December 21, 201312 yr Couldn't disagree more. You totally brushed off the fact that many were offended at the school and that it IS offensive to many Christians. Just so long as no other religions got offended it's ok is the message you're sending. I don't care if the choir director loved the melody, another song should have been chosen, a secular one at that and no one gets offended. I don't know about "going nuts" but Fox should shed a negative light on it. So should the rest of the news outlets, but we know that won't happen. I agree. Another song should have been chosen. "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" by Haven Gillespie of Covington, Ky., is always a safe choice. Having said that, the problem with many people who live in insulated red-state towns/regions is that they struggle with stories like this. I get tired of people who play the Christian-as-victim card all the time (usually followed by the "let's blame the media" card). Get over it. We're talking about a fifth-grade songfest, for cryin' out loud. I'm sure that "Silent Night" with all of its lyrics intact gets good play at public-school concerts all over south-central Kentucky.
December 21, 201312 yr I agree. Another song should have been chosen. "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" by Haven Gillespie of Covington, Ky., is always a safe choice. Having said that, the problem with many people who live in insulated red-state towns/regions is that they struggle with stories like this. I get tired of people who play the Christian-as-victim card all the time (usually followed by the "let's blame the media" card). Get over it. We're talking about a fifth-grade songfest, for cryin' out loud. I'm sure that "Silent Night" with all of its lyrics intact gets good play at public-school concerts all over south-central Kentucky. But that is clearly where you are wrong. It was said in the article that it was done to not offend those Non Christians in attendance and as thus, there was no thought given to offending Christians. Why should a Religious Christmas song that depicts the Birth of Jesus, wording be changed to not offend non-Christian but no thought given to how it might offend Christians! If we live in a PC world, shouldn't we be PC for everybody and not just some? Please explain how this isn't a Christian Religious Christmas Song and altering it in any way is not offensive to Christians? Silent night, holy night All is calm, all is bright Round yon Virgin Mother and Child Holy Infant so tender and mild Sleep in heavenly peace Sleep in heavenly peace Silent night, holy night! Shepherds quake at the sight Glories stream from heaven afar Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia! Christ, the Savior is born Christ, the Savior is born Silent night, holy night Son of God, love's pure light Radiant beams from Thy holy face With the dawn of redeeming grace Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth "
December 21, 201312 yr On an "outrage scale" of 1 to 10, this is a 1. Choir director loved the melody, was afraid of offending Jewish and probably some Muslim parents at the Long Island school, so she altered the lyrics into a meaningless word jumble. Not much different, really, than when the Star Spangled Banner gets condensed during Olympic medal presentations -- or when Hallmark changes "gay" to "fun" in the "Now we don ..." lyric. I guess Fox will go nuts over this story. Everything with you is political. Get over it already. This has everything to do with religion and not political.
December 21, 201312 yr Author I agree. Another song should have been chosen. "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" by Haven Gillespie of Covington, Ky., is always a safe choice. Having said that, the problem with many people who live in insulated red-state towns/regions is that they struggle with stories like this. I get tired of people who play the Christian-as-victim card all the time (usually followed by the "let's blame the media" card). Get over it. We're talking about a fifth-grade songfest, for cryin' out loud. I'm sure that "Silent Night" with all of its lyrics intact gets good play at public-school concerts all over south-central Kentucky.This has nothing to do with conservatives and you're the one that brought up the media, well, one of them of course. It doesn't matter that it's a fifth grade song fest as you called it, it's the fact that the claim was that they didn't want to offend other religions but had zero problem offending Christians (both right and left leaning). There is no way the director didn't think Christians would be offended...no way. There is simply no way you can take religious references from the lyrics of "Silent Night" to avoid offending non-Christians without offending Christians. The song was written and intended to have Christian beliefs. Remove "Round yon Virgin Mother and Child" and "Christ, the Savior, is born" and you've blatantly (and I think purposely) tried to be offensive to Christians. There was no reason to pick this song and do that to it, otherwise they wouldn't be apologizing for it.
December 21, 201312 yr But that is clearly where you are wrong. It was said in the article that it was done to not offend those Non Christians in attendance and as thus, there was no thought given to offending Christians. Why should a Religious Christmas song that depicts the Birth of Jesus, wording be changed to not offend non-Christian but no thought given to how it might offend Christians! If we live in a PC world, shouldn't we be PC for everybody and not just some? Please explain how this isn't a Christian Religious Christmas Song and altering it in any way is not offensive to Christians? Silent night, holy night All is calm, all is bright Round yon Virgin Mother and Child Holy Infant so tender and mild Sleep in heavenly peace Sleep in heavenly peace Silent night, holy night! Shepherds quake at the sight Glories stream from heaven afar Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia! Christ, the Savior is born Christ, the Savior is born Silent night, holy night Son of God, love's pure light Radiant beams from Thy holy face With the dawn of redeeming grace Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth " Your reasoning is solid, but too often we forget that what's acceptable in Kentucky doesn't fly in other areas of the country.
December 21, 201312 yr This has nothing to do with conservatives and you're the one that brought up the media, well, one of them of course. It doesn't matter that it's a fifth grade song fest as you called it, it's the fact that the claim was that they didn't want to offend other religions but had zero problem offending Christians (both right and left leaning). There is no way the director didn't think Christians would be offended...no way. There is simply no way you can take religious references from the lyrics of "Silent Night" to avoid offending non-Christians without offending Christians. The song was written and intended to have Christian beliefs. Remove "Round yon Virgin Mother and Child" and "Christ, the Savior, is born" and you've blatantly (and I think purposely) tried to be offensive to Christians. There was no reason to pick this song and do that to it, otherwise they wouldn't be apologizing for it. Everything with you is political. Get over it already. This has everything to do with religion and not political. By the way, the opposite of this thread starter is readily found in high school marching band competitions in south-central Kentucky. I'm speaking of the practice of some small (public) schools to construct their shows around a religious/Christian theme: "Amazing Grace" and such. On one occasion in the mid '90s, one school wheeled out an 8-foot-tall black cross at the end of its program. Just stating this as fact. I was a little surprised that the shows were so overtly religious, but it didn't bother me.
December 21, 201312 yr Author Your reasoning is solid, but too often we forget that what's acceptable in Kentucky doesn't fly in other areas of the country.Then why were New York parents offended? Why am I reading comments across the country from outraged people (not only in the South)?
December 21, 201312 yr Author By the way, the opposite of this thread starter is readily found in high school marching band competitions in south-central Kentucky. I'm speaking of the practice of some small (public) schools to construct their shows around a religious/Christian theme: "Amazing Grace" and such. On one occasion in the mid '90s, one school wheeled out an 8-foot-tall black cross at the end of its program. Just stating this as fact. I was a little surprised that the shows were so overtly religious, but it didn't bother me. OK. But what does that have to do with the topic? If people are bothered by that in a public school, I support them and their right to have it stopped.
December 21, 201312 yr Then why were New York parents offended? Why am I reading comments across the country from outraged people (not only in the South)? I noticed that Glenn Beck is all over this story. And don't Bill O'Reilly and Sean Hannity both live on Long Island? Ouch! That poor elementary school choir teacher is going to be mincemeat after those three get done with her on national TV. By the way, if a student were to have played "Silent Night" on guitar -- without any lyrics at all -- is that a whole lot different?
December 21, 201312 yr Author I noticed that Glenn Beck is all over this story. And don't Bill O'Reilly and Sean Hannity both live on Long Island? Ouch! That poor elementary school choir teacher is going to be mincemeat after those three get done with her on national TV. By the way, if a student were to have played "Silent Night" on guitar -- without any lyrics at all -- is that a whole lot different? 1) I don't care about Glen Beck, never listen to or watch him. 2) Where Bill O'Reilly and Sean Hannity live has no meaning to me nor to the subject matter. Why are you politicizing this? 3) Of course playing it on a guitar without lyrics is different. Is this a serious question? Nothing is being altered in playing the melody, right?
December 22, 201312 yr Your reasoning is solid, but too often we forget that what's acceptable in Kentucky doesn't fly in other areas of the country. Kentucky or Ohio or North Dakota, who cares? It's not a state thing at all. You need to step away from your political bias and agenda for just once and look at something without liberal glasses on. This was a smack int eh face of Catholics period. Don't care what state it occured in.
December 22, 201312 yr I have to agree with RTS (hell has frozen over). This is a religious song, and although the melody and harmonies are beautiful, a song such as The Carol of the Bells could have achieved an equally beautiful effect. Just my opinion.
December 22, 201312 yr Author I have to agree with RTS (hell has frozen over). This is a religious song, and although the melody and harmonies are beautiful, a song such as The Carol of the Bells could have achieved an equally beautiful effect. Just my opinion.I'm copying this and having it bronzed!
December 22, 201312 yr But then again there are plenty of songs to choose from, that are not Religious in nature, so the question has to be asked, why choose a song that has Religious overtones and then change the words, if not to tick off Christians? Already stated this.
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