I don't make these things up, folks. School Says Halloween Disrespectful to Witches PUYALLUP, Wash., Oct. 21, 2004 -- A Washington state school district is canceling its annual Halloween celebration, and the explanation has some parents baffled. "Let them have their 30 minutes of dressing goofy and having candy," Silas Macon, a father of two school-age girls, said Wednesday outside Maplewood Elementary School after learning that the grade-school tradition of a party and parade in costume during the last half-hour of class before Halloween night won't happen this year in the district. A letter sent home to parents Wednesday said there will be no observance of Halloween in any of the district's schools. "We really want to make sure we're using all of our time in the best interest of our students," Puyallup School District spokeswoman Karen Hansen said. The superintendent made the decision for three primary reasons, Hansen said. First, Halloween parties and parades waste valuable classroom time. Second, some families can't afford costumes and the celebrations thus can create embarrassment for children. Both of those reasons seemed sensible to the parents who spoke to ABC News affiliate KOMO-TV in Seattle. But the district's third reason left some Puyallup parents shaking their heads. The district said Halloween celebrations and children dressed in Halloween costumes might be offensive to real witches. "Witches with pointy noses and things like that are not respective symbols of the Wiccan religion and so we want to be respectful of that," Hansen said.
In related news, Superman has reportedly said that he's rather sick of halloween as well. "If I see one more kid wearing the costume with sneakers, I swear to god, I'm headed back to Krypton," said the iconic hero. "I mean seriously, how ********ing hard is it to buy red boots?" Superman isn't the only hero upset with the spooky holiday. Spiderman has gone on record numerous times to protest the fact that many fat kids dress up in the Spidey suit on the holiday. "They make fun of me at the super meetings," said the downcast web-slinger. "Every year these kids trot around and then for months after everyone calls me 'Spider-Ham.' It really sucks."
Out of curiosity, have any Wiccans ever actually complained about such a thing? What's their connection to witchcraft anyway? Don't they usually try to distance themselves from the term? OK, so I found this gem. "Depending upon one's point of view, Wicca can be considered a monotheistic, duotheistic, polytheistic, or atheistic religion:" [font=trebuchet ms,arial,helvetica]Wicca is monotheistic: Some Wiccans recognize a single supreme being, sometimes called "The All" or "The One." The Goddess and God are viewed as the female and male aspects of this single deity.[/font] [font=trebuchet ms,arial,helvetica]Wicca is duotheistic (a.k.a. rarely as bitheistic): Wiccans often worship a female Goddess and a male God., often called the Lady and Lord.[/font] [font=trebuchet ms,arial,helvetica]Wicca is polytheistic: Wiccans recognize the existence of many ancient Gods and Goddesses, including Pan, Diana, Dionysius, Fergus, etc. [/font] [font=trebuchet ms,arial,helvetica]Wicca is atheistic: Some Wiccans view the God and Goddess as symbols, not living entities. Depending upon which definition of the term "Atheist" that you adopt, these Wiccans may be considered Atheists.[/font] Sounds pretty f-ing incoherent to me.
Here's another reason to dispense with Halloween--- it's disrespectful to pumpkins. Pumpkins are a cherished member of the squash family, and the consumption of pumpkin pie throughout the year demonstrates the value that this wonderful vegetable has for so many. So what do they do---they put dumb-a$$ smirking faces on these poor dears. How demeaning!!!
In related news, the same school district has banned the singing of the national anthem as it has been deemed offensive to blind people. " 'Oh say can you SEE?' Uhm...no, actually, many people can't," said spokeswoman Karen Hansen. "I don't see why we need to rub their faces in it at every football game or school assembly." "Plus, the line should be changed anyway," Hansen continued, "to 'Oh say can you SING. Because I assure you, most of these kids cannot. And I just can't take it anymore."
A bit next to topoic, but wehen do both teachers and parents see that the kids learn in school for live, which includes to learn how to behave socially as well as what you usually do in class, and that means that that kind of celebration is an important and valuable part of the school life...
Oh please make this true...PLEASE! Imagine the joy! No more tuneless droning at the start of games. No 20 minute warble by some talentless Whitney Houston wannabee. Why do they do that? Just sing the song and sit down. I don't want an R&B interpretation involving vocal gymnastics and fireworks. I wanna sit down and watch the game.
All that carving is just plain cruel and drives them to drink. And that never ends well........ http://www.groovy-mom.com/archives/drunk_pumpkin.jpg
Actually, here in most parts of Europe they only play the national anthems when two national teams or more compete... at BL games for example you'll never hear a national anthem... no need for the US to do it, is there?
The national anthem before a sporting event is just the normal thing to do in the US. They even do it at High School sporting events.
I know, I'v been for half a year in the US.. still doesn't make sense.. why? to show the players that you are in the US? and what about Canada? do they play the canadian instead?
i suspect christians are behind the effort to ban halloween http://www.bible.com/answers/ahalowen.html
I knew this Born Again in the Air Force that absolutely refused to let his kids participate in Holloween. He looked at me when I asked him why as if I just kicked his mom in the head. "It's a pagan holiday! You know that!" I pointed out that he was also the same guy who claimed that we shouldn't eat meat according to some obsure scripture in the Bible, yet he had no problem participating in every shop cookout. He was one sad, strange little man.