A Concert for #Christmas

Christmas is near, and at this of time of year the Schools put on Christmas concerts. At least they used to do that. Times are changing.

A couple of days ago we went to the School concert of our grandson. The concert was actually in a church. Quite appropriate for a Christmas concert, except this concert had nothing to do with Christmas. In fact, they called it a ‘Winter Concert’.

We were disappointed, because we expected Christmas carols and songs. The kids all performed well, singing and playing instruments, but the only Christmas song was toward the end, and it was ‘Joy to the World.’ For all I cared by then they needn’t have bothered.

They played and sang different songs; one was some kind of ‘Zulu’ spiritual song. There were drums. Nothing to do with winter.

I looked around the audience and saw mainly Caucasian people. The School is in an area of the city with few ethnic groups. So why would they not have a Christmas Concert? Just to appease the few people from other cultures?

It has come so far already, that the word 'Christmas' is avoided by some people, like a bad word. Now they call it 'Winter Holiday' or whatever. Instead of saying "Merry Christmas," they say "Have a Happy Holiday."  No more 'Christmas Party'. Now it's 'Company party' or 'Yearend party', or something similar, as long as the word 'Christmas' isn't in it. A shame. Christmas is the reason they are making a party in the first place.

We Canadians are so worried about offending minorities that we are willing to change our way of life and get rid of old customs and tradition. It is sad and disturbing. I am not a bigot or a racist, but I believe that immigrants who come into our country should honor our traditions, our way of life, our customs, and not expect that we change for them.

A few years ago, one of the Schools in a different neighborhood of the city was also going to eliminate the Christmas Concert. Instead, it was going to be African Drums. Fortunately, there was such uproar all across the city that they abandoned that idea and actually did have a Christmas Concert.

I can see the day in the future when there will be no more Christmas concerts or anything else that has to do with Christianity. Our laws will have changed to appease all the different ethnic groups that are slowly taking over our country, because we let them. Already now, we have laws in place that make it a criminal offense to talk and write negatively about certain ethnic groups. My prediction is it will get worse. We still have freedom of speech, but for how long? We will be muzzled when we speak our mind.

All one has to do is look around on the street, in shopping centers, in stores, in playgrounds, parks etc. to see how things have changed. People walk around in their outlandish native garb, men wearing gowns and strange head coverings, women covered up to their eyes, and they openly speak their language in public. When I am downtown Winnipeg I wonder sometimes if I was transported magically to a foreign country.

I’m an immigrant, but when I came to Canada, my priority was to learn to speak English, to dress like the Canadians and to learn the local customs and to blend in—to become a real Canadian. As did all the other immigrants who came mostly from European countries. I remember one time when I was in an elevator with a few other people. They were Italians and when some of them spoke in Italian, one of the older women said, “English! Speak English.” She had an accent, but that was okay. They made an effort.

I’m not saying people should forget about their heritage, but it should be done in private clubs or in one of their churches.

When I became a Canadian Citizen, it was a solemn affair. Now, apparently, new Canadians dance around and shout, probably in their native language. I heard that they get all kinds of free stuff, like expensive tickets to events. I never got any of that when I became a Canadian. Now we just give and give. The new immigrants expect it and take if for granted.

Apparently, we need more immigrants to boost the economy. The theory is that more people in a country bring in more taxes. That’s fine, as long as they all pay taxes and don’t become a burden to the taxpayers already in the country and as long as they don’t try to change our way of life; the way of life that I adopted so many years ago and find good. I don’t want it changed. We are living in a great country and I would like to keep it great.

We should not try to please minorities but make sure the majority of the Canadian people are happy. The people who have built up this country and made it what it is today; the people whose ancestors fought for our way of life; the Canada that seems to attract people from other countries because it is what it is. So why do these same people want to change our way of life once they are here? I can’t understand that.

When I was a newcomer, there were many things I didn’t like either, always comparing with the way things were in the old country. Every immigrant did that. It is natural. When somebody complained and criticized, we were told, “If you don’t like it here go back to where you come from!”

I’d like to pass that on to anyone who doesn’t like the Canadian Way, anyone who wants to change our customs, our traditions, and our laws.

If you don’t like it go back to where you came from and let us enjoy the way we do things here! I’m a Canadian and grateful to be able to live in this great country.