it's not life that matters but the journey...

OH MY GOD!  Now I am truly convinced that people have lost the spirit of the holidays:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051218/ap_on_re_us/wal_mart_holidays

I am so so tired of hearing the Christian activists whining about how Wal-Mart employees aren't saying "Merry Christmas" anymore.  And here's why:

1. I mean, first of all, what's the difference if someone says "Happy Holidays" or "Merry Christmas?"  If they say it with conviction, then its the same meaning. 
2. Second of all, last time I checked, America was a land of diversity, full of people from many different cultures and countries, free to choose their own religion (or free to choose not to practice any religion). so why should they have a religious holiday that they don't celebrate forced upon them?   I thought that there were many holidays during the month of December, and not just Christmas:  (Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, Boxing Day  in Canada, and even some kind of Mexican celebration, to name a few).
3. Which leads to my third point:  why should employees of any major retailer be forced to say "Merry Christmas" anyways?  If they are not Christian (perhaps they might be Muslim, or Jewish), then they will feel like hypocrites if they say it.  And it might be offensive if a Christian employee of Wal-Mart says "Merry Christmas" to Muslim person.  But really, why be offended at all?  If someone says "Merry Christmas"  or "Happy Holidays" or simply "Have a nice Day" then you should just smile and say thank you!  Am I right?   Give me a break, for God's sake!!!
4. and Finally . . . most important of all:  aren't there plenty of other reasons why we should be getting pissed off at Corporate America (Wal-Mart especially)?  How about exploitation of workers?  How about monopolies?  How about simple Corporate Greed during a time of giving and love?  If they are making a choice to change their greeting to something that encompasses and reaches everyone, then isn't that something to applaud?

Here's my Message to all of the Religious Activists (aka freaks) out there:  BAH HUMBUG and ...

oh, yea, HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!