The "War" on Christmas

The holiday season has been turned into a battle zone. Statements such as “peace on earth” and showing goodwill towards others have been drowned out by controversy, as political pundits, such as Sean Hannity and Bill O’Reilly, renew the outcry against the “secular media’s censorship” of the word “Christmas” in advertisements and corporate America’s supposed “discrimination” against Christianity.

I am reminded of the scene in the 1966 animated “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” where the title character is bombarded by the imaginary cacophony of The Who’s musical instruments: “Season’s Greetings” and “Xmas” and “Oh, the noise! Oh, the Noise! Noise! Noise! Noise!”

By nitpicking over the semantics of advertisers, advocates of the “War on Christmas” are completely missing the true meaning of the holiday.

It is enormously arrogant to assume that all businesses that use the phrase “Happy Holidays” are doing so to distinctly target Christians. America, a “melting pot” nation, is composed of a variety of people groups, languages and worldviews. With the steady increase of religious diversity in the 21^st century, it is wise for companies to attempt to reach the broadest demographic possible.

Furthermore, it is highly offensive when groups demand that businesses advocate Christmas to the exclusion of all other festivities. On Nov. 11, 2009, the American Family Association, also known as AFA, called for a two month boycott of Gap Inc. for “the company’s censorship of the word ‘Christmas.’” In an attempt at appeasement, Gap launched an advertising campaign the following day which featured multicultural dancers singing about Christmas, Hannukah, Kwanzaa and the Winter Solstice, or “whatever holiday you wanukkah.”

However, despite the company respecting their request, the AFA took offense at Gap Inc.’s  new commercial for its “cavalier approach towards Christmas,” specifically “(comparing) Christmas to the pagan holiday called "Solstice”…  which is celebrated by Wiccans who practice witchcraft.”

Not only is the latter statement a broad generalization about an event that has numerous cultural significances, it calls to attention the AFA’s, and “War on Christmas” defenders’, “my way or the highway” mentality when it comes to Christmas observances. The AFA’s response to Gap Inc.’s commercial is akin to a child asking her parents for vanilla flavored ice cream and being dissatisfied when she receives Neapolitan — having exactly what she asked for but being unhappy with the presence of additional material.

Gap Inc. specifically stated that the intention of the new commercial was never to deny the significance of any holiday, but to affirm all celebrations.

"(Gap Inc. has) always been (an) inclusive, accessible (brand)… we embrace diversity across all of our customers, and more importantly respect their beliefs …. We recognize and fully appreciate that many… customers celebrate different holidays around this time… so we (focused) our marketing on the joys of the holiday season as a whole,” Bill Chandler, Vice President of Corporate Communications of Gap Inc., said in an email to USA TODAY.

The campaigns initiated by groups such as the AFA against inclusive advertisers merely amount to strong-arm tactics that attempt to force businesses to practice favoritism. If Christmas advocates truly wanted to restore Christmas as the preeminent holiday, rather than addressing the "problem" of marketing language, they would go attempt to reach the individuals who hold to alternative religious beliefs-- the very people advertisers are trying to reach with their broad commercials in the first place!

Is it unfortunate that some businesses specifically exclude Christmas in their commercials during December? Yes it is, but this fact should not devalue the meaning of the holiday for Christians — spreading joy and hope to others while celebrating the birth of Jesus. Passionate believers would do well to not place so much emphasis on the media’s depiction of the holiday in a market already obsessed with consumerism. Rather, they should remember that what’s on TV does not always reflect their personal beliefs and in no way infringes on their right to celebrate in whatever manner they please. By solely focusing on the material world, it merely proves how shallow and misdirected "War on Christmas" people truly are.

I am once again reminded of the Grinch and the important lesson he learns at the end of the book: “Maybe Christmas,” he thought, “doesn’t come from a store. Maybe Christmas…perhaps…means a little bit more…”

“Comedy and Cancer:” How Rogen and Gordon-Levitt take a Humorous Approach to a Serious Subject.

Young people can be very short-sighted about the transience of life —most twentysomethings, the majority of which are healthy and in their prime, do not dwell on the inevitable ending of human existence. How would someone in this age group react when confronted with the prospect of death? The new dramedy “50/50,” seeks to answer this question in a humorous, but thought-provoking manner.

The film tells the story of Adam, played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt, a typical young adult with a comfortable life — a steady job, a fun-loving best friend, played by Seth Rogen, and long-term girlfriend. During a routine checkup, he learns from his doctor that the back pains he has been experiencing are actually the result of a tumor. The movie chronicles both Adam’s personal journey as he undergoes the difficult medical procedures dealing with his disease, such as chemotherapy and dialysis, as well as the ways his loved ones react to the news and their methods of supporting him.

Although a serious subject, Gordon-Levitt and Rogen effectively interject humor into the material. Directed by Jonathan Levine, “50/50” is based on a true story, as Will Reiser, the real-life best friend of Seth Rogen, was also diagnosed with cancer in his twenties and wrote the script based on his experiences. Based on this source material, the interactions in the film feel genuine and the funny situations that arise, such as when Rogen’s character persuades Adam to use his condition as a way to pick up girls, serve as believable interactions between good friends.

Gordon-Levitt carries the entire film, providing an empathetic protagonist who, as the movie progresses, has to face the harsh reality of his own mortality — the movie title refers to the chances Adam’s doctor gives him for a life-threatening operation. As a reviewer with a family experience with cancer, I can say he perfectly captures the emotional turmoil of dealing with the disease, as his reactions range from acceptance, to denial, to anger.  Some of the best dialogue from the movie comes from the exchanges between Adam and Katherine, an inexperienced psychologist who helps Adam as he progresses through the stages of coping as he reflects on the unfairness of his situation.

“[E]veryone has been telling me since the beginning, ‘Oh, you're gonna be okay,’ and ‘Oh, everything's fine,’ and like, it's not... It makes it worse... that no one will just come out and say it. Like, ‘Hey man, you're gonna die,” Adam says to Katherine in one of their sessions.

Cancer is a serious subject, affecting many lives. With its down-to-earth characters and realistic situations, “50/50” provides both a heartfelt and heartbreaking look at the disease and serves as the perfect marriage between emotion and humor. In the words of the famous phrase, “Laughter truly is the best medicine.”

From Humble Beginnings...

This blog is inteneded as another medium by which I may express my love of everything pop culture-related-- movies, books, TV shows, comic books, etc. I will primarily be posting reviews of media I personally view, but may also write opinions on general trends. With my schedule, I will only post sporadically, so hang on my every word!