my letter to fox news.

*this is in response to this video.*


I'm a bit behind the times on this, since I don't watch Fox News, though I'm sure, to some degree, there's still discussion going on about this since you love to dwell on the same topics for needless periods of time, so I may very well be on topic.

Now, let me preface everything by saying that I would classify myself as an atheist, if I had to classify myself as anything. I simply believe in doing what is right for yourself and others, in living as a good and kind human being. To me, that has absolutely nothing to do with any God, regardless of the religion. Quite frankly, I think religion is the cause of more harm than good, but I'll save that for another time (I'm sure you'll provide plenty of opportunities).

Back to the matter at hand (and this is all primarily directed at Gretchen Carlson), the question of whether or not this is an insult to Christianity, or atheism, for that matter. How is this insulting to anyone? Is this Festivus pole an attack on anyone directly? Do you think the people that celebrate Festivus pushed for this while thinking "We'll show them! Christianity is dumb, and so is atheism!"? I highly doubt that. And Gretchen, why is it just an attack on Christianity/Christmas in your mind? What about Hanukkah or Kwanzaa? Oh, that's right, that doesn't matter since it's not your religion. The fact that you view this as an insult to Christianity, yet think nothing of the fact that you are outright insulting people who may legitimately celebrate Festivus speaks volumes about your character. Oh, and leave it to Bill O'Reilly to applaud you on that, and stroke your ego by claiming you put your co-hosts "in their place", when they were basically just ignoring you and talking about Seinfeld. You really showed them!

What I'm about to say will likely never get through the skulls of anyone that is a voice of the Fox News channel, but I'll say it anyway - people have different beliefs than you, and it's OK. You can still have your beliefs, there's no Festivus schoolyard bully that's going to beat you up and take your Christmas away. That's the great thing about this country, we're all allowed to think different things, to have different ideals, and actually celebrate them. It's funny to me how there is no attack on the "Christmas tree", which has it's roots as a Pagan symbol, nor is there any worry about the fact that Christmas has been reduced to almost nothing more than a Hallmark holiday; a capitalist miracle, making people think that they must go out and shop and buy everyone presents to show them how important they are. It's right in line with Valentine's Day at this point - if you don't go out and buy gifts for the people you care about, you're a very bad person.

What of the Jewish parents whose children feel slighted and left out by the very celebration of Christmas? Do you think this cramming of Christmas down our collective throats from October onward is insulting to them? Oh sorry, I forgot, again, that doesn't matter because it doesn't affect you. They're excluded because they don't share the same beliefs, right?

So here's what I propose. You go ahead and celebrate Christmas as the birth of Christ, let other people celebrate Christmas as a reason to give gifts. Let people that want to celebrate Hanukkah celebrate it, let people who celebrate Kwanzaa celebrate it, let people that celebrate Festivus celebrate it, and let people that celebrate nothing do that, as well. Quit thinking that everyone is out to get you, and that everything is an attack on you or an insult to you. You've managed to be so defensive and closed-minded, that in your accusations of insult, you have in turn come across as insulting and condescending. That's nothing new for you though, so I guess you're comfortable with familiar territory. Oh, and your little "Jesus isn't" giggling comment? You realize you're talking about a guy that forgave Judas, right?