Dear Darfuri Refugee,
I need to tell you about something horrible happening here in the United States. You may not believe it but it is actually true. You see, here in America we have these giant stores that sell things like furniture, clothing, hammers and waffle irons. These stores get very busy during the month of December because lots of people buy presents for their friends and family to celebrate holidays like Christmas and Hanukkah. Over the past few years many of these stores have stopped issuing the usual "Merry Christmas" greeting to shoppers and on their mail order catalogs and instead say, "Happy Holidays". I know, it is hard to imagine, isn't it!?! Here we are trying to live out the true meaning of Christmas by spending lots of money on things people need really bad, and we can't even get a little "Merry Christmas" from the check out girl.
Well, I knew you of all people would be able to relate with our difficult plight, since in your country of Sudan over the past few years over 200,000 of your people have been murdered through acts of genocide and 2.5 million have been forced from their homes like you and now live as refugees. I hope you will forward this email to your people so they will understand the atrocities happening here in the United States and will be encouraged that they are not the only people in the world who are suffering.
Merry Christmas!
Your Concerned American Friend
www.savedarfur.org
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3 comments:
sarcasm, huh? I like it, its effective. ;) However, we pay a heavy price when we ignore social issues at home under the guise of concern for those abroad. I am not saying that people no longer saying "Christmas" is as serious an issue as genocide in Darfur, but just because attrocities are happening overseas does not give us the excuse to ignore social issues on our own soil. The shift from "Merry Christmas" to "Happy Holidays" is a sign of a bigger issue. Any semblance of religion, especially Christianity, is being removed entirely from the public sphere and if we ignore this because of problems overseas then Christianity (obviously worst-case-scenario) could be outlawed in the public sphere in an attempt to save everyone from offence. I will continue my concern over the "Christmas" issue as well as my concern over the genocide in Darfur.
Anonymous,
Seriously?
at the risk of encouraging this kind of blatant Bonoism... I agree Eric. (I understand your point because sarcasm is my natural language). I think the trump card is God/Christ's/New Testament's complete disregard for our rights, comfort, ease, fit in this world, etc., We're beggar's, slaves, bond servants... (When faced with the overwhelming problems of a Darfur maybe we decide to pick a fight we feel comfortable with, like saving ten commandments plaques on courtroom walls!). Our comfort. Another thing Christ seemed completely uninterested in. Are we losing the fight for America? Did we ever have it won? God seems all too comfortable with the idea of leading a bunch of outsiders, drifters, losers with no rights, no hold on this world (dare I say outlaws?)... of course I'm writing this from the comfort of my nice OC home, so I nod to Mr/Mrs anonymous and say there is side of me that wishes I could agree with you, but where in the New Testament does any of the writers seem interested in controlling Rome or demanding their rights? Thanks Eric for the reminder. "They" should be waiting in line to cheer Merry Christmas and the fact that they aren't should tell us something. Well gotta go, before I start quoting Joshua Tree and wearing pretentious headbands!
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