Shame on me!

Ok, ok, I know I've totally slacked the last week or so. I think I was so excited to have Realpolitik husband home for a week straight without having to go away for work that I got all out of sync with my blogging, laundry, baby duties, etc. So let this be my virtual slap on the wrist.

On several occasions, I have started to blog about a particular topic but didn't do so because I wasn't sure how to bring up the issue without adding more flame to a now smoldering fire, but in the past couple of weeks much has been discussed in my personal conversations as well as in the blogosphere about the unconscious discrimination of religion and religious holidays that I need to put in my two cents.

It all started with a discussion with Realpolitik husband regarding one of the groups he tours on the lecture circuit (he is an entertainment agent that tours almost anything around the country). One of the the individuals within this team, has requested that there are not any lectures scheduled on any of the Jewish holidays, as she does not want to discriminate against these individuals by not given them the opportunity to see the lecture. So I asked my husband, "Does that mean that they also don't schedule any lectures between sunup and sundown for the month of Ramadan?" His answer, "No, but she just wants to make sure none of the Jewish participants are discriminated against, since she is Jewish." Ok good point but aren't you discriminating towards other who may want to attend and cannot do so because of their religious holidays?

Then through the month of March there was some serious uproar over several companies inviting mommy bloggers to attend their events that fell over Passover. I have to agree with these moms who were appalled by the fact that these companies/PR people didn't look at a calendar to realize that maybe it wasn't a good time to schedule an event and expect good attendance. I know that those companies apologized up and down and from what I have read everyone was happy with the apology. I just hope that other religions and holidays get the same consideration.

Maybe I am a little sensitive this days as Eastern Orthodox Easter is not for another 3 weeks, (and I am craving a patty melt) but people still ask me how my Easter was and have tried schedule things during my Easter weekend. (oh, it's not a one day only experience for us Orthodox- try at the minimum three days!) While in this case Eastern Orthodox, specifically Greek Orthodox, make up only 1.5 million people in the United States and pales in comparison to the population of other religions, I just hope the same consideration is given to everyone.