One thing I have not heard and read about too often this year is that old chestnut, ‘They’re trying to ban Christmas.’ It’s never quite clear who ‘they’ actually are and there’s almost never any evidence that anyone is trying to ban Christmas. This is because no one actually is.
For many years, the myth that Birmingham had banned Christmas in favour of Winterval was perpetrated by newspapers like – yes, you guessed it – the Daily Mail. Year upon year, it was reported that Christmas in the Midlands was to be banned for reasons of ‘political correctness’. ‘Winterval’ did actually happen, in a bid to boost the West Midlands economy, although it never replaced Christmas in any way at all. The same with Luton when they tried to ban Christmas in favour of a Harry Potter themed ‘Lumonos’ festival because, obviously, Christmas offended Muslims. Except that Luton never banned Christmas and no one was offended. However, repeat an untruth over and over again and eventually some people believe it. Goebbels knew a thing or two about that in World War Two.
The message has finally got through that no one is trying to ban Christmas, no one is trying to ban nativity plays in school and worst of all no one is trying to ban Cliff Richard’s festive tunes. So, people are trying to find other things about which to froth at the mouth.
This year’s favourite piece of nonsense is that people are trying to ban The Pogues and Kirsty McColl’s Fairytale of New York because of the use of the word ‘faggot’. At this point, let us try to understand what has happened. A single student newspaper and an obscure Irish DJ have said the song should be censored because of its homophobic content. It has been pointed out by countless people, including the song’s writer, the brilliant Shane McGowan, has pointed out that the word ‘faggot’ is an Irish term for a ‘lazy person’.
Social networks, as I pointed out in a previous blog have gone absolutely mad, denouncing those who object to the lyrics. Even people like the Welsh rugby union referee, a great champion of sexual equality, Nigel Owens, who has been bursting blood vessels about this non issue. My advice is that there is nothing to see here, so he should move along.
Some people like something to get angry about. They believe that there is a small ‘PC army’ or ‘PC brigade’ trying to stifle their freedom. No, there isn’t. No such armies or brigades actually exist. On the contrary, the type of people they assume are trying to stifle their freedom actually believe freedom includes freedom to offend or be offended. That does not extend into the world of racism, sexism, homophobia and misogyny where laws are broken. But that’s obvious, isn’t it?
No one is actually trying to ban Christmas, the people who want to censor a Christmas song are misguided and wrong, but they are allowed to be misguided and wrong.
Doubtless, I will offend some people by saying that whilst I really like Christmas, I could do without the religious nonsense that accompanies it. But I deal with my disinterest in the God stuff by not bothering with the God stuff and letting those who do God to carry on doing it. Even an atheist like me wants to ban Christmas, though. The exact opposite, actually. I wish it could be Christmas every day, but with the pubs staying open.
