WoW and he's right.

Carleton Place councillors rip mayor after 'knee-jerk' remarks

CARLETON PLACE -- Four members of town council stood up publicly for multiculturalism here Tuesday night, taking a loud and clear stand against a Christmas newspaper column by Mayor Paul Dulmage.

Feeling "the season was right," Dulmage used his regular Mayor's Corner column in last week's Carleton Place Canadian to lash out at pressure from non-Christian minorities which he claimed had diluted the celebration of Christmas.

"We've gone so far the other way, bent over backwards to not offend anyone, that I am now being offended. But it seems that no one has a problem with that," Dulmage wrote in the column which primarily quoted remarks he pulled from an unnamed Internet source.

"This idea of Canada being a multicultural community has served only to dilute our sovereignty and our national identity," Dulmage quoted the source. "If you wish to become part of our society, learn the language.

"If God offends you, then I suggest you consider another part of the world as your new home ... because God is part of our culture," the mayor repeated from the source.

'RIGHT TO LEAVE'

"But once you are done complaining, whining and griping about our flag, our pledge, our national motto, or our way of life, I highly encourage you to take advantage of our one other Great Canadian Freedom ... the right to leave."

Using the platform of the regularly scheduled planning and development committee meeting, council members Brian Doucett and Art Quartermain and Deputy Mayor Linda Schmidt backed Coun. Wendy Leblanc as she read a statement critical of Dulmage's column.

"We recognize that our community is home to families of different origins, races, colours and creeds," the councillor read. "We acknowledge that our community life is richer, more vibrant and stronger because of the contributions of all our citizens and, as a council, we will continue to do our utmost to ensure that all the citizens of Carleton Place live peaceable lives, free of discrimination."

Taking the floor, an unrepentant Dulmage claimed the group of councillors had missed the point. He didn't elaborate. Coun. Gerald Kirby backed the mayor and Coun. Dennis Burn did not stand in support of the statement from the other councillors and did not comment.

PERSONAL POSITION

Later Dulmage told the Sun he received hundreds of e-mails and voice messages in support of his stand after his column got national TV coverage.

He criticized council members for politicizing what for him was a personal position on Christmas. He added he won't be dissuaded from running again for mayor next November.

Doucett said council guidelines allow members to make statements on any topic before officially opening a meeting.

No motion was presented and no action of any kind recommended because councillors who took the action didn't want to draw out the situation.

Doucett slammed Dulmage for a "knee-jerk reaction" in blaming non-Christian new Canadians for the politically correct treatment of Christmas.

"There's nothing wrong with criticizing the commercialization of Christmas," the councillor said. "If the mayor would have apologized for offending anyone, he might have been off the hook."

In a paid newspaper ad placed independently of council, Doucett said he found Dulmage's remarks "completely unacceptable in the modern global community we are a part of and are based on myth, opinion and innuendo rather than fact and truth. History has shown that people must speak out against such attitudes."

When introducing the quoted comments in the Canadian, Dulmage, in his own words, railed against the "pressure from non-Christian faiths to dilute the celebration of the birth of Christ," including the custom of wishing "Season's Greetings" instead of "Merry Christmas."

This, he wrote, goes against the sensibilities of most Canadians who are "Christians of many faiths that believe in God."

Dulmage signed off noting the column had little to do with politics, "but I had to get it off my chest and I felt the season was right."

source

i have to say i support the guy
i'm sick of seeing seasons greetings and happy holidays where the signs use to say merry christmas and happy haunica. thank god our local superstore is willing to keep the merry christmas sign up.

I was just listening to CJOB from Winnipeg, via the net, and the host was telling everyone how he was in one of the major malls and there was nary a decoration to be seen and that not once was he wished Merry Christmas or even Happy Holidays by any staff. Let's hope they all eat a bit of undercooked beef tomorrow night. And to the security guard in Ottawa, who booted an accordian playing Sally Ann Santa out of a mall and then threatened to sick the police on him, how many links have you added to your chain?

While we are drilled from every corner about respecting the cultural sensitivities of others, it has become perfectly acceptable to be insensitive, if not outright disrespectful, to the beliefs of the predominant culture. I will never abide by political correctness as I follow older traditions known as tact and common sense, more simply known as the Golden Rule. So I wish you and yours the Merriest of Christmases and the Happiest of New Years. I give this blessing in the spirit of the season, how you take it, is up to you.

Merry Christmas to all, and a Happy New Year

You know, considering Hanukkah begins on Christmas Day, it isn't that much of a stretch to see where saying Happy Holidays would be useful.

To all Christians A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR

To all none Christians A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR

No one's telling you not to use the greeting. I'm in a country that is 95 % Buddhist/Taoist/Confucian mix, yet even the local Buddhist monks have wished me a Merry Christmas. I think I'm going to complain to the local magistrate that their pagan practices offend me and I don't want to be exposed to them. 聖誕快樂

Mr Garret said it best, I think...
Don't read the following if you are easily offended and have no sense of humour...
Merry Fucking Christmas
Mr. Garrison

I heard there is no Christmas
In the silly Middle East
No trees, no snow, no Santa Claus
They have different religious beliefs

They believe in Muhammad
And not in our holiday
And so every December
I go to the Middle East and say...

"Hey there Mr. Muslim
Merry fucking Christmas
Put down that book the Koran
And hear some holiday wishes.

In case you haven't noticed
It's Jesus's birthday.
So get off your heathen Muslim ass
and fucking celebrate.

There is no holiday season in India I've heard
They don't hang up their stockings
And that is just absurd!

They've never read a Christmas story.
They don't know what Rudolph is about
And that is why in December
I'll go to India and shout...

Hey there Mr. Hinduist
Merry fucking Christmas
Drink eggnog and eat some beef
And pass it to the missus.

In case you haven't noticed
It's Jesus's birthday
So get off your heathen Hindu ass
and fucking celebrate!

Now I heard that in Japan
Everyone just lives in sin
They pray to several gods
And put needles in their skin.

On December 25th
All they do is eat a cake
And that is why I go to Japan
And walk around and say...

Hey there Mr. Shintoist
Merry fucking Christmas
God is going to kick your ass
You infidelic pagan scum.

In case you haven't noticed
There's festive things to do
So lets all rejoice for Jesus
And Merry fucking Christmas to you.

On Christmas day I travel `round the world and say,
Taoists, Krishnas, Buddhists, and all you atheists too,
Merry Fucking Christmas, To You!

And yet once again the trash rears up its ugly head. Kudos to the four councillors for standing up to this blowhard schmuck, and maybe saving their town's honour while they were at it.....

......and Happy Holidays to all! [trumpet]

Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas! There? Can you petulent assholes who are offended by the stupidest things, and can you petulent assholes who are offended by being wished Merry Chritsmas be happy now?

JESUS FUCKING CHRIST!!!!! IT'S THE HOLIDAYS!!!!!!YEAH, I SAID HOLIDAYS....SO YOU KNOW WHAT THAT ENTAILS???? MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!HAPPY CHANUKAH!!!!! HAPPY KWANZAA!!!!!!! IT IS NOTHING MORE THAN A WAY TO WISH SOMEONE THE BEST FOR WHICHEVER ONE OF THESE HOLIDAYS THEY HAPPEN TO CELEBRATE. GUESS WHAT? CHRISTMAS IS A FUCKING HOLIDAY!!!!!

I FRANKLY, PREFER TO SAY MERRY CHRISTMAS, BUT I ALSO SAY HAPPY HOLIDAYS BECAUSE IT ENTAILS EVERYTHING AND IS POLITE!!!!!

GOD, JUST SHUT UP ABOUT THE DAMN ISSUE ALREADY!!!!!!!! GET THE HELL OVER IT!!!!!!!!