If you want to see how American society has changed in the 21st century, you need only to read Politically Correct Holiday Stories for an Enlightened Yuletide Season.
James Finn Garner’s slender bestseller updates classic Christmas tales for 1995 politically with-it readers, replacing terms that reinforce demeaning societal stereotypes with others deemed not sexist, ageist, racist, nationalist, or any other otherwise offensive-ist:
‘Twas the Night before Christmas becomes “‘Twas the Night before Solstice.” Frosty the Snowman becomes “Frosty the Persun of Snow.”
The story of a flying, horned quadruped becomes “Rudolph the Nasally Empowered Reindeer.”
The Nutcracker and Dickens’ A Christmas Carol retrain their titles, but get internal makeovers for the politically enlightened ‘90s.
Readers in 2020 will find Garner’s little book as quaint as Scrooge’s nightcap. America dumped political correctness when it emptied its Y2K jugs of stored water.
Today in America it’s no longer politically correct, let alone socially correct, to attempt to avoid offending people unnecessarily. In 2020, vicious verbal attacks on anyone with whom one disagrees are considered normal.
Today’s readers won’t get it when Garner’s Santa says, “Happy Christmas to all, but get over yourselves!!”
America can no longer laugh at itself, and that’s a serious problem.
Politically Correct Holiday Stories:
For an Enlightened Yuletide Season
By James Finn Garner
Lisa Amoroso, inside illustrations.
Macmillan. ©1995. 99 p.
1995 bestseller #9; my grade: B-
©2020 Linda G. Aragoni
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