News from downstate is often hard to come by, and political news all the more. So apparently Sussex County Councilwoman Joan Deaver upset the applecart a bit recently when she suggested that the spring break around the Easter holiday be called “Spring Break” instead of “Easter Break.” As is their practice, right wing conservative Christians were outraged.
This is all second and third hand, but here is conservative Jud Bennett’s version of the story, by way of Nancy at the Delaware Way:
There was some interesting action this morning on WGMD FM Radio (92.7) during the Dan Gaffney show. Sussex County Council Woman, Joan Deaver, who had been severely criticized extensively on WGMD radio, on the internet, and in Letters to the Editor of local newspapers, strolled uninvited into Dan Gaffney’s studio to speak on the air. I’m quite sure popular, talk show host Dan Gaffney was surprised to see Mrs. Deaver walk through the door, especially since she had once openly boycotted this radio station.
Regardless, the Council Woman informed the listeners that she was truly sorry for suggesting that the Council change the traditional Council vacation title from the words “Easter Break” to the words “Spring Break”, so as to be politically correct. She informed the listening audience that she had made a terrible mistake and humbly apologized to all of her constituents.
In my opinion, it took a lot of guts for her to walk into a potentially hostile environment and a tremendous amount of humility to do what she did. Her candid and honest statements were refreshing. I would sincerely hope that the entire Christian Community that was definitely offended, would now be willing– in the Christian tradition– to forgive Joan Deaver for her recent, public indiscretion and move on. We will see if that indeed happens?
Later on in the Dan Gaffney program– after Mrs. Deaver had left the studio, Dan was heard to say, “It was fabulous.” Council Woman Joan Deaver has been invited to be on the show again next Tuesday, which should make for an interesting morning. Tune in to WGMD RADIO to hear more or listen to it live on the internet via the WGMD blog.
I don’t know her reasons for suggesting the change, and we have to take Bennett’s point of view with a grain of salt since it is biased, but I would be interested to know why she proposed it in the first place? Surely she knows that many of her constituents down there in Sussex County are those evangelical Christian sort that believe there should no separation of church and state and that all children should be forced to read from the Bible every morning, after they pledge allegiance to the flag, of course. So if she in fact suggested the change for “political correctness” reasons, I must say she does not know her constituents that well or severely misjudged the political situation. But it was a good political move to apologize and it sounds like it was sincere.
Personally, I would not be offended if Spring Break is actually called Spring Break instead of Easter Break, because I am intelligent and respectful enough to know that my Christian faith is not shared by all citizens of my county and state, and thus it might be offensive to Jews and Hindus and Muslims and even Atheists to have a public school vacation be referred to as “Easter Break.” I mean, how would you as a Christian feel if the Thanksgiving break was instead referred to as Ramadan Break? How would we as Christians feel if Christmas vacation was referred to as Hanukhah vacation?
The extreme narcissism and rudeness of certain evangelical Christians is just unbelievable to me. It is certainly not Christian and definitely not civil.
But whatever, at least they can still call their Spring Break “Easter Break.”