2008 Woodie Awards
SectionsOur View: Dominant holidays and Menorah band-aids
The Standard Editorial Board
Issue date: 11/30/07 Section: Opinion
- Page 1 of 1
You may have noticed a large Christmas tree on display inside Strong Hall this week. Then, you may have noticed it disappear for a few days. Then, you may have noticed it show up again. If you didn't notice any of this, lucky you.
It isn't quite clear, but either the tree was taken down by complaint or by university administrators who felt the tree might not have been inclusive enough. A few days later, it was put back up under equally unclear explanation.
It is interesting to watch the clash and recoil of culture during this time of year. Pretty soon, the holiday season will be over and we can get back to ignoring each other. After we get through these lengthy breaks thanks to Christian holidays, we'll go back to being oblivious to Jewish, Muslim and Hindu customs.
Seriously though, it is kind of troubling. It would be unheard of to schedule university functions on Easter or Christmas, but it has been pretty easy to overlook Hanukkah, Passover or Ramadan.
A Presbyterian church is surrounded by university property, but there is not a single room dedicated for Muslims to pray.
Cultural sensitivity is more than putting a menorah next to a Christmas tree.
It is not necessarily a good thing that it is happening at Missouri State, but at least we have enough variation of culture that it is possible for someone to get offended. More so, the powers that be were sensitive to consider (and reconsider) it.
It isn't quite clear, but either the tree was taken down by complaint or by university administrators who felt the tree might not have been inclusive enough. A few days later, it was put back up under equally unclear explanation.
It is interesting to watch the clash and recoil of culture during this time of year. Pretty soon, the holiday season will be over and we can get back to ignoring each other. After we get through these lengthy breaks thanks to Christian holidays, we'll go back to being oblivious to Jewish, Muslim and Hindu customs.
Seriously though, it is kind of troubling. It would be unheard of to schedule university functions on Easter or Christmas, but it has been pretty easy to overlook Hanukkah, Passover or Ramadan.
A Presbyterian church is surrounded by university property, but there is not a single room dedicated for Muslims to pray.
Cultural sensitivity is more than putting a menorah next to a Christmas tree.
It is not necessarily a good thing that it is happening at Missouri State, but at least we have enough variation of culture that it is possible for someone to get offended. More so, the powers that be were sensitive to consider (and reconsider) it.
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
Rebecca de Lopez
posted 12/01/07 @ 10:53 AM CST
You think a private Presbyterian church should have a room for Muslims to pray. Why not demand they have rooms for Buddist, Satanist, B'hai, or other faiths? Why not take all private property? Where do you draw the line?
A church has the right to use their property to serve their God as they see fit. (Continued…)
Clarification?
posted 12/01/07 @ 1:53 PM CST
They might have just meant a space on campus for Muslims to pray, not in that specific church. I don't know if that's the case, but I can see how that sentence could be interpreted two ways. (Continued…)
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