Secretary of State for Justice criticizes greeting card industry

There’s been a bit of a rumpus in the UK this week as Jack Straw, The Secretary of State for Justice has criticized greeting card firms for banishing the words "Happy Christmas" in case they upset ethnic minorities. 

The whole point of his irritation is a feeling that Greeting Card Companies are ‘airbrushing’ out Christmas, which as Mr Straw points out, celebrates the birth of Christ.  His argument is against the platitudes of ‘seasons greetings’ and happy holidays’ – greetings which he sees as dismissing the very point of Christ-mas after all.

On the BBC News this week we’ve seen leaders of other faiths agreeing with him.  In a seemingly accepting gesture, they spoke of appreciating each others’ festivities.  No-one said that they were affronted or culturally disgraced, or displaced on reading each others festive greetings.

His words were straight and to the point – echoing those of many.

"When I meet friends of these faiths on their holy days I don't say 'Season's Greetings' or something similarly bland. I say, for instance, 'Happy Hanukkah' to Jewish friends, 'Eid Mubarak' to Muslim friends or 'Happy Diwali' to Sikh or Hindu friends.

"We are not a multi-racial no-religion society, but a multi-racial society, and the key to our collective happiness is mutual respect."

He railed against Greeting Card Manufacturers who he felt were doing all they could to appeal to the masses in downgrading the message.  I’ve often spoken of this before. In their defense, Edward Monroe, of the Greeting Card Association, said:

"There has been a move towards a more anodyne message in recent years. But it is not something companies have been encouraged to do. I am sure that this is a trend that will correct itself very shortly."

It’s strange isn’t it that the Greeting Card Industry is keen to publish cards that promote and respect multi-racial celebrations, whilst seeming to churn out bland, non-specific greetings for the Christian festival of  Christmas.
 

Christmas card Greeting Card greeting card industry
Written by Geraldine Jozefiak
Craft Expert and Demonstrator

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