Posted by
Michael Babbitt on Thursday, November 08, 2007 9:58:12 PM
Why is it that right when you hear we are a nation or culture that celebrates diversity, you reflexively expect that some established, publicly expressed tradition is going to be taken away from view. For example -- and we have all heard stories like this -- if you have Christmas trees in a public venue, in the name of honoring diversity, they are taken down. No more Menorahs for Hanukkah either. As if a public display of someone's revered tradition is, by default, insulting to another group, whether they be Muslims or Atheists. Is this celebrating diversity or is this just celebrating cowardice? Why can't all major traditions be allowed expression in the public sphere unless they are explicitly and actively insulting to another group? And why can't private groups fund these expressions instead of asking a business or government to provide the financial support. Liberty and Diversity go hand in hand. What we see today in many situations honors or celebrates neither.