This just in — Christmas is ruined and Christendom with it.

All because one coffee corporation had the gall to remove snowflakes from their coffee cups.

Who knew Starbucks had so much power?

For the past week or so, social media has been in an uproar surrounding Starbucks’ holiday cups which they have officially rolled out for the season. Many people — Christians specifically — are upset with the cup’s lack of a fun, quirky design for the holidays.

For some Christians, it seems to represent an attack on Christianity and an overblown attempt to be politically correct.

There is so much to this argument that I can’t seem to comprehend.

This country, while it is largely Christian, is not solely Christian. Not everyone celebrates Christmas. Not everyone tells tales of Santa during the holidays. Not everyone shares the tale of Rudolph in December. What makes your religion or your beliefs better than people who celebrate Hanukkah or Kwanza or don’t celebrate winter holidays at all, other than the fact it’s more widespread in the United States?

At Christmas every year I hear a reminder that Christmas isn’t about the presents and the material things, but rather about Christ. So why is a cup removing snowflakes and snowmen from its design a defining factor in Christmas for so many? The common expression, “pick your battles,” comes to mind.

Additionally, I’ve never been a fan of the “this country is too concerned with being politically correct,” line of argumentation. That argument seems to say “I’m tired of trying to be inclusive of different cultures, ideas and ways of life than my own, how dare you be offended when I say something offensive about you?”

There’s nothing wrong with being politically correct. Politically correct is another word for being kind, or inclusive. People whine about having to be aware of what they say and then turn around and speak of being oppressed or ignored by a coffee cup? The argument is contradictory and foolish.

If you notice, the only people who ever really complain about political correctness are people who are in the majority, not the people who would be included when political correctness is applied. Christians who complain about Starbucks being too politically correct would not be making this same argument if it had previously been a menorah on the cup, and by removing it their religion was being included.

There is no question that Christianity or other religions that celebrate Christmas are the dominant religions in America, so why do some people think the removal of a snowman from a paper cup — which is thrown out after half an hour — is some great blow to the religion? There are people dying of hunger and thirst, people dealing with real problems who could really use the help of religion, but we waste our voice on #MerryChristmasStarbucks?
The spirit of Christmas, I always thought, was inclusiveness and joy. This should be a win for Christians, not a perceived blow. This country is moving forward and the Christianity I know would be happy to see that all religions are being celebrated and included. The same Christianity I know also wouldn’t let a coffee cup define their religion.
Sam King is a communications junior and news editor at The Battalion.