Letters to the Editor

The Complexity of Holiday Greetings

A recent conversation with a business acquaintance sparked a thought-provoking discussion on the use of the phrase “Happy Holidays.” It all began when he shared his discomfort with a greeting he received during the holiday season. As a Christian, he felt that the phrase was a sign of disrespect, driven by political correctness and an attempt to sidestep Christmas altogether. Naturally, this prompted me to offer a different perspective—one rooted not in a lack of respect, but in an abundance of it.

I explained to him that “Happy Holidays” might not be an affront to Christmas but rather an acknowledgment of the diversity of celebrations taking place during the same time of year. In fact, there are at least 14 different religious and cultural holidays observed around the world in December alone, from Hanukkah and Kwanzaa to Diwali and the Winter Solstice. By offering a more inclusive greeting, the intent is not to diminish any particular holiday but rather to show respect for the variety of traditions people hold dear during this season.

This line of thought led me to reflect more deeply on the nature of communication and interpretation. It is always fascinating, and at times even frustrating, how easily we misinterpret the words and actions of others—especially when we lack insight into their personal perspectives or intentions.

The “Happy Holidays” greeting, while benign in nature, can easily be perceived in vastly different ways depending on one’s background, experiences or even their emotional state at the time.

For me, when I’m greeted with “Happy Holidays,” I choose to respond with gratitude, simply saying “Thank you!” I do not take offense at the inclusive nature of the greeting; instead, I see it as a reflection of the speaker’s attempt to be kind and considerate of the many different ways people celebrate, or do not celebrate, during this time of year. I see it as a gesture of goodwill, not an erasure of any specific tradition or belief.

At the core of this discussion is the broader philosophical idea that our interpretations of others’ words and actions are shaped by our own perceptions, experiences and beliefs. What may feel like an attack to one person may, in fact, be a gesture of inclusivity or respect to another. And this is a reminder of how important it is to approach these moments with openness and empathy, rather than jumping to conclusions or making assumptions about someone else’s intent.

The question, then, becomes one of perspective: How do we choose to interpret the actions of others? And, perhaps more importantly, how can we engage in dialogue that fosters mutual understanding, even when our views differ? In a world that is increasingly diverse and interconnected, I believe that the answer lies in cultivating a willingness to see things from multiple viewpoints and recognizing that respect does not always look the same to everyone.

So, whether it’s a “Merry Christmas” or a “Happy Holidays,” the true meaning behind the greeting lies not in the words themselves, but in the spirit of kindness and goodwill with which they are offered. And when we respond with understanding and gratitude, we contribute to a more respectful and harmonious exchange of ideas and beliefs, one holiday greeting at a time.

Arthur Dyson
Fresno

Spending Misfocused

I find this to be so stupid: I mean $11 million to build another building to house the homeless. Do you know how many apartment complexes could have been bought to give the homeless a real permanent home instead of another shelter where a homeless person will once again have to wait six months to a year and a half to finally get into a home?

This is why California will never get control of the homelessness because they waste the money instead of doing what needs to be done. And yes, I am homeless in Central California.

Jennifer Watkins
Online feedback

Brandau’s Politics

He commends the Fresno County Department of Social Services for their work, however, the DSS has received funding to help homeless adults without children, yet still has not set up any programs to assist these individuals. Homeless adults continue to ask for help with housing and are turned away as nothing has been implemented yet.

Brandau still voted in favor of giving DSS middle managers a 30% raise one month after some of these managers released a video singing and dancing while at work. This video was a waste of taxpayer money. It is on YouTube if you want to see it.

Fresno needs to get rid of this guy.

Gabriel Sanchez
Online feedback

A Call to Establish an Elections Review Committee

I am the president and founder of the Fresno Veterans Coalition. We are an organization that honors, represents and supports our 50,000 local veterans by providing a coalition of resources in Fresno.

It has been brought to our attention that some ballots belonging to veterans may have been incorrectly printed or lost in an unlocked ballot box. Furthermore, Fresno City Attorney Andrew Janz and Rep. Jim Costa were both notified of election interference and intimidation, but chose to do nothing this election cycle. This is extremely concerning as a taxpayer given any potential personal, political or romantic relationships causing said conflicts. Our group has been subject to impersonation, hate speech, death threats and doxxing.

Costa’s staff improperly worked with an extremist PAC in town (Youth Save Democracy) and failed to report hate speech against veterans. Janz shrugged his primary election duties this cycle and instead chose to attend fellow attorney Roger Bonakdar’s political events. This was after Janz testified to the Fresno City Council and Mayor [Jerry] Dyer that he would be apolitical when accepting the job at City Hall. This is especially concerning when this individual has also hosted political events for state Attorney General Rob Bonta and other prominent Democrats.

We are respectfully requesting the City of Fresno and County of Fresno to launch an election integrity committee for Fresno elections that reviews complex and controversial issues.

Justin St. George
Fresno