and light they both give to us.
People in every culture celebrate holidays. Although
the word "holiday" literally means "holy day," most American holidays are not religious,
but commemorative in nature and origin. Because the nation is blessed with rich ethnic
heritage it is possible to trace some of the American holidays to diverse cultural sources
and traditions, but all holidays have taken on a distinctively American flavor. Today, in the
United States, the word "holiday" is synonymous with "celebration! "
In the strict sense, there are no federal (national) holidays in the United States.
Each of the 50 states has jurisdiction over its holidays. In practice, however, most states
observe the federal ("legal or public ") holidays, even though the President and
Congress can legally designate holidays only for federal government employees.
The following ten holidays per year are proclaimed by the federal government.
New Year's Day January 1
Martin Luther King Day third Monday in January
Presidents' Day third Monday in February
Memorial Day last Monday in May
Independence Day July 4
Labor Day first Monday in September
Columbus Day second Monday in October
Veterans' Day second Monday in November
Thanksgiving Day fourth Thursday in November
Christmas Day December 25
In 1971, the dates of many federal holidays were officially moved to the nearest
Monday by then-President Richard Nixon. There are four holidays which are not
necessarily celebrated on Mondays: Thanksgiving Day, New Year's Day,
Independence Day and Christmas Day. When New Year's Day, Independence Day, or
Christmas Day falls on a Sunday, the next day is also a holiday. When one of these
holidays falls on a Saturday, the previous day is also a holiday. Federal government
offices, including the post office, are always closed on all federal holidays. Schools and
businesses close on major holidays like Independence Day and Christmas Day but may
not always be closed, for example, on Presidents' Day or Veterans' Day.
Federal holidays are observed according to the legislation of individual states. The dates
of these holidays, and others, are decided upon by each state government, not by the
federal (national) government. Each state can agree on the same date that the
President has proclaimed, such as Thanksgiving Day. State legislation can also change
the date of a holiday for its own special commemoration. Cities and towns can decide
not to celebrate a federal legal holiday at all. However, the majority of the states (and
the cities and towns within them) usually choose the date or day celebrated by the rest
of the nation. There are other "legal" or "public" holidays which are observed at the
state or local level. The closing of local government offices and businesses will vary.
Whether citizens have the day off from work or not depends on local decisions.
The term New Year's Day
is offensive to those who use a different calendar. [See The 13 Month Calendar.]
So the following is accepted in its place...
"Have a financially successful, personally adequate
and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally accepted
calendar year, but with due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures or
sects whose contributions to society have helped make America great, (not to imply
that America is necessarily greater than any other country or is the only 'America' in
the western hemisphere), and having regard to your race, creed, color, age, physical
ability, religious faith, choice of computer platform, or dietary preferences."
I think you get the idea. Have we, indeed, gone mad? It would appear so, and yet, on
some level these changes free us to be personally expressive while prohibiting us [and
others] from proselytization. Since Pagans don't proselytize to begin with, it's not WE who
are raising sand over the necessary changes. We aren't the ones blogging and screaming
about political correctness. I don't think many people care one way or the other about
being "PC," they just want something new to talk about.
Groundhog's Day
is Imbolc for us Pagans, and it's always fun to watch Punxsutawney Phil
[in his many incarnations] poke his little head out and scurry back into his box, or, after
a secret conclave with the Master of Ceremonies, proclaim it to be an early Spring. Fortunately
for Pagans everywhere, this is NOT one of those celebration days bastardized by Christians.
President's Day does, however, come close to the date, as the third Monday of February.
Have An Acceptable Weather
as Defined by Rodent Day.
or [to be less sarcastic],
Have An Acceptable Winter's End.
Saint Valentine's Day
The very name is religious [Catholic ergo Christian]. Actually, it was
known as the Feast of Lubercus, a pagan tradition in the third century. During this time
hordes of hungry wolves roamed outside of Rome where shepherds kept their flocks.
The God Lupercus, was said to watch over the shepherds and their flocks and keep
them from the wolves. Every February the Romans celebrated a feast called Lupercalia
to honor Lupercus so that no harm would come to the shepherds and their flocks. Also
during Lupercalia, but in honor of the goddess Juno Februata, the names of young
women were put into a box and names were drawn by lot. The boys and girls who were
matched would be considered partners for the year, which began in March. This
celebration continued long after wolves were a problem to Rome.
As Christianity became prevalent, priests attempted to replace old heathen practices.
To Christianize the ancient pagan celebration of the Feast of Lubercus, the church
officials changed the name to St. Valentine's Day. To give the celebration further
meaning and eliminate pagan traditions, priests substituted the drawing of Saints
names for the names of the girls. On St. Valentine's Day the priest placed saint's names
into an urn or box. The young people then drew a name from the container. In the
following year, the youth was supposed to emulate the life of the saint whose name he
had drawn.
Source.
Again, I think you get the idea. A Pagan Feast Day [the first of the Gregorian calendrical
year] which was, much like the institution of Christianity itself,
altered by the Roman Catholic Church to suit their own needs.
The politically correct term for Valentine's Day is...
Happy Single Awareness
Day.
However, since telling someone what kind of day to have or how to feel is completely
NPC, the more acceptable wording is...
Have An Acceptable Single Awareness
Day.
While someone with a good sense of irony might say...
Have A Happy S.A.D.
Saint Patrick's Day
This is a totally Catholic [ergo, Christian] holy day
celebrating the day that Merlin [Maewyn] turned on his own kind [Druids]
and expelled all Pagans from Ireland.
St. Patrick's Day is celebrated annually on March 17 in honor of Ireland's patron saint.
St. Patrick was born between 370 and 390 C. E. in the Roman Empire in Britain. His
given name (Magonus Sucatus or Maewyn Succat) was changed to Patricius (Patrick)
either after his baptism or after he became a priest. At the age of 16, Patrick was
kidnapped and sold into slavery in Ireland. He remained in captivity for six years during
which time he worked as a shepherd and began to have religious visions. During one of
the visions, Patrick became aware of a rescue ship and he fled to France.
Patrick eventually returned to Ireland as a missionary and succeeded in converting the
Irish to Christianity. He used a shamrock to explain the Trinity to potential converts. The
three leaves of the shamrock represented the father, son, and holy spirit. Patrick is also
reported to have driven all of the snakes, a pagan symbol, out of Ireland and into the
sea where they drowned. This is perhaps a metaphor for driving paganism out of
Ireland since biologists believe there were no snakes in Ireland at the time.
St. Patrick's Day celebrations in the United States are secular and date back as far as
1737 when Boston held its first St. Patrick's Day parade. The day is celebrated with
green beer, the wearing of green clothing, and parades. However, in Ireland, the day is
primarily a religious occasion.
Because many Americans choose to celebrate their Irish lineage on St. Patrick's Day, March was
chosen as Irish American Heritage Month. The month was proclaimed in 1995 by
Congress (Public Law 103-379). So this is a blatant case of reverse-bastardization. Irish-Americans
have taken a religious Catholic holy day and given it a secular meaning.
Since the Irish blessings are the epitome of NPC, and so as to NOT leave anyone out,
regardless of their heritage, one who is concerned with PC-ness might say...
Have An Acceptable Heritage Awareness
Day.
Ostara/Easter
began as a Pagan celebration of the Spring Equinox. It is a
spiritual acknowledgement of Gaia's rebirth, and later, an honor
of the Saxon Goddess Eostre. Awakening and fertility are the
themes. The Earth is awakening. Fields are prepared for planting and the first seeds are
sewn. This was a planting day celebration wherein the whole town would gather together
at the day's end, and give hard work, sweat, and prayers to the Great Mother that their
crops would thrive and
flourish to ensure they would have food to survive the coming Winter.
The Jewish observance of the "Passover" is also recognized around this time. This
is how the Christians ended up celebrating Christ's cruci-fiction on a Pagan day. Since
there is no historical [or even Biblical] record of Christ's day of death, there is no date
for his resurrection, either. They simply chose to use the same lunar event as used by
Jewish scholars and religious leaders to determine the yearly event of their Passover
celibration, because it was the easiest base.
The hare, an obvious symbol of fertility/verility, was venerated by Pagans as a symbol
of the Mother Goddess, and still exists today under
the guise of the "Easter Bunny." The politically correct terminology for this enigmatic
member of the Oryctolagus cuniculus family, is currently the "Spring Bunny."
While some of you [who celebrate Easter, rather than Ostara] may be bristling at the
"careless omittance" of the word, "Easter," you
have no one to blame but yourselves for trying to oust the Hare from "your" celebratory
practices. In this instance, Pagans have won. The Bunny is here to stay.
Someone concerned with conditions of PC-esque lingo wish you to...
Have An Acceptable Spring
Commencement Day.
Beltane/May Day
has always been a Pagan celebration of the marriage of the
God to the Goddess. Many schools still celebrate May Day through the practice of Spring
bake sales, contests and games. Some influential schools still hire a small carnival or
amusement company to entertain their pupils. Most hold track and field events in preparation
of the long hot summer labor yet to come. [Think Olympics...Spring tryouts sessions in preparation
for Summer Games, or contemporary sports teams holding theirs for the same reason.]
May Day celebrates the union of Goddess and God, and therefore is a lusty celebration,
yet the day of the Hare is already passed. One influenced by current trends may offer
you to...
Have An Acceptable Spring
Consummation Day
or [to be inoffensive to those who are single],
Have An Acceptable Spring's End.
Memorial Day
began with Henry C. Welles, a druggist in the village of Waterloo, NY, mentioned at a social gathering that honor should be shown to the patriotic dead of the Civil War by decorating their graves.
In the Spring of 1866, he again mentioned this subject to General John B. Murray, Seneca County Clerk. General Murray embraced the idea and a committee was formulated to plan a day devoted to honoring the dead.
Townspeople adopted the idea wholeheartedly. Wreaths, crosses and bouquets were made for each veteran's grave. The village was decorated with flags at half mast and draped with evergreen boughs and mourning black streamers.
On May 5, 1866, civic societies joined the procession to the three existing cemeteries and were led by veterans marching to martial music. At each cemetery there were impressive and lengthy services including speeches by General Murray and a local clergyman. The ceremonies were repeated on May 5, 1867.
The first official recognition of Memorial Day as such was issued by General John A. Logan, first commander of the Grand Army of the Republic. This was General Order No. 11 establishing "Decoration Day" as it was then known. The date of the order was May 5, 1868, exactly two years after Waterloo's first observance. That year Waterloo joined other communities in the nation by having their ceremony on May 30. Source.
So this is a strictly American [USA] holiday [celebration] which has no other meaning
than to memorialize the honored dead. The DATE, however, is rather convenient, as it falls
on the end of May/beginning of June, and thereby relates itself to the Summer Solstice.
Someone concerned with PC-isms might say...
Have An Acceptable Historical Awareness Day.
Summer Solstice
is a Pagan festival celebrated on or around June 21, honoring the beginning of Summer. It is the hottest part of the year,
and as such, is the counterpart of Yule. Independence Day was established on July 4 as
a matter of historical fact, rather than hidden agenda, so this is another celebration
which was not stolen from the Pagans.
Someone of PC concerns might say...
Have An Acceptable Historical Awareness Day
in the case of independence Day, or...
Have An Acceptable Summer
in the case of the Summer Solstice.
Labor Day
is the first Monday in September; a correllation between this
Federal Holiday and that of Lammas [August 2] and Mabon [September 21], a
Pagan harvest festival to signify the first and
second harvests.
The Pagan aspects are still celebrated today in America through the practice of Fall Festivals.
Since many cultures have experienced the perils of the slavery practice, and migrant
workers are usually considered as laborers, the term "Labor Day," which originated from the labors of
harvesting your crops, is no longer PC. Someone who cares about this proclaimation
may wish you to...
Have An Acceptable Summer's End
for August 2, or...
Have An Acceptable Autumn
for September 21.
The commonly accepted Labor Day greeting and/or salutation would be...
Have An Acceptable Occupational Recognition Day
Samhain/Halloween
is Pagan and always will BE Pagan. The Catholic
Church attempted the theft of this day [like most all the others], which celebrates
the last big harvest in preparation for the Winter, with their "All Saints'
Day" celebration. But somehow [thankfully] this, the largest and most Hallowed Pagan Holy Day,
remained venerated to the Pagans and is still closely observed all around the world.
But in order to not offend, one might offer you to...
Have An Acceptable
Afterlife Experience
or to avoid offending someone who does not believe in an afterlife or one's ability to
experience it, one might say...
Have An Acceptable Harvest Time.
Thanksgiving
is offensive to all Native Americans, and if it isn't, it should be.
We're supposed to give thanks because the Native Americans were roped and caged and
shipped to wastelands and imprisoned therein? I think not.
Have An Acceptable Native
American Rememberance Day
or to avoid offending anyone whose ancestors died in one of the many conflicts during
those times, one might say...
Have An Acceptable Rememberance Day.
Yule/Christmas
was directly stolen from the Pagans. The Winter Solstice
is the birth time of the Child God [Horus, Thor, Osirus, Jesus, etc.], and was celebrated
centuries before the christ child. This is a direct example of the older civilizations borrowing
"universal myths" from one another and indoctrinating them as their own.
Not all cultures, however, follow this same line of myth/religious doctrine, and therefore
are suceptible to insult by calling the holiday "Christmas," which is literally Christ's Mass.
I've never felt a need to say a Mass for Christ, so I wouldn't call it that anyway, and do
not appreciate it when others assume that I would.
One who wishes to be politically correct should therefore say...
Have An Acceptable Winter Solstice
or
Have An Acceptable Winter Season.
Reflections...
I remember, back towards the beginning of all this, my Grandfather [my Papaw]'s reaction to
calling garbage workers, "Sanitation Engineers." He was hysterically funny in his
righteous indignation. "Engineers have degrees! Anyone mucking around in the garbage
can't POSSIBLY have a degree!" [He obviously wasn't thinking of the FBI, CIA, ATF, DEA agents or
agents of the Press who commonly "muck around in the garbage" looking for evidence.]
They were soon called "Sanitation Workers," as many
of the educated class were of the same opinion.
And now, the term "Politically Correct" is itself NPC. The new term is "Appropriate Inclusivity."
Oy Vey!
Now for the big question. Am I, a Pagan High Priestess, advocating [or sponsoring] the
USE of AI lingo? [laughs] Why, no! This article was written merely to inform. If you use
it, then bully for you! If not, you're like 78% of the rest of the world.
