There’s no doubt everyone could use a little extra Christmas cheer this year. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t a few woke Grinches among us.
On Monday, Minnesota residents Kim Hunt and her husband received an anonymous letter from a nearby neighbor who called her outdoor Christmas lights “harmful” as they serve as a “reminder of systemic biases against neighbors who don’t celebrate Christmas or who can’t afford to put up lights of their own.”
This just goes to show there’s nothing socialism can’t ruin.
In the letter to the St. Anthony homeowners, the anonymous Grinch wrote:
I couldn’t help but notice your Christmas light display. During these unprecedented times, we have all experienced challenges which causal words just don’t describe what we’re feeling. The idea of twinkling, colorful lights are a reminder of systemic biases against our neighbors who don’t celebrate Christmas or who can’t afford to put up lights of their own.
We must do the work of educating ourselves about the harmful impact an outward facing displace like yours can have. I challenge you to respect the dignity of all people, while striving to learn from differences, ideas, and opinions of our neighbors. We must come together collectively and challenge these institutional inequities; St. Anthony is a community welcoming of all people and we must demand better for ourselves.
The apparently very offensive holiday lights consist of a light-up green and red Christmas wreath in the middle of the house and a string of colored lights across the edge of the two-story home.
Speaking to Fox News on Tuesday, Hunt said she and her husband were “very surprised, shocked, and saddened” by the anonymous note.
“The lights give me joy after coming home from work as a nurse working with COVID,” she explained to the news outlet. “I wish we could all celebrate diversity and honor everyone’s traditions.”
Hunt went on to say our current cultural climate is “so divisive,” adding it’s “a sad statement that Christmas lights have to be a target.”
Pushing back against the anonymous person’s suggestion that the way to be accepting over others is to turn off her Christmas lights, Hunt said: “We need to be inclusive of everyone, and let’s face it, a lot of people put up holiday lights or decorate their homes for other occasions to bring beauty and happiness to what can be a very ugly world.”
Needless to say, several social media users have come to the Hunts’ defense, telling them they should add more Christmas lights to their festive home.
“Add more lights, please, and make a sign that you’re doing this for the people who can’t afford the lights and those who do celebrate Christmas,” wrote one Twitter user.
Another person tweeted Tuesday she doesn’t have the money to even put up a Christmas tree in her house, adding she drives her two children — a 3 year old and an 11 year old — to see Christmas lights.
“We suddenly become full of joy and happiness,” she said.