Posted on 12/12/2005 9:28:10 AM PST by indcons
Yes, Virginia, there is a Christmas war -- or so the culture warriors would have us believe.
It's all about "happy holidays" vs. "Merry Christmas" -- the politically correct vs. the religiously correct. One side goes too far by renaming the Christmas trees, while the other side goes overboard by attacking people who thought they were just being nice.
This year the Christmas crusaders appear to be winning: holiday is out, Christmas is in.
House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert got the message. By order of the speaker, the decorated tree on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol -- known in recent years as the "Holiday Tree" -- will be rechristened "Capitol Christmas Tree."
Meanwhile in Georgia, state officials nearly started a skirmish by issuing "holiday greetings." But 30 minutes later they redeemed themselves by re-issuing "Christmas greetings."
Did the president and first lady miss the memo? The 2005 White House Christmas card arrives this week with "best wishes for a holiday season of hope and happiness," but nary a mention of Christmas. Religious conservatives are outraged.
William Donahue of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights was quoted in The Washington Post as saying: "This clearly demonstrates that the Bush administration has suffered a loss of will and that they have capitulated to the worst elements in our culture."
While politicians are getting bashed for avoiding the "C" word, business owners are facing boycotts. After Jerry Falwell and others started a "Friend or Foe Christmas Campaign," down came the "holiday tree" banners at Lowe's and up went the "Christmas tree" signs. And you'll now see and hear a lot more "Merry Christmas" at Target, Sears, Best Buy and other retailers under fire for omitting Christmas. (Note the irony of committed Christians defending the commercial Christmas.)
Even though batteries of Christian lawyers are threatening to "save Christmas" by suing the "happy holidays" offenders, most of these fights aren't First Amendment issues. It would only be an establishment-clause problem if government or school officials used the holiday to promote religion. But since Christmas is also a national holiday and courts tend to view Christmas trees and Santa as secular symbols, the government can put up decorated trees and call them whatever they like.
Private businesses, of course, aren't the government (and thus not subject to First Amendment restrictions). So they're free to promote or ignore religion if they wish. But merchants worry about alienating customers during the biggest shopping season of the year -- and few things divide people more than religion. Unfortunately, trying not to offend one group has offended another.
John Gibson of Fox News, among others, sees the cultural shift from "Christmas" to "holiday" as a "liberal plot." But it strikes me as mostly well-meaning attempts by educators, politicians and average citizens to acknowledge our diversity -- and by business owners to sell as much as possible to people of all faiths and none. Let's give these folks some credit for not wanting fellow Americans to feel like outsiders in their own communities.
If all sides take a deep breath and relax, we can work this out. But first we need to stop turning "happy holidays" or "Merry Christmas" into fighting words.
Declaring a ceasefire in the Christmas wars might be the best way to celebrate the season of "peace on earth, goodwill toward men."
Charles C. Haynes is senior scholar at the Freedom Forum's First Amendment Center. E-mail him at chaynes@freedomforum.org.
Although other issues get lost in the silly, over-the-top arguments over innocuous holiday salutations and what to call the tree, Gibson, Falwell and other Christmas warriors do raise more substantive concerns. When government and school officials decide that being "inclusive" means including everything but the religious Christmas, they take concern for diversity to absurd lengths. Ignoring religion isn't being neutral; it comes across as hostility.
According to e-mails I've gotten from parents this month, some public schools think they can avoid conflict by avoiding anything that smacks of religion. One complained about a school policy ordering all staff to refer to the Christmas tree as the "sharing tree" (though what that accomplishes isn't clear since a Christmas tree is a Christmas tree by any other name).
Another was upset when her child brought home artwork featuring Santa, Kwanza and Menorahs -- but no crèches allowed. Most schools I know do better than this, but it only takes a few bad stories to paint all schools as part of a "war on Christmas."
Some communities fall into the same trap by trying to celebrate the season by excluding Jesus. Denver was the poster child for this mistake last year when city officials banned a religious float from participating in the annual Parade of Lights. All kinds of "holiday" floats were approved, but not the one from a local church.
After a major brouhaha, the city has seen the light. This year the Nativity scene will be featured on a float created by local Christian groups.
What schools and communities need to remember is that the First Amendment separates church from state, but not religion from school assemblies or holiday parades. Of course, city and school officials have no business promoting religion in December or at any other time of year. But allowing all private religious groups to express their faith at public events or in public spaces along with other groups doesn't violate the Constitution. And educationally sound teaching about religion, including what Christians actually believe about Christmas or including religious music in the school concert along with other music, is not only constitutional -- it's a good idea.
Wow - sounds darn-near cheerful!
LOL!!!
It actually is very cheerful.........it's a very open building, that actually feels welcoming when you walk in the door........I know that's a really weird description about an elementary school, but that is always my instant reaction when I walk in the door - and even more so on a gray dreary day, or after dark, like it was when we got there today.
Which is why it's vitally important that it be endorsed by retail clerks.
That's good! I used to work for a school architect, and they love stuff like "it's a very open building, that actually feels welcoming when you walk in the door" - They make big bucks to design buildings were people would say just that!
People whose only pleasure in life comes from drawing attention to themselves by bitching about how someone else chooses to act?
and why?
Lack of funds for booze?
What's really amazing to me is that I thought the building wasn't any more than maybe about 7 years old........I about croaked when I noticed the cornerstone one day....1963. And even more amazing to me, was that I only recently found out that it was originally the traditionally "black" school in the district.
Kwanza is a made up holiday by a Long Beach State black prof who felt that blacks were not honored by Christmas and other holidays which he perceived as non-African in nature thus the African motif. It is a silly thing when one remembers that many in the black communities here in the USA are Christians and unafraid to show their loyalty to Jesus and not a cultural mishmosh. The real villain in all of this controversy is the ACLUA and the Leftist media which is always willing to tear down the righteous, the lovely, the true, and the core values of many people throughout the world that is the Judeo-Christian world view and not just diversity or multiculturalism helter skelter and an elitist replacement for faith.
"If it wasn't for the birth of Christ, this wouldn't be the most financially lucrtative month of the year for merchants."
It's a celebration of Christ's birth as well as a holiday that helps stimulate the economy. Why does the left want to ruin it? I just don't get it. I don't think they're actually anti-capitalist, to be fair, but it seems that somehow their hatred of Christianity goes hand in hand with a hatred of the commercial aspects of the holiday. It's all very strange. And something that cries out for a governmental solution, to help ease the crisis with some commonsense rules. That's why I've been pleased to hear talk of a Christmas Preservation Act, though based on what I've heard about it, it might not do quite enough.
Oh, shut up, Bill. Sometimes you're just as bad as Jerry Falwell!
The President recognizes that there are more people celebrating holidays at this time of year than just Christians. Since he is President of ALL the people, it stands to reason he'd wish a generic holiday greeting so that everyone would feel included. On the INSIDE of the card is an Old Testament passage; one that should satisfy all Judeo-Christians as it comes from the book which they revere above all others.
Regardless of whether it's private businesses or government entities, it doesn't matter. I have no problem with government recognizing that not everybody celebrates Christmas, and including mention of other celebrations. But for the love of pete, they're eradicating all mention of Christmas in order to kowtow to that 10%, because they're so terrified of being accused of (or brought to court for) recognizing the fact that America actually has a predominant religion. I've heard that Congress actually has something in the works that will protect those businesses and government offices from being intimidated out of using the word "Christmas". It'll probably get shot down, though...heaven forbid that something that sensible be passed, right?
Great idea! Get the federal government to enact a set of "Christmas Greeting Regulations," together with some mandatory sentencing guidelines for the imprisonment of "speech offenders" who are caught in the act of improperly extending a seasonal greeting. I've taken the liberty of composing an initial draft. Let me know what you think.
=================================================
(1) During the period of time between October 29 and January 2 of each calender year, the phrase "happy holidays" may not be used by any individual or business entity in any context which explicitly or implicitly references any religious holiday falling within this restricted time period.
(2) Any individual who now wishes to extend to another a seasonal greeting must, in advance, ascertain the specific seasonal celebration and style of greeting preferred by the recipient (the "greetee") before commencing with any such greeting.
(3) If the greetee's preferred seasonal celebration and style of greeting cannot be ascertained, the greeter may extend a greeting only if it is inclusive of all seasonal celebrations and styles of greeting known to the greeter.
(4) If a method (3) greeting is employed by any individual, a disclaimer containing the following substantive content, stated verbally in substantially compliant format, must immediately follow such greeting:
(a) the celebrations listed in the greeting are all those currently known to the greeter;
(b) those celebrations that are unknown to the greeter should be inferred by the greetee as included by implication within the greeting; and
(c) any previously unknown celebrations made known to the greeter by the greetee will be duly incorporated in all of the greeter's future method (3) greetings.
(5) For business entities wishing to attract seasonal customers, permitted signage must include a listing of all seasonal celebrations and methods of seasonal greeting. Business entities will be expected to know each and every extant seasonal celebration and style of greeting, and the personal greeting disclaimer exception contained in paragraph (4) will not be applicable or available to a business greeter.
(6) Method (5) business signage must list all seasonal celebrations and styles of greeting in descending order in accordance with the precise percentages of participation by the business entity's customer base, subject to immediate modification to give listing priority to any group of celebrants that complains in writing about its position on the list.
(6) The only exception to the foregoing regulations will be the employment of no seasonal greeting whatsoever by an individual or business entity.
That was funny, but you know that's not what I mean. I just think there has to be a way to let towns and businesses have Christmas displays without fear of an attack from the thugs at the ACLU.
I'll try to get the alarm out, when I see the CLfRaCR black helicopters circling.....until then. 'Merry Christmas and a Happy Holidays to all'
The tragedy...and travesty of the whole thing is that we even need for something like this to go to court. It seems as if at some point common sense was outlawed. I remember when it was "if you don't like something, tough. deal with it. It's a free country." How I long for those days again.
Some people were talkin about possible Christmas protection legislation over at Volokh, but no details.
You know what these Leftists remind me of when they say, " We aren't attacking Christmas ", then turn around and sue? The Martians from 'Mars Attacks', where the martians say, " We come in peace", then proceed to fry the gathered throng of people.
In the case of the ACLU, I suspect in their bigotry addled heads they're beginning to realize that (like most Leftists ) they have pushed things too far, and people that normally would express irritation are starting to get pissed off.
There is no doubt that there has been a tipping point. The ACLU is now at odds with the mainstream American values. People now have to look over their shoulders, or check with the legal department, in order to enjoy Christmas in the store or the workplace? To heck with that. Whoever mentioned a Christmas Protection law above was right, they are working on the language in the Republican caucus in the House of Representatives. It's going to be floated as a values issue for the 2006 campaign. The Democrats will not know what hit them, it has been focus-grouped and has wide support. People want to preserve the traditional joy of the season, not spend it in court arguing over natvity scenes.
There is no doubt that there has been a tipping point. The ACLU is now at odds with the mainstream American values. People now have to look over their shoulders, or check with the legal department, in order to enjoy Christmas in the store or the workplace? To heck with that. Whoever mentioned a Christmas Protection law above was right, they are working on the language in the Republican caucus in the House of Representatives. It's going to be floated as a values issue for the 2006 campaign. The Democrats will not know what hit them, it has been focus-grouped and has wide support. People want to preserve the traditional joy of the season, not spend it in court arguing over natvity scenes.
Atlaw, you have missed the point of the proposal. It is not to insist that people celebrate a certain way, it is to protet the institutions that just want to continue to celebrate in the traditional ways. Nobody is trying to force anyone to do anything. We are interested only in protecting existing traditions from challenge.
Oh. I see. Someone is preventing you, personally, from continuing to celebrate Christmas in the traditional ways.
And someone is suing private businesses to prevent them from extending Christmas greetings and posting "Merry Christmas" signs (ironically, the proposal on the table seems to be to sue private businesses to force them to post "Merry Christmas" signs).
And someone is preventing Churches from celebrating Christmas and from displaying creches on their front lawns and from even opening their doors on Christmas day (again, ironically, a number of the "big-box" megachurches decided on their own to close on Christmas day, which doesn't seem to be getting much attention in the midst of this year's bashing of retail stores for failing to honor the "true meaning of Christmas").
And someone is preventing private citizens from going to Church and from having Christmas parties and from displaying their own creches on their own property and from buying Christmas trees and decorating their homes and buying Christmas gifts and saying Merry Christmas to others anyplace they please.
But I have to ask, who is this someone, and perhaps you can provide a few concrete examples (which, I suspect, will consist of the usual litany of oppression -- the Denver parade of lights, Mayor Bloomberg's Holiday Tree gaff, anecdotal stories about the sheer persecutorial terror inflicted by elementary schools that are having "Holiday" parties or "Winter" festivals, etc.)
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.