I live in the bible belt, Texas, and in fact I live in a county that has been dubbed, Big Red. They call it Big Red because it is the most conservative large urban county in America. Throughout my whole life, I have had plenty of cashiers or people in stores say to me, "Merry Christmas," cheerfully with a smile and a wave as I finished my business with them and walked away. It never bothered me. I would usually smile and wave back and go on about my business.
However, last year it was different.
Last year, there were multiple cashiers, as I was checking out with them and nearing the end of our business transaction, they would look me dead in the eyes, and without a smile, sternly tell me, "and you have a merry Christmas." It was weird. Like the look in their eyes was not happy not a true warm wish of seasons greeting, it was like they gained some type of power now that Trump told them it was ok to say "Merry Christmas" again. And for the first time in my liberal life I was actually angry that they said it, more so that they said it like that, because I felt like it came from a place of hate. They were smug and angry all in one.
One cashier, was doing that to everyone in her line, there was about 5 or 6 people. Except there was a man in front of me that was of middle eastern dissent. When he got to her, she didn't say it to him. She told everyone in the line "Merry Christmas," except for him. I remember feeling furious about it. So when it was my turn, and she said it to me, I told her to stick it up her ass.
Anyway, this was just my observation from last year. Ironically, also, it was only cashiers at stores, like the grocery store or department store, that were doing this. Has anyone else noticed this, as well?
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