Letter: ‘Gosh darn holidays’ headline is disrespectful

To the Editor:

I was shocked when I saw the headline on the front page of the Gazette on Friday, Dec. 9: “Gosh Darn Holidays.”

To me, that phrase is disrespectful to God and certainly not respectable journalism.

Whether people realize it or not, the expression “gosh darn” is a euphemism. Someone told me about euphemisms many years ago.

Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary says a euphemism is “a mild or indirect word or expression substituted for one considered to be too harsh or blunt when referring to something unpleasant or embarrassing.

“Euphemisms can take different forms, but they all involve substituting a word or phrase considered less offensive than another.

“For example, the substituted word might be viewed as a less coarse choice, as when dang or darn is used instead of damn or damned. It might replace a word viewed as an insult to religious figures, such as the various euphemisms for God or Jesus.”

That expression in the Gazette headline was used with the word “holidays,” casting a pall over the observance of Christmas, which is a joyful occasion. In addition, it disrespects the God who gave us Christmas by sending his son, Jesus Christ, to be our Savior (John 3:16). I think that you owe God, and your readers who worship God, an apology.

Alice Brill

Sterling