Anderson Cooper Calls Polish Dyngus Day (Śmigus Dyngus), "Stupid"

Szmingus Dyngus is a Catholic holiday in Poland celebrating the end of lent, the rebirth of Christ, and baptism. After 40 days of Lent, in which Catholics reflect and give up alcohol, sweets or other indulgence, they blow off steam the Monday after Easter. Boys splash girls with water. The kids sometimes use twigs or pussy willows to switch each other in a flirty manner. It's a day for celebration after fasting and solemn church services.
 
In a CNN segment on Monday, Anderson Cooper called the Polish community's celebration of Dyngus Day in Buffalo, "ridiculous" and cackled like a little school girl on the air while saying over and over, "It's really so stupid" after he heard the words "pussy willow." This is appropriate behavior for an anchorman?
 
This was the same day Americans were fixated with painted chicken eggs and men dressed as cartoon characters dancing on the White House lawn. Did Anderson Cooper say that was "really stupid"? Or how about the 5th Avenue Easter Parade in which women wear hats the size of bicycles?
 
Of course Dyngus sounds silly. It's a holiday meant to express levity.  Had CNN's crack reporter Anderson Cooper spent two minutes reporting the story, or even using Google, he would have learned this, rather than made fun of a holiday because the name is unusual.
 
Would Anderson Cooper dare make fun of the Islamic holiday Eid ul-Fitr in which Muslims spend three days celebrating after their month-long fast? Or would he make fun of the Jewish fast Tzom Tammuz? No. CNN would certainly not allow this.
 
Cooper must apologize for calling a Polish-Catholic holiday "stupid."
 
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Alex Storozynski
President & Executive Director
The Kosciuszko Foundation
15 East 65th Street
New York, NY 10065‪

Dyngus Day Buffalo Responds to CNN's Anderson Cooper with Rally‬