US Air Force Leaders Send Generic Non-Holiday Salutations
It has become somewhat of an amusing annual tradition to observe government and military officials attempt to say something about December 25th and its surrounding days without offending anyone. Of course, as the Happy Holidays/Merry Christmas wars have proven, not matter what they say, someone will be offended. The only question is who.
It seems the US Air Force is leading off the fight this year with Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James, Chief of Staff Gen David Goldfein, and outgoing Chief Master Sgt of the Air Force James Cody sending non-specific non-holiday salutations for the months of November and December [emphasis added]:
Fellow Airmen:…
As you celebrate the coming holidays with your friends and families, please take time to thank the ones supporting you as you secure our freedom.
Many of you are engaged in operations far from home and will be unable to celebrate this season with your loved ones. Please know you and your wingmen are in our thoughts and prayers and we look forward to your safe return…
From our families to yours, we wish you all the merriment the season has to offer…and a Happy New Year!
Interesting that they said “Happy New Year” but apparently chose not to mention either Christmas or Hanukkah (which runs from Christmas Eve to New Years this year).
It kind of makes you wonder if the Air Force Band will be forced to go non-holiday this year, breaking an annual tradition of amazing musical presentations (that have bothered Mikey Weinstein, of course, and have inspired Islamic extremism, according to Chris Rodda).
It shouldn’t even rise to the level of a religious freedom discussion, but it does kind of make you wonder what service members think when members of the government or their leadership seem to intentionally avoid mentioning the holidays by name. Is there a problem with members of government saying “Merry Christmas?” Do members of government have something against Christmas and Hanukkah? Is this an example subordinates must follow?
It’s an interesting thought exercise.
Merry Christmas, and Happy Hanukkah.
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Why don’t they just mention in a letter all the holidays?
“Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanza, Happy Solstice, Happy Saturnalia, Happy Holidays, and Happy New Year.”
Then again, if somebody is going to be offended no matter what, why bother not trying to offend?
Thankfully, when Trump is in office we can kiss Deborah James goodbye as Sec of the Air Force as well as the other secretaries of the other branches of the military.