Not including Christmas, or the other “holidays” like Festivus from Seinfeld, there are other religious holidays that span across religions from Christianity all the way to Buddhism and Hinduism in December.
So, why are we only celebrating one holiday on campus?
As a university who has a large amount of international students, isn’t it required that Emporia State be inclusive to everyone? If that is the case, where are the decorations for the other holidays?
In the Union, there’s garland, lights and snowflakes all through out the first floor. There’s even a christmas tree in the CSI lounge.
Wooster Bridge has a wreath hung in the middle while there are strings of lights outlining the bridge and the patio near the Union.
In Plumb Hall there’s a giant Christmas tree and it’s all nicely decorated. However, the menorah and Kwanzaa decoration are miniscule in size.
There are literally no representations of other winter holidays on campus.
Even with President Garrett’s attempt to bring a sort of holiday cheer with the “Mingle and Jingle” had good intentions, but actions speak much louder than words. It was labeled as a Christmas party.
President Garrett said she wanted it to be a welcome back for all students, not just for students who celebrated Christmas, but it was still a Christmas Party, with a wreath, a Santa Claus, an ugly Christmas sweater contest and gingerbread men. All of these things are very Christmas related.
How can you have a party to welcome back all students but then alienate them by picking one holiday, out of all the others, to celebrate?
ESU is always adamant about being inclusive and being accepting of others no matter their sex, gender, race, status, age, religion ect. This is stated, crystal clear, on the school’s website in the Inclusivity Statement, where it says ESU “supports an inclusive learning environment where diversity and individual differences are understood, respected, appreciated and recognized as a source of strength.”
Well, what about the other holidays?
If ESU is to understand, respect, appreciate and recognize other people’s holidays, why are we only focusing on Christmas?
This certainly needs to change.
If Emporia State wants its students to grow as a community we need to recognize all the holidays of this month. Not just Christmas.
If you believe this to be a problem, or that you feel as if your holiday is not getting the inclusion that it deserves, you need to let President Allison Garrett know. You can email her at [email protected].
In the meantime, we all should be respectful of all the other holidays that fill December.