By Ernie McCray
I got a call on my message machine asking for my help regarding a “secular” matter. It was my first such request in all my 75 years so I couldn’t help but wonder, “Why me?” since I don’t, although I’m not religious, necessarily consider myself a secular human being, and also since this particular worldly problem pertained to La Jolla.
I mean when I moved to San Diego in 1962, I was, in and of my 6 foot five black self, a problem in La Jolla, feeling, whenever I visited, about as welcomed as a seal in the Children’s Pool, like an unwashed heathen in a pristine hallowed place.
This lovely hilly seaside community and I, however, over time have come a long way from when we started our relationship so many decades ago, as I have swum and body surfed in its waters and run and walked its shores and rapped with kids in its schools and read scripts on its stages. But I have never weighed in on La Jolla’s affairs, secular or otherwise.
What the caller was interested in was presented to me in the form of a question which was: why is the Christmas on the Prado now called December Nights and why are the Encinitas and Ocean Beach and Pacific Beach Christmas Parades now referred to as Holiday Parades and La Jolla still has an annual La Jolla Christmas Parade?
I surely have no answer to such queries because I’ve never come near understanding matters that have a religious bent. Too many references to fire and brimstone for me. Too much bickering over whose God is real. Too much freaking out by practitioners when someone doesn’t believe in the same God as theirs, or believes in the same God but doesn’t believe in that God in the same way – enough to go to war or disown loved ones if their respective persuasions are far apart.
And secular doesn’t quite fit me because I’m spiritual as all get out. Sunrises and sunsets and both rugged winds and gentle breezes ease the tensions in my soul. A flash of lightning reminds me of my place in the overall scheme of things. A hike in the wilderness or the view from a high mountaintop or a frolic in the sea makes me feel whole, reminding me that all the elements of the universe are essential to my well-being. A moonlit night shines on me and I feel free to just enjoy the wonders of an amazing life giving and life supporting planet.
But the caller’s concerns about his community’s unwillingness to let go of their annual Christmas Parade really resonated with me when he said, regarding the parades that underwent name changes: “The names of the events were not changed for religious reasons. No one wanted to remove Christ from Christmas. When the decision makers chose words such as community and holiday, it was done to make everyone feel welcome at these secular events, regardless of their ethnicity, race or religion.”
He wants to show San Diego that La Jolla, despite its history, is a place of inclusion. I’m down with that considering the days when I didn’t feel that I belonged on streets like Pearl and Girard and Prospect.
It would be wonderful if a community, that is as looked up to and powerful as La Jolla happens to be, could find in its heart the will to honor diversity and make all its citizens feel wanted and appreciated by simply having a parade that did just that. It seems so American for us to embrace all our citizens, in my way of looking at things. Showing that it cares about all who live within its zip code would give La Jolla a different feel, a kind of inner quality that would make it as morally beautiful as it is in its physical state.
Anyway, on Saturday, July 6th at 9:30 AM the caller and his friends will show up at City Hall to meet with Mayor Bob Filner. They’re asking anyone who is interested to join them.
I don’t know what Bob can do but because he cares about issues concerning the heart, I could see him looking over the criteria required before a permit can be granted for conducting a parade on our city’s streets.
That would be my suggestion for seeking a solution to this secular matter.
photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/
See Also: La Jolla’s Anti-Semitic Past Reflected in Community Christmas Parade
Ernie McCray
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Strikes me as odd – in the name of diversity kill off the cultural traditions surrounding Christmas all while celebrating other cultural traditions. Last Christmas I heard a news report – from India – seems Hindu’s love Christmas – the tree, Santa Claus, the gifts and fruit cake. Yes fruit cake. But in Mumbai there were only two bakeries that made Christmas Fruit Cake. Lines stretch for many blocks; waits measured in hours. The two bakeries – both Jewish. Hindu’s buying fruit cake from Jews to celebrate Christmas. Yes, in India it’s Christmas, a family focused day. The Christmas traditions are themselves a collection of practices from different countries. Is supressing Christmas words and traditions progressive or selective? Do we celebrate many cultural traditions? We do, and I see little harm continuing.
Well, I guess the “secular” me wishes it were that simple.
Well Ernie, loved your article, of course find myself agreeing right along your lines. Keep on keeping on my friend.
Will do and you too.
Thank you Ernie for your one of your usual thought provoking essays. As a Christian, and reflecting on Christmas, I would like to have it back…and parades and overwhelming festivals, divisiveness and holiday sales are not the manner in which it should be reclaimed. I feel an essay coming on my own self.
Start writing my friend.
Hi Ernie. Thank you for your thoughtful article. What hit me most was your definition of “spiritual”. Those moments are very much part of any life – they are human moments… moments of awe and wonder and gratitude. “Spiritual” also pertains to those moments when we feel transported out of our typical selves, or out of the mundane. Since many religious people have these spiritual moments while being religiously observant, it is easy to understand how many equate being spiritual with believing in supernatural powers or beings (i.e. gods). As a non-theist, humanist type, I have numerous “spiritual” experiences daily – although I do try to find different words to describe them. I don’t think they are caused by, or in the service of, god(s). They are simply one of the great rewards of being human, being alive, and being aware. Now… about the parade. My concern isn’t so much what it is called, but that there is true separation of church and state (being true to the first amendment of our Constitution). When a parade is “religious”… and I’m going to state the obvious, which is “Christmas” pertains to celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ (aka “God” or the “son of God”), it is divisive. You are either Christian or you are not. This is a parade which reflects only one of many religions. Certainly we can see that we are a country of many faiths, and of no faith. All tax payers, however, must contribute to the community via taxes, assessments, etc., and their funds should NOT be used for ANY religious observance or parade. Period. There should be a hard line drawn in the sand. This community sponsored/supported parade relies on help from city agencies, makes demands on tax-payer funded services, and therefore MUST be more inclusive. Changing the name is a start. Asking others to exhibit/parade what they might celebrate during the winter solstice would be another move that could involve more citizens. Christians and Christian organizations are free to do whatever they want on their own property, and they can apply for permission/permits to have parades and celebrations… all at their own expense, at public venues. But all religious groups should follow the same rules as any other nonprofit, and should not be given special (and in some cases unconstitutional) privileges. Something that is unconstitutional does not become constitutional over time. (Debbie, Local Director of San Diego Coalition of Reason).
JEC
I am going to quote exactly what Mr. Ernie McCray said in his outstanding article titled,
“No More Ho Ho Ho?”
However, it will be in a different format for you to review:
“December Nights – formerly Christmas on the Prado
Encinitas Holiday Parade – formerly Encinitas Christmas Parade
La Jolla Christmas Parade –
Ocean Beach Holiday Parade – formerly Ocean Beach Christmas Parade
Pacific Beach Holiday Parade – formerly Pacific Beach Christmas Parade
Now I would like to add one of my own:
Holiday Bowl -annual December college football bowl game played at Qualcomm Stadium”
Which of the above secular events lacks diversity and inclusiveness?
Mr. Ernie McCray said, “The names of the events were not changed for religious reasons. No one wanted to remove Christ from Christmas. When the decision makers chose words such as community and holiday, it was done to make everyone feel welcome at these secular events, regardless of their ethnicity, race or religion.”
JEC, The above is just some food for thought. Perhaps you will digest it differently.
There were many reasons why the names were changed; as I recall for some religion did play a part, along with the argument about separation of church and state. So I guess I’m disagreeing with Ernie. Why are traditions powerful if not the emotional connections. The goal of changing the names was to be inclusive, certainly. But why do some people oppose the changes? Some just oppose change, period. But for others there is an emotional connection – Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Dia de los Muertos, a Passover Seder, Easter, I know some folks carry emotional connections to these traditions and and the symbols of the words and would resist changes. Do we not celebrate diversity when we honor these individual traditions? But what I shared – in India, a story about the blending of diversity – Hindu’s, Jews and Christians sharing a single special day. They kept the name ‘Christmas”, but altered the content. Christmas parades are not part of my tradition. Neither is Passover Seders but I’ve learned to appreciate both.
Hey, I was just quoting about the name changes. Like I said “I’ve never come near understanding matters that have a religious bent.” I don’t understand why there just couldn’t be a parade where people could just feel comfortable and have a good time and leave in a good spirit – maybe even inviting people of all “beliefs” to celebrate their “individual traditions” with others. Why do something divisive when its known that it’s divisive?
It’s why I respect you Ernie – an idealist and at your age – where cynics are common. It’s good, hopeful, I appreciate it. Religion is deeply woven into human history and seems to work real well at keeping us divided. Did Abraham know what he was starting?
I hope Abraham is innocent.
Always looking for the bright side, I personally am grateful that the La Jolla Christmas Parade doesn’t begin or end at the Christian cross up on Mt. Soledad. Could even greater social progress than that be possible in 2013?
Perhaps a more inclusive name could be given this annual La Jolla extravaganza, in the same way that “December Nights” has become a much more poetic and evocative name for the annual Balboa Park festivities. I think that label has added mystery and beauty to the experience for young and old alike.
And we can’t have enough mystery and beauty in our lives.
People, just go out and have a good time. No one’s stopping Christians from going to church, celebrating the manger, angels, miraculous virginal births and so on. If you’re Christian, do what your religion wants you to do, but don’t hurt anybody, okay?
Ernie- Here’s a piece written by our own Judi Curry on that very subject that just might shed a little more light on the matter:
http://sandiegofreepress.org/2013/03/la-jollas-anti-semitic-past-still-reflected-in-community-christmas-parade/
Thanks for re-sharing Judi’s essay.
I am an — uh, oh — atheist! Been through a whole bunch of religions over my early years. I am a caucasian. I grew up in the track, boxing & football cultures. My Dad, was Sup’t of the Sanitation Dep’t in our NE Ohio town. Most of the employees then (1950-60+) were blacks, as were many of my sports’ buddies. I have never really understood why the black culture adopted the white man’s God? As I grew older (just turned 71), this mystery has deepened for me. I “like” Black Atheists” on FaceBook. Interesting. How is it, I used to ask myself, that blacks can fight against the tremendous crush of discrimination … and yet … go worship the white man’s god that washed over them as slaves at first, and later as, for example, during and after WWII especially as vets? Yes, I am also a vet. As a rookie with the old Baltimore Colts, me and two of my black team mates went out for some burgers (1965) near Western Maryland College. My two buddies were “disinvited” from being seated in the restaurant. A table of white veterans over in the corner saw the incident. They remained seated as us rooks left and went elsewhere. For years I have kicked myself for not going over to the veterans’ table and calling them out. I truly believe that the most segregated time in the U.S. is … Sunday morning! La Jolla in the respect of “inclusion” … is stuck in another older time!
Your comments bring about so many memories of a time gone by, a time of second-class citizenship for folks like me, a time I touch on in “The Game,” a poem I wrote that will be coming up soon on this website.
I look forward to reading that!
I fervently hope that someday we, as a “true” CIVILization, finally outgrow this artificial separation from each other and the need to cling to comforting Bronze Age explanations for how the world works and come together for the good of the species and the planet we’re busyily destroying.
Amen and Amen and Amen!
Changing the names of those parades from Christmas to Holiday is a recognition that we are not one homogeneous culture any more as if we ever were one. Being more inclusive is important. Otherwise, it looks like America, the land of separation of church and state, has a dominant culture and that is Christian.