Oklahoma Dept. of Rehabilitative Memoranda

Somehow or other we missed the news last week that the Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitative Services had issued an e-mail memorandum to various employees forbidding certain expressions that could be interpreted as religious in nature.

Some employees at the Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services were sent an e-mail that's causing controversy. The e-mail, which was sent by managers, told workers it was inappropriate to use terms such as "prayer," "God Bless" or "Merry Christmas." It even warned employees that it could be cause for disciplinary action, including discharge.

The memo seems to be stirring strong opinions.

That last sentence was an understatement, apparently.

Today there is word that ODORS - isn't that the proper acronym for the agency? - has issued a retracting "can't we all just get along heah" memo advising that it is of course permissible to say "Merry Christmas" as long as the agency employee has done his/her due diligence and made sure that the recipient of said MC or GB or the P-word is cool with such utterances.

Jody Harlan, the Public Information Administrator for the state agency, says, "In the past, we've had some people who have had their feelings hurt, and they didn't feel included."

Ms. Harlan was on the airwaves this afternoon, grudgingly acknowledging the change of policy, but at the same time issuing a thinly veiled warning:

A department spokeswoman says the intent was to remind employees they can't dictate how other people feel about the holiday. The department says religious harassment will not be tolerated.

Ah! We get it now. Telling someone "Merry Christmas" or "God bless you" is religious harassment.

We didn't know that.