The War on Christmas
A few weeks ago, conservative TV host Bill O'Reilly had a segment about the "War On Christmas." I wouldn't haven't even known, except for the resulting furor on Facebook. Perhaps it was because they were still smarting from mid-term election defeats, but liberal-atheists seemed to be enraged about all things Christian, especially Christmas.
What struck me odd though, was this ongoing notion that the War On Christmas was actually started by Christians, especially O'Reilly himself. This didn't exactly fit in with all the incidents of one time Christmas activities now being now designated as "Holiday" events over the years, with the significance of the birth of Jesus being wiped away. Or the lawsuits by atheist activists against various municipalities, including one in Minneapolis where red poinsettias were forbidden on the steps of a government building, because of their alleged Christian connotation. (See John Leo article below)
So when one of these persons made the statement that it was only FOX NEWS that spoke of this "war", and no where else, I decided to have a little fun ...
As expected, the stories I found in the news were "not the same," that is, FOX NEWS had "lied" (a favorite liberal accusation).
This is yet another example of denial, or what Orwell would call, "Intellectual Dishonesty," a hallmark of leftist politics, for if these articles are not about the Spirit of Christmas being suppressed, then what, pray tell, are they?
What struck me odd though, was this ongoing notion that the War On Christmas was actually started by Christians, especially O'Reilly himself. This didn't exactly fit in with all the incidents of one time Christmas activities now being now designated as "Holiday" events over the years, with the significance of the birth of Jesus being wiped away. Or the lawsuits by atheist activists against various municipalities, including one in Minneapolis where red poinsettias were forbidden on the steps of a government building, because of their alleged Christian connotation. (See John Leo article below)
So when one of these persons made the statement that it was only FOX NEWS that spoke of this "war", and no where else, I decided to have a little fun ...
As expected, the stories I found in the news were "not the same," that is, FOX NEWS had "lied" (a favorite liberal accusation).
This is yet another example of denial, or what Orwell would call, "Intellectual Dishonesty," a hallmark of leftist politics, for if these articles are not about the Spirit of Christmas being suppressed, then what, pray tell, are they?
Hi Mark, I will agree that Fox News is certainly edgy and Bill O’Reilly a zealot, a mirror image of its liberal counterparts that we see on the Internet. The biggest problem is that Fox blames liberals for all the problems, while liberals blame all conservatives.
Orwell wrote about this issue of human nature, where rather then working to solve common problems, instead choose up sides and fight against each other, while problems go on, unsolved.
However, I feel you are mistaken in your belief that only Fox and Christians talk about the “War on Christmas.”
NPR – “There's been some consternation on the Web about what happened this weekend at a post office in Silver Spring, Md., when three Christmas carolers started singing. It seems that one of the USPS managers on duty jumped into action, telling the trio that they couldn't do that because they were on government property.” 12/2011
Washington Post – “The most reliable annual “war on Christmas” fodder in all the land has arrived: A billboard, released by an atheist group, prodding at the religious foundation of the Christmas season with a reminder that atheists exist … This year’s billboard — as it has in the past — comes from American Atheists. And this year’s billboard — as it has in the past — will fail …” 12/2014
Star Tribune (St. Paul) – “County officials had banned red poinsettias from this year's arrangement, saying there had been complaints that red poinsettias were a Christian symbol.” 12/2001
Time Magazine - “In a 2006 Chicago Tribune poll, 68% of respondents affirmed their belief in a War on Christmas.” 12/2008
Associated Press - LOS ANGELES – “Damon Vix didn't have to go to court to push Christmas out of the city of Santa Monica. He just joined the festivities … The atheist's anti-God message alongside a life-sized nativity display in a park overlooking the beach ignited a debate that burned brighter than any Christmas candle … Santa Monica officials snuffed the city's holiday tradition this year rather than referee the religious rumble, prompting churches that have set up a 14-scene Christian diorama for decades to sue over freedom of speech violations.” 11/2012
The Inquisitr – “The small town of Piedmont, Alabama, recently faced heightened controversy over a debatable religious aspect of the annual Christmas parade. Apparently, atheists were not pleased with the town’s decision to use the theme “Keep Christ In Christmas” for the big parade … The town reportedly wanted to highlight the concept of “the reason for the season,” but was met with opposition by the Freedom From Religion Foundation.”
ABC/3040 - The Wisconsin-based atheist organization contacted Piedmont City Schools earlier this year with the threat of a lawsuit if perceived school-sponsored prayer continued before football games.
Wikipedia – “In recent decades in the United States, public, corporate, and the federal government mention of the term "Christmas" during the Christmas and holiday season has declined and been replaced with a generic term, usually "holiday" or "holidays," to avoid referring to Christmas by name.”
“In 2010, the word "Christmas" on two signs at Philadelphia's Christmas Village was removed by the organizers.”
Another Wikipedia piece discusses retailers that have banned the word Christmas, though some have changed back. They include Sears, K-Mart, Wal-Mart, Best Buy, and Target.
- - - - - -
George: First of all, your citations do not demonstrate a 'War on Christmas' nor does NPR nor most of the other sources call the actions they report a 'war on Christmas' as Fox news typically does."
Orwell wrote about this issue of human nature, where rather then working to solve common problems, instead choose up sides and fight against each other, while problems go on, unsolved.
However, I feel you are mistaken in your belief that only Fox and Christians talk about the “War on Christmas.”
NPR – “There's been some consternation on the Web about what happened this weekend at a post office in Silver Spring, Md., when three Christmas carolers started singing. It seems that one of the USPS managers on duty jumped into action, telling the trio that they couldn't do that because they were on government property.” 12/2011
Washington Post – “The most reliable annual “war on Christmas” fodder in all the land has arrived: A billboard, released by an atheist group, prodding at the religious foundation of the Christmas season with a reminder that atheists exist … This year’s billboard — as it has in the past — comes from American Atheists. And this year’s billboard — as it has in the past — will fail …” 12/2014
Star Tribune (St. Paul) – “County officials had banned red poinsettias from this year's arrangement, saying there had been complaints that red poinsettias were a Christian symbol.” 12/2001
Time Magazine - “In a 2006 Chicago Tribune poll, 68% of respondents affirmed their belief in a War on Christmas.” 12/2008
Associated Press - LOS ANGELES – “Damon Vix didn't have to go to court to push Christmas out of the city of Santa Monica. He just joined the festivities … The atheist's anti-God message alongside a life-sized nativity display in a park overlooking the beach ignited a debate that burned brighter than any Christmas candle … Santa Monica officials snuffed the city's holiday tradition this year rather than referee the religious rumble, prompting churches that have set up a 14-scene Christian diorama for decades to sue over freedom of speech violations.” 11/2012
The Inquisitr – “The small town of Piedmont, Alabama, recently faced heightened controversy over a debatable religious aspect of the annual Christmas parade. Apparently, atheists were not pleased with the town’s decision to use the theme “Keep Christ In Christmas” for the big parade … The town reportedly wanted to highlight the concept of “the reason for the season,” but was met with opposition by the Freedom From Religion Foundation.”
ABC/3040 - The Wisconsin-based atheist organization contacted Piedmont City Schools earlier this year with the threat of a lawsuit if perceived school-sponsored prayer continued before football games.
Wikipedia – “In recent decades in the United States, public, corporate, and the federal government mention of the term "Christmas" during the Christmas and holiday season has declined and been replaced with a generic term, usually "holiday" or "holidays," to avoid referring to Christmas by name.”
“In 2010, the word "Christmas" on two signs at Philadelphia's Christmas Village was removed by the organizers.”
Another Wikipedia piece discusses retailers that have banned the word Christmas, though some have changed back. They include Sears, K-Mart, Wal-Mart, Best Buy, and Target.
- - - - - -
George: First of all, your citations do not demonstrate a 'War on Christmas' nor does NPR nor most of the other sources call the actions they report a 'war on Christmas' as Fox news typically does."
PC Morons Ban Red Poinsettias in St Paul MN!
John Leo
December 17, 2001
Seasonal symbols make some people see red
Conflict may erupt again next year, but for now the war over the poinsettias has come to an end in St. Paul, Minn. Someone touched off hostilities by smuggling a few forbidden red poinsettias into the religion-free, perfectly neutral, non-Christmas decorations at Ramsey County Courthouse-St. Paul City Hall. The decorations consist of a world peace exhibit with doves and a 36-foot-tall Vision of Peace statue.
Red poinsettias had been banned because they offended somebody who understood the flowers to be a Christian symbol. After much bitterness, an uneasy compromise was reached: Red poinsettias are still banned, but white ones are allowed, since nobody in St. Paul seems to regard them as overly Christian.
Here we go again. The December war of religion is among our most cherished traditions. Somebody is always angry or hurt over something. (Hey, that dove of peace in the exquisitely neutral St. Paul exhibit flew in from the Bible. Let's fight over it.) But the type of battle is changing. The customary struggle has been over the role of the nativity scene on public property. The emphasis was on making the majority aware of minority sensibilities and the need to respect non-Christian religious expression. Now the battles increasingly involve minorities assaulting majority sensibilities. Some assaults were undreamed of a few years ago -- attacks on the display of Santa Claus, Rudolph, Christmas trees, poinsettias, holiday lights, and even the colors red and green.
Instead of just broadening Christmas displays to accommodate other traditions, the emphasis now is on trying to erase and disparage all mention of Christmas in the public square. The city of Pittsburgh invented the term "Sparkle Days" so that no Pittsburgher would have to utter the controversial word "Christmas" (or C------mas, as it is known in our house, since we hate to give offense).
Some schools and public institutions have banned the exchange of religious greeting cards and removed even the most secular trappings of Christmas. In Seattle, King County executive Ron Sims ordered employees to avoid saying "Merry Christmas" or "Happy Hanukkah" while on the job. An uproar followed. Sims backed down last week, still talking about the need for saying seasonal hellos "in a respectful, inclusive and sensitive manner." In 1999, two l3-year-old girls at a middle school in Rochester, Minn., were suspended for wearng red and green scarves and saying "Merry Christmas" in a school video presentation.
The word "inclusion" comes up all the time as a term used by those who wish to obliterate rather than include. This is certainly so in Plainfield, Ill., where elementary school principal Sandy Niemiera made a startling announcement: Because of diversity concerns, students will no longer be allowed to celebrate any holidays at all. So goodbye to Valentine's Day, Halloween and Thanksgiving as well as Christmas and Hanukkah because the school needs to "respect each individual's uniqueness but also to help us look for and celebrate those things that we have in common." What the students will have in common, of course, is a sterile, tradition-free public environment. And the school-induced sense that religion and ritual are inherently dangerous.
In plain English, the term "inclusion" has come to mean "exclusion." In New York's Central Park, we have a Christian nativity scene, a Jewish menorah and a Muslim star and crescent, all privately paid for and displayed on public property. That's inclusion. Banning all signs of religion from schools and public property (neither of which is called for by the Constitution or the Supreme Court) is exclusion posturing as inclusiveness.
There's another new wrinkle in inclusiveness ideology. Call it the sensitive person's veto. Last year, the city of Eugene, Ore., barred Christmas trees from public property, then backed down a bit and allowed firefighters to put up a tree on Christmas Eve and Christmas. But the city manager said that if one person objects, the tree must come down. This allows the most sensitive person in town to set policy. Kensington, Md., banned Santa Claus from this year's tree-lighting ceremony because of two complaints.
The sensitive person's veto was born in the anti-smoking campaign and has spread to other fields. Now it's showing up in the wars over Christmas and Hanukkah. Those who want to keep those traditions alive in the public square had better push back. The sensitive person's veto requires only one vote to topple any norm. And that vote will always be easy to find.
John Leo
December 17, 2001
Seasonal symbols make some people see red
Conflict may erupt again next year, but for now the war over the poinsettias has come to an end in St. Paul, Minn. Someone touched off hostilities by smuggling a few forbidden red poinsettias into the religion-free, perfectly neutral, non-Christmas decorations at Ramsey County Courthouse-St. Paul City Hall. The decorations consist of a world peace exhibit with doves and a 36-foot-tall Vision of Peace statue.
Red poinsettias had been banned because they offended somebody who understood the flowers to be a Christian symbol. After much bitterness, an uneasy compromise was reached: Red poinsettias are still banned, but white ones are allowed, since nobody in St. Paul seems to regard them as overly Christian.
Here we go again. The December war of religion is among our most cherished traditions. Somebody is always angry or hurt over something. (Hey, that dove of peace in the exquisitely neutral St. Paul exhibit flew in from the Bible. Let's fight over it.) But the type of battle is changing. The customary struggle has been over the role of the nativity scene on public property. The emphasis was on making the majority aware of minority sensibilities and the need to respect non-Christian religious expression. Now the battles increasingly involve minorities assaulting majority sensibilities. Some assaults were undreamed of a few years ago -- attacks on the display of Santa Claus, Rudolph, Christmas trees, poinsettias, holiday lights, and even the colors red and green.
Instead of just broadening Christmas displays to accommodate other traditions, the emphasis now is on trying to erase and disparage all mention of Christmas in the public square. The city of Pittsburgh invented the term "Sparkle Days" so that no Pittsburgher would have to utter the controversial word "Christmas" (or C------mas, as it is known in our house, since we hate to give offense).
Some schools and public institutions have banned the exchange of religious greeting cards and removed even the most secular trappings of Christmas. In Seattle, King County executive Ron Sims ordered employees to avoid saying "Merry Christmas" or "Happy Hanukkah" while on the job. An uproar followed. Sims backed down last week, still talking about the need for saying seasonal hellos "in a respectful, inclusive and sensitive manner." In 1999, two l3-year-old girls at a middle school in Rochester, Minn., were suspended for wearng red and green scarves and saying "Merry Christmas" in a school video presentation.
The word "inclusion" comes up all the time as a term used by those who wish to obliterate rather than include. This is certainly so in Plainfield, Ill., where elementary school principal Sandy Niemiera made a startling announcement: Because of diversity concerns, students will no longer be allowed to celebrate any holidays at all. So goodbye to Valentine's Day, Halloween and Thanksgiving as well as Christmas and Hanukkah because the school needs to "respect each individual's uniqueness but also to help us look for and celebrate those things that we have in common." What the students will have in common, of course, is a sterile, tradition-free public environment. And the school-induced sense that religion and ritual are inherently dangerous.
In plain English, the term "inclusion" has come to mean "exclusion." In New York's Central Park, we have a Christian nativity scene, a Jewish menorah and a Muslim star and crescent, all privately paid for and displayed on public property. That's inclusion. Banning all signs of religion from schools and public property (neither of which is called for by the Constitution or the Supreme Court) is exclusion posturing as inclusiveness.
There's another new wrinkle in inclusiveness ideology. Call it the sensitive person's veto. Last year, the city of Eugene, Ore., barred Christmas trees from public property, then backed down a bit and allowed firefighters to put up a tree on Christmas Eve and Christmas. But the city manager said that if one person objects, the tree must come down. This allows the most sensitive person in town to set policy. Kensington, Md., banned Santa Claus from this year's tree-lighting ceremony because of two complaints.
The sensitive person's veto was born in the anti-smoking campaign and has spread to other fields. Now it's showing up in the wars over Christmas and Hanukkah. Those who want to keep those traditions alive in the public square had better push back. The sensitive person's veto requires only one vote to topple any norm. And that vote will always be easy to find.