Jingle Balls
Mary Anne Watson is a Jewish mother on the Island, who has pulled her 5-year old son, Joshua from his local public school because it's wall-to-wall Christmas and there's no Hanukkah or rabbis or kugel.
"Mary Anne Watson" is Jewish? Well, that's another geshichta.
Since when are public schools in the religion business?
Since when have families counted on public schools to teach or enforce their religions?
I lived through umpteen years of Christmas Carols in public schools. My first acting assignment ever was as the voice of the Talking Christmas Tree when I was 5. I hid under Miss Prescott's desk (which provided a refreshing view of Miss Prescott) and recited my clever lines.
And guess what?
I am a Jew.
I am a proud Jew. Love being Jewish. Couldn't imagine my life any other way. Don't care if everybody sings Christmas songs till February. Often sing them myself. Have no belief in the divinity of Jesus. Still enjoy Christmas as a cultural staple.
Mary Anne - get a Jewish name and then get a life. Bring Josh up in a Jewish home and he'll be a lovely little mensch for sure.
8 comments:
David,
This is proof positive why so many Vancouverites love you! You're willing to criticize anyone when that criticism is due.
Tying this story in with the YVR one, when will Wally Oppal come out publicly and criticize the protesters from his own "community"?
Robert
Exactly David. And yes, Christmas as a cultural staple, that's a good wait to frame the "holiday". I was brought up Christian but I am not religious (read athiest) and I always celebrate Christmas. My husband, who is also not religious (again, read athiest), but who was brought up Muslim, also happily celebates Christmas with me and our children.
While we can't celebrate everything in the public schools (or can we?) our country was founded on Judaeo Christian principles, so perhaps Mary Anne Watson should organize a Hanukah celebration at her son's school. Or, she could send her son to a religious school of her choice.
Or for Josh's sake she could send him to an orphanage. Perhaps then, young Josh could be raised by an "adult".
Golly, David, I've know you since you taught at JO night school It never occured to me that your were Jewish and frankly I wouldn't have cared.I remember that you invited
me to see you perform at a one-man show with a script you had written--funny as hell) some place on Granville Island. You invited me to come back stage. I didn't know where to look as you stripped to your skivvies and changed into your jeans. I was young, foolish, and embarassed. I forgive you for your unending sense of humour.
A Shawnigan Parent
Just to let you know and to address the comment by anonymous, Mary Ann was invited to organize a Hanukah celebration day at the school with the entire student body. She arranged for a craft, Jewish songs to be taught and a Jewish storyteller. When Mary Ann added a Rabbi coming into the school to light a Menorah and say a blessing with her son the secular brakes at the school board went through the floorboards. As a practicing Christian I wish my child could be educated in a public school about the many religious faiths that exist not only in our country but
the world. Perhaps a little more education would promote more intelligent understanding and less reactive and damaging posturing. The reality is though that me asking to bring my minister to the school to share the Eucharist would most definitely not be welcomed. As much as we support our child's participation in the cultural part of a Canadian Christmas, make no mistake, she learns what our faith celebrates amongst her immediate and church family. Hopefully the lessons she takes with her into the world allow for a wider view than the one Mary Ann is giving her son.
PS Mary Ann I am not anti-semitic because I don' agree with your methods
On the assumption that "Shawnigan Parent" is indeed the mother of another student at this school then I do appreciate the extra information she has provided.
But the "P.S." left me a bit troubled. Be it this incident or the recent one at YVR, have we now reached a point where we can't disagree with someone without be labeled a racist/sexist/bigot ?!? This I find DEEPLY disturbing!!!
Yes PelaLusa, I am the parent of an Ecole Mill Bay student and yes it is very troubling to be labeled as anti semitic and racist for not agreeing with Mary Ann.
Dear Shawnigan Parent:
I'm 43 years old. When I was in my 20's and a little bit in my 30's I was so terribly scared of offending people that I used to preface every possibly controversial statement with a 30-second disclaimer.
Eventually some good friends told me to just stop this practice. It was annoying and boring. So I learned to speak my mind and let the chips fall where they may.
Since then, I've learned that there are some weak-minded, often very selfish people who will use every trick in the book to get what they want. They have no shame in playing the R[acist] card, the S[exist] card, the A[geist] card, or any other card to get their way.
Rarely do they have any argument of weight to support their views so they just prefer to attack the messenger who disagrees with them.
Of course you're not anti-semitic for agreeing with this woman. If she thinks so then she needs some intensive counseling.
Robert
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