The news today carried another story describing a school cancelling a portion of an activity, in this case a visit by Santa Claus during a holiday program for first-through-fourth graders, because one person complained. Let that sink in for a moment. A lone individual's complaint cancelled what would probably have been a smile producing element in a school program that enjoyed years of previous success.
How and why have we become a country so concerned with someone -- anyone -- expressing offense that we permit such expressions to result in such drastic action? The above example is all too far from the exception.
Were I the site administrator at that elementary school, upon receiving the complaint I would have informed the parent that he/she was free to exclude his/her child(ren) from the overall program. (Key point: only a parent of a child enrolled in the school would have standing to lodge a valid complaint.) Taking such an approach would not have adversely impacted the children of the parents who supported the full program, including the visit by Santa Claus, while acknowledging and supporting the parent's stated concern.
We are a large, diverse nation, comprised of literally countless points of view. This actually illustrates the tremendous and unique value of our freedom. Just as we are free to have our opinions and points of view, unfettered by those of others or the government, we are equally free from having the opinions and views of others forced upon us.
We should be concerned when a single, no matter how well intentioned statement of concern or complaint, results in denying others from enjoying their freedoms.
I am truly sorry the other first-through-fourth graders will miss the visit of Santa Claus, all because just one person complained.
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