Last Easter I wrote the following on one of my blogs and also sent a copy to Google. I received no comment from them.
Dear Google
Having changed my homepage to your search bar last autumn, I watched the wonderful "google arts" as they explored many things I would otherwise have been none the wiser about.
I enjoy looking at the images and guessing what they represent before hovering my mouse over the image to reveal the answer. Occasionally I have even been curious enough to then google the subject and find out more.
As the year drew towards the close I began to look forward to seeing how you would represent the Christian celebration of the birth of Christ. Initially I was a little surprised when I was greeted in the days running up to the 25th December by the mounting pile of cards and the greeting "Happy Holidays". I was waiting for Christmas day when you'd finally wish me a "Happy Christmas". After all, the shops all over the Uk, USA, Europe and much of the world were embracing it with decorations, lights, music and a frenzy of purchasing and getting together to be with the important people in their lives. After all they wish each other "Happy Christmas" even if the actuality of the occassion is lost on them.
Before going to lead the service at church on Christmas Day, I turned on the computer only to be greeted by the same "Happy Holiday" sentiment.
Now I do fully appreciate that not everyone who uses Google is a Christian or of the Christian tradition, but I have no problem being told it's Divali, Hanukah, Summer or winter solstice or any other festival of any other religion, faith or life style.
You have celebrated Confuscious and other important figures within world history and yet you can not even represent the birth of the leading figure of Christianity.
So now it is Easter and I wonder whether we can expect you to recognise the celebration of the main festival of the Christian faith. The reason we have Easter eggs, Easter chicks, and all the razzmatazz that the general population of the UK, USA, Europe and many other countries accross the world have embraced so willingly.
Sadly it would seem that you would rather have no google art than to recognise Easter.
I am waiting to see what google come up with this Christmas. I would love it the folk at Google could wish me a "Happy Christmas" this year
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