Santa's Bad Day

Column for week of December 23, 2013             

     The recent mini fire storm over Santa Claus's complexion
raises a question.   Is anything too trivial to create a brouhaha?

     Perhaps I should provide a little background for anyone
so fortunate as to have missed the controversy.  A columnist
wrote a lighthearted article suggesting that Santa should be a
penguin to appeal to different races.  I don't know if she would
have the penguin Santa wear a red belt and a yellow headband.

     A television personality responded that of course Santa
was white.  A school teacher took it to the next level by telling a
nonwhite boy he had no right to wear a Santa costume because
Santa was white.  She was suspended as the plot continued to
thicken.

     The Santas I have seen were predominately white.  So
what?  Does this mean a Smurf couldn't be Santa?  How about a
green or purple Santa?

     People who don't see Santa as blue, green or purple can
claim that the rainbow of Santas aren't real.  They will be right
too.  Maybe some lost sight of one minor fact.  None of the
Santas are real.  Santa exists only in myths.

     Must everyone share the same Santa myth?  Should all
Easter bunnies and tooth fairies be the same color?  If
uniformity of color is vital, What about size and shape?  Why
not a short, skinny Santa who must look up to his elves?

     I probably shouldn't have mentioned elves.  Someone will
start writing uniform specifications for elves.  This might lead to
an entire book on distinguishing between elves and Leprechauns. 
Dare I ask, Must all Leprechaun be green?   Yes, I dare, but
perhaps I shouldn't have.  Where may it lead?

     For the record, I am willing to let everyone design their
own mythical characters.  If you prefer a unicorn with six legs,
go for it.

     The Santa myth has untapped room for variety.  Let us
consider some of the options.  My Santa's sleigh is pulled by
four buffaloes.  Why buffaloes?  Reindeer are ill suited to pull a
sleigh, or anything else, through the sky.  Reindeer don't have
wings.  Buffaloes do.  Otherwise, where do buffalo wings come
from?  Buffaloes are bigger, so four buffaloes can pull as much
as eight reindeer.

     Someone else can decide what to do with the out of work
reindeer.  How big a deal is it to lose a one night a year part
time job?

     And, what about that silly sleigh?  What is the point of
runners in the sky?  Give Santa a glider.  So, you aren't warming
up to my skinny Santa and his outfit.  It is my myth and I don't
care.  If you have a better myth, better for you that is, you are
welcome to it.  Just don't try to mess with my myth.  The world
is big enough for everyone's personal myths, so long as no one
tries to impose their myths on others.  It will also help if people
don't confuse their myths with reality.

     Even with fantasies one size doesn't fit all.  It is
important to allow everyone the freedom to chose their own
fantasies.  Trying to control the fantasies of others can only lead
to needless animosity and strife.

     Trying to control real world choices of others causes even
more strife.  Most of that strife is also needless.  When
conditions don't dictate that everyone must abide by the same
choice, there is usually no good reason to try and force our
choices on to others.  In addition to being free to chose the
complexion of their Santas, everyone should be free to chose
their soft drinks, food, medical insurance, schools, vehicles,
fuels, door latches, etc.  We should also be free to chose who
will provide them.

     Interfering with the choices of others invariably creates
animosity, strife and destruction.  The greater the meddling, the
worse it gets.  Delegating the meddling to government only
makes matters worse.

aldmccallum@gmail.com
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Copyright 2013
Albert D. McCallum