A Double Standard

It is amazing, after all this time, how a double standard can still work. I am not referring to the traditional double standard but I am talking about how it works when one examines religion and the attitudes of society.

I am involved with a civic organization. In fact, I am the incoming president. We meet every other Wednesday and I noticed that based on the calendar, we are scheduled to have a meeting on Yom Kippur. I told people I was not going to schedule a meeting on this date as I did not feel it sent the right message. Moreover, I argued that if I were just a member and a president scheduled a meeting on this date, I would be furious so, I refused to do what I would object to any other club president doing.

The rest of the Executive Committee objected and fought with me. I heard all sorts of excuses and reasons why it could not be done and basically, I was told with the exception of Christmas day, we do not move meetings, and that exception occurs because there is no place open where we could meet.

I then noticed that we had a meeting scheduled for New Years Eve. Certainly establishments are open yet I told the board I did not think we should meet on this day either. They were all quick to agree. Then when I pointed out that if we just switched it with another date, we would end up meeting on Christmas Eve (Not day) and I did not want to do that. Everyone agreed and worked with me on getting creative to avoid that conflict.

The Christian holidays still carry much more weight than even a holiday like Yom Kippur. People do not understand its importance. Still, once I led the discussion about Christmas and New Years, everyone was more willing to work with me on avoiding a meeting on Yom Kippur. It just surprises me (although it shouldn’t) the double standard when it comes to holidays.