Merry Winter Holiday Season

It seems like the last few years, just about this time, we hear stories about the attack on the word “Christmas”. Most liberals dismiss this at right wing, Christian right nonsense. But this really is a lazy or naïve dismissal. Or perhaps its just another attack on all things perceived to be platforms of the “Christian right”. In reality, it takes only a little digging to compare our current political correctness during the “Holidays” to how we went about discussing this time of year just 10-15 years ago. Go to any newspaper archive and compare the 1980’s Christmas specials to today’s Holiday specials.

I find it hard to believe that there is anyone out there who doesn’t admit to the secularization of Christmas. By secularization, I refer to the increased importance given to gift giving and material adoration than time spent reflecting on the meaning of Christmas and time spent enjoying family. This transformation is not a mere 10-15 years in the making, but multi-generational. This secularization is not just the handiwork of non-Christians, but of all those who celebrate Christmas in some form or fashion. Anyone who stands in line at 4am the day after Thanksgiving (Christian or not) in order to get the best deal on the latest gadget is responsible for this type of secularization. But even the concept of gift giving has a basis in Christianity (not that the Three Wise Men shopped at Best Buy or anything). So I suppose this secularization doesn’t bother me as much as the other.

The other that I refer to is the trend that is most disturbing - the effort to whitewash “Christ” from Christmas - the concerted effort in the name of diversity to replace Merry Christmas with Happy Holidays. The idea that tolerance and respect for minority views somehow equates to intolerance and disregard for the majority is tragic. We would rather call the company party a Holiday Party than a Christmas Party so that we don’t offend the two Muslims working in accounting. We somehow think it is better to ban all Christmas carols from the school play than to take a chance that a Jewish or Hindu person may “feel” uncomfortable.

This trend, this whitewash, is not the only aspect that bothers me though. The combination of removing the word Christmas while still including other religion displays is what is ruffling my feathers. When was the last time you heard someone call the menorah a “Holiday Candle”? Why is it acceptable to display the menorah and the Muslim star and crescent, but we cant display a nativity scene on public property? Why is ok to call the Muslim holy month of Ramadan by its name but not ok to call a single day in December – Christmas?

Displaying the other religious symbols, while suppressing Christian language, symbols and customs in a predominately Christian society is not inclusive. It is an insult to 90% of Americans who celebrate Christmas.

Remember, the Constitution does not protect us against “feeling” excluded. We have no “feeling” protections. The Constitution does, however, protect us from discrimination. But it seems to be doing a poor job of protecting Christians against discrimination when it comes to the celebration of one of our holiest times of the year - Christmas.