[j-monster]

I respect everyone's "traditions"

Oh, look. A self-exploding argument, in only four words.

Funny what a set of quotations can do to ya...

[j-monster]

Dame, with all your rabidly anti-Tory rhetoric I feel kind of dirty saying this, but I agree with you 100%. Civil servants are representatives of the government and the government is impartial to any religion, creed, ethnicity, etc. It is therefore fitting that civil servants, in a work atmosphere, express a religiously neutral greeting. Furthermore, I agree that mutual respect is what is necessary for religious co-existence. Many people confuse this with acceptance. It is perfectly legitimate for members of one religion or belief system to disagree with someone from another. It is okay to say that they are wrong. What is absolutely not okay is to do so in a disrespectful or condescending way. It is not okay to consider other people somehow less Canadian because of their different beliefs. As some of you may know, I am a deeply religious person and hold to my beliefs as true. On the other hand, I am more than willing to engage in civil and respectful conversation or debate with people who disagree with me.

Maybe this makes me a moderate Conservative in some people's eyes, but I think this is the prevailing attitude among the leadership of the Tories. There may be intolerant jerks (as there are at the other end of the spectrum as well) who think, mistakenly, that we are a Christian country or something else of that nature and that a certain degree of political correctness somehow dilutes our rights as citizens. This simply is not the case.

I think my point was that "Save Christmas" is not a particular Tory policy issue in this election. Just like eliminating EI or criminalizing abortions are not part of Tory policy, though I constantly hear people critize the Conservatives for things like this. Harper has tried very hard to moderate the social views of the Conservative Party and has done quite a good job. His comments are nothing like that of pundits Bill O'Reilly or Ann Coulter, even though many people perceive that the Tories are just like the Republicans. They're not.

Well said... so well said in fact that I have nothing to add right now. Thanks.