Letter to the editor: Appreciate diverse holiday greetings

Re: “Holidays not universal for all religions,” a column in Monday’s paper

I find the column ridiculous. How is it that Tom Taylor tries to preach coexistence and diversity when all he is saying is to be some sort of strictly homogenous society? Isn’t diversity and coexistence about accepting and appreciating everyone’s differences and not pretending we’re all the exact same?

I’m personally thrilled if someone comes up to me and says, “Happy Hanukkah,” or “Happy Kwanzaa,” and I respond, “Thanks, and a Merry Christmas to you.” I personally can’t see what is offensive about wishing somebody a happy time on a day you hold dear — that’s like getting angry if somebody says, “Have a good day.”

If you get angry, you’re just looking for something to get angry about. So instead of feeling self-righteous and saying something I’m sure was made popular by the likes of Wal-Mart Inc. and Target looking for a way to reach every demographic’s wallet, open your eyes, accept we all are different and appreciate one another for who we are and for our differences. If you don’t celebrate any of the holidays, there’s always a simple “thank you.”

As the season is upon us and we focus on our finals and our shopping lists, we must remember that now is the time for us to work at coexisting.

With that said, I wish each of you a Merry Christmas.

Patrick Weigant is a University College freshman.