So why did you post it in a thread discussing EU guidelines?
No, it really isn't.
The EU Wants to Cancel Christmas!!
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Baby boomer
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Simple. The EU is instructing its staff not to use their term Christmas (on its own) and to replace it with Holiday Season and/or equally stupid circumlocutions with other festivals. (Hannukah is actually already over!)
It's highly relevant to point out that in this EU member state at least (the one where this discussion board is based) and I suspect many others also, the correct official name for December 25th is Christmas Day. The EU should not be in the business of suppressing or discouraging this usage by its staff. Like I said, imagine the fuss if they tried the same thing with Ramadan or Eid!
A matter of opinion. Imagine an EU official meeting an Irish delegation. The Irish group greet her with a cheery Happy Christmas! She wants to wish the delegation a Happy Christmas in return. And you think its ok to forbid that?
Maybe if Muslim countries were a bit more understanding of other beliefs and encouraged the majority to be a bit more inclusive and the world would be a better place.
Who is suggesting that be banned?
Where is anything being banned?
Baby boomer
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That's the problem right there. Islam is a supremacist religion and teaches that followers of other religions are inferior persons. In Sharia law it is a far greater sin to harm a Muslim than a Kaffir. (non-Muslim)
In strict Muslim regimes, it's forbidden to practice another religion in public lest it undermine the faith of the true believers. Brunei takes this to the ultimate with a ban on Christmas celebrations, including sending Christmas cards, wearing Santa hats or putting up a Christmas tree or other decorations, with a five year jail term for offenders.
If anyone is worried about respecting other cultures and religions, and wants to promote diversity, then fair enough, it's a noble goal. But why on earth would you start with the EU? It's a model beacon of tolerance and diversity compared to virtually anywhere else.
Kumbaya, my Lord, Kumbaya
The EU guidelines for staff, in reality instructions, are clear that the word "Christmas" is not to be used in the workplace. Unless used alongside clumsy circumlocutions such as "...for those celebrating Christmas, Hannukah..." etc. That can only be read as banning the use of a stand-alone "Happy Christmas" as a greeting by officials in the EU workplace. Even if they're only a reciprocal greeting when someone wishes them a happy Christmas. Which, when you think about it, is quite insulting to the other person.
Do you think that's a good thing?
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It's only opinion when you don't have the facts.
The opposition to the proposed guidelines are being led by right-wing groups, they are propagating a false narrative to suit their agenda.
Same with Christianity. Thankfully most Christians choose to ignore most of the nonsense in the Bible but the only truly Christian Church I can think of is the Westborough Baptist Church. Catholics are a le carte Christians.
Yep, fundamentalism is evil.
So we can set a better example and be a brighter star of enlightened secularism casting away the darkness that is religious belief.
Yep, Scooby-Doo Christianity; the best kind.Kumbaya, my Lord, Kumbaya
Eh, no, it wasn't an instruction, not in reality anyway.
Yes, I'm all for inclusiveness and "sweet moderation", to quote Bill Bragg.
Baby boomer
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The facts are known. People form differing opinions based on the same set of facts. (Interestingly, the only reason the facts ARE known is becuse one of those awful "right-wing" newspapers broke the story. Transparency, normally and rightly, a prime EU value, was not much in evidence here!)
Oooh, shudder, scary nasty right-wing groups abound. If saying "Happy Christmas" or "Ladies and Gentlemen" or "man-made fibres" makes one right-wing, then there's a lot of us about! It's ok to be right-wing, you know!
Now, did some groups exaggerate and misrepresent the EU instructions to staff? You bet they did! But the EU, by overreaching wildly, left itself wide open to this. It was a stupid, ill-considered document, and, by retracting it, one can only assume the EU recognizes this, even as its cheerleaders spin the damage limitation agenda and hunker down to have another go sometime soon.
Yes it was, but it didn't seek to ban Christmas or any of the other stuff the permanently outraged right said it did.
It was an internal advisory document, that's all.
We've put notices up in work, as a result of people urinating on the floor, requesting that the person/people with the extra hole in their mickey take more care when using the toilet. We've also put up instructions showing people how to use a toilet brush which includes instructions that they don't put it in their mouth. That isn't something we'd put on our website. Internal, external; not the same thing.
Baby boomer
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Good, at least we agree on that.
Well, it did (in a way) for its own staff, in their choice of language for interactions with us, the great unwashed.
Yep, the Commissioner, by her stupidity and overreach, or worse, left herself wide open for that. She can hardly blame her political opponents for scoring in an open goal.
It instructs employees in how to communicate with the public. That takes it legitimately into the public domain.
So why is it you are deviating significantly from the facts? Hint, the 'facts' as reported in right wing media that you seem to have fallen for were made up!
That's twice that's happened now. We need to be more vigilant
Ah no, it didn't.
Yep, she should know the kind of tripe and nonsense the frightened right peddle to their mouth-breather audience.
No, it suggested and while there's no problem with it being in the public domain it wasn't a public document, rather an internal advisory document. Employees were fully within their rights to just ignore it.
Baby boomer
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You're the one making claims, how about you point to the proof of those claims.
'Happy Holidays' is a Christian greeting. Or it is in France. It the celebration of the three Christain holidays of Noël, Saint-Sylvestre, and l'Épiphanie. But we don't normally celebrate two of these in Anglo countries, so 'happy holidays' could refer to anything.
Joyeuses fêtes à tous.
Baby boomer
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Ha! You said: "So why is it you are deviating significantly from the facts?"
At the very least, you might at least specify which facts you believe I'm deviating from, rather than demanding proof of every thing I've posted. This is an internet discussion board, not the High Court.
Ball in your court, I believe....
RetirementPlan
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You're wrong about this;
There is no mention that 'Christmas is not to be used in the workplace'. The whole context of the guidance is about EU publications, not about workplace conversations. There is no instruction that Christmas is not to be used. The guidance is about not using Christmas to refer to the entire holiday period.
You're outraged about your own interpretation of what was said, not what was actually said.
That's it in a nutshell. It's symptomatic of a broader issue where vested interests are winding people up with fake or partial information. Russia have successfully been doing this for years, playing on fear and ignorance to sow discord and pit populations against each other. Here right-wing media have been successful in getting enough people with anti-EU or racist leanings all excited about something that didn't happen.