DEMARSEY: Leave Christmas alone
Column: The Scarlet State
The holiday season is upon us! It is the time of year meant for joyful celebrations and gatherings. Children around the world eagerly await the arrival of Santa and his nine reindeer as families partake in many festive traditions.
Across the Hudson, one such tradition is the annual lighting of the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree.
Hundreds of gatherers watch gleefully as the towering Norwegian spruce tree is illuminated by more than 50,000 LED lights — a spectacle that features just a slim offering of holiday cheer in the city of New York.
This is an event that brings joy and happiness to all. But at this year's tree lighting, some people made sure they would be checked twice on the naughty list this year.
Hundreds of pro-Palestinian organizers protested the event with chants of "From the river to the sea" and clashed with law enforcement, who kept the event safe for families and children. I understand that some readers, and certainly the protesters, have deep feelings about and personal connections with this ongoing global conflict in Gaza.
But what business do American "activists" have in protesting the lighting of a Christmas tree?
This is disrespectful not only to the 93 percent of Americans who celebrate this major holiday but also to the millions of American Christians who hold this time of year to be incredibly sacred.
No matter what religion, protesting holidays should not be tolerated by an educated populace. Additionally, these events only detract from the credibility of on-campus and national groups weighing in on this conflict.
By protesting a holiday event that has no connection or correlation to the ongoing Israel-Hamas War, the public will simply become increasingly more frustrated with the protesters and their movement. This is especially true when they clash with public safety officials in what appears to be aggressive demonstrations.
American "activists" need to rethink their strategy and motives.
This particularly applies to young and impressionable college students. Our generation is too quick to support social movements and causes that we lack full knowledge of. It is a safe assumption that most students taking to the streets are not experts on the complex history and context of such a conflict because, quite frankly, there is no objective viewpoint.
Even so, many college students are compelled to support those whom they perceive to be oppressed. They maintain the belief that all in the world should be just while ignoring the realities and horrors of war.
My fellow young Americans, we must practice logical caution before we engage in these political behaviors.
I understand the anger and frustration accompanying the fear and uncertainty that our generation faces. But your First Amendment rights are sacred and should serve as a powerful means to be an agent of change.
Protesting a holiday event that millions hold dearly will not further your cause, nor will it give you purpose. More importantly, it is downright disrespectful and wrong.
With that being said, stop the brain rot. We as a generation and as a society must depersonalize politics and realize that the way that we will forge a brighter future is not by acting on behalf of our emotions.
Do not follow the trends of social media when it comes to complex political issues because the algorithm spews more propaganda than cable news. Furthermore, make sure you use your voice with dignity and respect, or else you limit your power and, in the case of the Rockefeller protesters, look like a fool.
The events of the last week needed to be addressed. The Rockefeller Christmas tree lighting ceremony was not the time nor the place to address the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
To the protesters and their supporters, with all due respect, leave Christmas alone.
Aiden DeMarsey is a sophomore in the School of Arts and Sciences majoring in public policy and minoring in government & business as well as military science. His column, "The Scarlet State," runs on alternate Thursdays.
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