The Farmer File: Holiday gripers should get a grip



The way we hear it, last year a few people who apparently left their good will and good sense behind when the crossed the Judge S.S. Jolley Bridge complained to City Hall. They saw "Happy Hanukkah" banners but no "Merry Christmas" banners. The outrage was too much to bear.

Most of the banners read, "Christmas Island Style," the umbrella title for the multi-faceted, moveable festival Marco enjoys every year at this time with parades, parties, concerts, tree-lightings and such.

Some city staffers, recalling the banner complaints of a few cranks last year, decided to ask the city's lawyer what they should do this year.

"It seemed to offend some people," the memo to the attorney said.

Attorney Alan Gabriel responded with his legal advice.

"The best answer would be to utilize banners that are ‘holiday neutral,' for example ‘happy holidays' has neutral content in its message. If you put up ‘Merry Christmas' and ‘Happy Hanukkah" banners you may still offend others who have different beliefs."

After that, the city decided to allow the "Christmas Island Style" banners but not the "Happy Hanukkah" ones. That decision was changed within 48 hours after City Council Chairman Frank Recker met with City Manager Jim Riviere. Up went banners reading "Christmas Island Style" and others with "Happy Chanukah" (variation of Hanukkah).


Such conflicts have thrived in modern America. In some circles, saying "Merry Christmas" is considered an existential threat by the messenger against the recipient. In our thin-skinned culture, saying "Good morning" might offend some people who are having a bad hair day.

Many corporate human resources experts warn their managers to never give even a good reference to a former employee, much less a critical one. Saying, "Yep, he was never late for work," might be construed by some lawyer as a clever way of saying the guy was way too type A.




Marco and Naples are places where comity should come naturally, where respect for each other's beliefs should not require us to offer our good tidings in a whisper. And after some confusion and conversation, the city did the right thing.

A reminder to the few people who remain tolerance-challenged:

If one claiming to be a Christian is offended by "Happy Hanukkah," a "Merry Christmas" greeting from him or her would seem hollow indeed.

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