Yesterday’s Washington Post had an article about Seasonal Displays Being Looted. It describes and tries to find the reasons why some Nativity scenes gets vandalized. Appearently the number tis year is higher. Some say it is a sign of anti-Christian feelings.
But Omar M. McRoberts, a University of Chicago assistant professor of sociology whose book about religion in poor neighborhoods was published last year, thinks the thefts have more to do with economics.”It’s a function of the commodification of this holiday, of the fact that people are competing to have more and more elaborate displays outside their houses and these are things you could get a good price for on eBay,” he said. “It’s ironic that a holiday which is essentially about poor people having a baby in an animal’s food trough is represented with these expensive ornaments.”
I tend to agree with him. Particularly if you consider the sign the prankster left at one damaged scene: “Would Jesus use this much electricity?”
