There was an article I read in the Portland Press Herald over the weekend that was talking about how there's a lot of folks out there that are beginning to feel as though some old Christmas classics, like Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, have a theme to them that seems to not only condone intolerance and bigotry, but also bullying and verbal abuse.

It's a tough call. When these specials were made, it's not my personal belief that it was ever the intention of the folks who made these programs, to slight any person or group in any way. I guess I always felt the message was positive, and that it promoted inclusion and respect. But I can also see where these other folks are coming from.

As the article in the Press Herald points out, the father of the little girl reindeer that Rudolph is interested in, forbids her daughter to be seen with him because of his facial anomaly. His own father tries to hide it from the other reindeer, not to protect Rudolph, but so that his red nose won't bring shame upon the family. Taken out of context, these are pretty heady themes for kids to even grasp.

Which is why I don't think these things were intended to be inferred in this way. We could all debate the point over and over, but it's all up to the individual.

So then....what's your feeling? Take our poll!

Tomorrow afternoon on the air, we'll check back in and see how you guys felt. In the meantime, if your family enjoys these holiday shows, don't stop. It's all about how you raise your own family, not necessarily how someone else thinks you should. Good parents raise goods kids. Well, usually. My mom might argue...

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