Even if you do not use Google, you are probably aware of the search engine’s practice of stylizing its homepage logo into quirky doodles. The doodles normally reference a particular person or event, usually one that coincides with the date on which the doodle appears. Many users consider the doodles one of the site’s endearing characteristics. This past Easter, though, Google’s doodle incited controversy in a ridiculous instance of religious outrage.
Google caused an outcry from Christians and conservatives by not representing Jesus or anything Easter-related in its doodle on Easter Sunday. Instead, Google displayed a doodle commemorating historical labor figure Cesar Chavez. The doodle was appropriate for Sunday, as it coincided with the fact that March 31 is also Cesar Chavez day, which President Barack Obama started two years ago. Nevertheless, some felt insulted.
The fact that Easter is a major Christian holiday that millions of Americans celebrate does not mean that Google is obligated to change its homepage to reference either Jesus or anything else Easter-related. In fact, it is surprising that controversy has arisen from something as trivial as a Google doodle. True, Google traditionally has altered its logo to reflect a special happening on a particular date. Yet Google’s refusal to include Easter in its Sunday doodle does not necessarily indicate that the site’s operators find Easter to be unimportant. Rather, they simply chose to emphasize something different about that day.
I look at the Google doodles as an entertaining aspect to the website and not much more. If Google does not celebrate something that I found important about a date, I do not find myself getting actually outraged. For instance, Google did not commemorate Charles Darwin’s 200th birthday this year, which I thought was a shame. I was not upset enough, however, to lambast Google for its lack of a proper homepage, because I do not take their doodle choices seriously. I assumed that others felt the same way. Apparently I was wrong.
The fact remains that there is a nontrivial amount of the American population that does not recognize the divinity of Jesus. There are Jews, Muslims, atheists or agnostics and many other religions that do not assign religious importance to Easter. Google similarly abstains from producing doodles specifically celebrating Christmas, Hanukkah and other religious holidays, and should be praised for maintaining a secular attitude toward what it chooses to commemorate.
Google and its derivatives like Gmail dominate the list of the world’s most visited websites. With such a public presence, Google rightly refrains from promoting one religion to the exclusion of any others. Taking a fair approach to all its users, Google opts to treat all religions equally by highlighting no religious holidays or events in doodles. Why should Christians be treated any differently than Hindus or Buddhists? That so many Americans are upset because they feel that Google should prioritize something Christian says more about the absurd religious sensitivity of the American populus than it does about Google’s decision-making processes.
And it is not as if Google chose not to show a picture of Jesus in favor of something irrelevant or offensive. Cesar Chavez, regardless of whether or not one believes in his political leanings, is an important American historical figure. And Google, a search engine, seeks to assist people in obtaining knowledge, so its doodles should do the same. For instance, doodles from this past year have celebrated less well-known happenings such as foreign nations’ election days, women’s day, and the birthdays of historical figures like Nicolaus Copernicus. How Google doodles seek to inject bits of random knowledge into everyone’s daily lives is something to be admired. Knowledge of Easter in the U.S. is nearly universal. There does not seem to be much point, then, in creating a doodle that focuses on Easter while ignoring lesser-known events.
Google doodles should not be the cause of outrage, especially outrage as widespread as that created by the Cesar Chavez doodle. There are reports of people wanting to boycott Google because other search engines like Bing included Easter graphics on their homepages. People who celebrate Easter can sufficiently commemorate the holiday on their own; everything on Easter Sunday need not be centered on that holiday. Those who found themselves upset about a 24-hour Google doodle will hopefully set their priorities straight and use Google to find causes actually worth getting upset about.
Alex Yahanda is a senior associate editor for The Cavalier Daily. He can be reached at a.yahanda@cavalierdaily.com.
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