It’s almost mid-November, so the annual war on Christmas is in full force. This year’s first crusader against joy and light? Starbucks.
Joshua Feuerstein, former pastor and current pop-producer of “edgy” viral videos, went to Starbucks and saw their sleek, minimalist winter cups. This year, no snowflakes, or reindeer, or even a single solitary evergreen grace the Starbucks cups.
More than just offensively de-Christmas’d cups, the baristas are “banned” from saying “Merry Christmas.” Feuerstein’s solution? When they ask your name, say “Merry Christmas.”
Now, Starbucks must say Merry Christmas and decorate the cup with those words! He’s promoting his rebellion with #MerryChristmasStarbucks. How will they survive this disastrous PR nightmare that is the publication of their open bigotry?!
Easily, because they’re getting free advertising and minimal—if any—disruptions of service.
Instead of the traditional conservative call to boycott, Feuerstein is calling people to flood Starbucks with money and name changes. It does nothing but help Starbucks, and makes Feuerstein and his social media minions look strange and needy.
Feuerstein and his ilk are desperate for persecution. Unlike their Christian forefathers, who were literally beaten and murdered, and unlike their modern contemporaries in some parts of the world, Feuerstein lives in the USA— where around 60-70 percent of the population is Christian.
Despite being in the majority, his need for persecution makes every day a battle. Someone says they’d like gun control? They hate civil liberties and Jesus. Someone says “happy holidays” instead of “merry Christmas?” The evil liberal atheists are winning. Someone calls a Christmas tree a holiday tree? How dare they!
We never hear about the war on Hanukkah. We never hear about the war on Diwali. Both of these winter celebrations are important within their faiths. So, why is the war on Christmas a national phenomenon for Fox News and conservative bloggers?
Like so many things, with shifting demographics comes the startling realization that Christians don’t get a monopoly on American culture.
More and more people in the US are identifying as non-religious. Christmas is no longer applicable as a blanket term for the holiday season. Despite the ever-increasing secularization of Christmas, the idea that Christmas is the default celebration is getting erased.
If there is a culture war going on, right-wing Christians are losing.
To most people, merry Christmas vs. happy holidays is utterly unimportant. It isn’t some big fuss to be raised. As a former Christian, I still enjoy the holiday seasons because of time off work, quality time with my family, and buckets and buckets of good food. The holidays are just that to most people— plus gifts and treats.
But to Joshua Feuerstein, every time merry Christmas isn’t said in favor of happy holidays, an angel dies.
Sure, some people actively hate Christmas and wish for the destruction of Christians. There will always be extremists. But most of these moves away from Christmas say more about the diversification of religious experiences in America. As a people, we’re changing. We’ve never been a monolith of religion and culture, but the divide is growing in more visible ways.
From one American to another, happy holidays, Joshua.
Holly Baer is a senior religious studies major from Flowood, Miss.
