Happy Holidays
I'm sure that if you've been listening to Bill O'Reilly, Pat Buchanan and Newt Gingrich these days, you know that anyone who dares say "Merry Christmas" is in danger of being dragged of to government re-education camps. Of course, I'm exaggerating. But as Frank Rich notes in the New York Times, there's a me-thinks-they-doth-protest-too-much quality in the furor over politically correct Christmas, er, excuse me, holiday celebrations:
The only evidence of what Pat Buchanan has called Christmas-season "hate crimes against Christianity" consists of a few ridiculous and isolated incidents, like the banishment of a religious float from a parade in Denver and of religious songs from a high school band concert in New Jersey. (In scale, this is nothing compared with the refusal of the world's largest retailer, Wal- Mart, to stock George Carlin's new best seller, "When Will Jesus Bring the Pork Chops?," whose cover depicts its author at the Last Supper.) Yet the hysteria is being pumped up daily by Fox News, newspapers like The New York Post and The Washington Times, and Web sites like savemerrychristmas.org. Mr. O'Reilly and Jerry Falwell have gone so far as to name Michael Bloomberg an anti-Christmas conspirator because the mayor referred to the Christmas tree as a "holiday tree" in the lighting ceremony at Rockefeller Center.
What is this about? How can those in this country's overwhelming religious majority maintain that they are victims in a fiery battle with forces of darkness? It is certainly not about actual victimization. Christmas is as pervasive as it has ever been in America, where it wasn't even declared a federal holiday until after the Civil War. What's really going on here is yet another example of a post-Election-Day winner-takes-all power grab by the "moral values" brigade. ...The idea is to intimidate and marginalize anyone who objects to their efforts to impose the most conservative of Christian dogma on public policy. If you're against their views, you don't have a differing opinion — you're anti-Christian (even if you are a Christian).
An aside--there is something very silly about many of the efforts to scrub Christmas from public holiday celebrations. If you put up a pine tree, string lights on it and throw on ornaments, it's a Christmas tree. It may not be a religious symbol per se, but you're not going to find Hindus, Muslims or Jews putting a tree up in their homes during the month of December. And if your community's parade has Santa, it is a Christmas parade. If someone is to be offended by that, relabeling it isn't going to help.
Nonetheless, Rich's point is correct, as is the larger point he makes, which is that the media largely ignores the Christian voices that are not theologically or politically conservatives. Many people in this nation who call themselves Christian are not fundamentalists nor evangelicals, yet no one seems to be invited to represent their views. The result is that our religious debates, like our political ones, grow more and more polarized.
posted by Jonathan Potts at
4:24 PM
4 Comments:
"What's really going on here is yet another example of a post-Election-Day winner-takes-all power grab by the "moral values" brigade. ...The idea is to intimidate and marginalize anyone who objects to their efforts to impose the most conservative of Christian dogma on public policy. If you're against their views, you don't have a differing opinion — you're anti-Christian (even if you are a Christian)."
That comment is so fucking idiotic. That is your idea of the subject, which is so ignorantly baseless that you have just lost all respect from all of your readers. You won't know it because we are all too polite to tell you. Nevertheless, believe it! "marginalize"; too late, you already did this to yourself! "intimidate"; yeah, just like Hitler. Do you hear that Pat? You are being likened to a nazi! Typical left bullshit!
2:28 PM
Funny, but I don't recall anyone being called a Nazi in that piece, or compared to Hitler. I will concede that the left does wave around the Nazi comparisons from time to time, and it is almost always insulting and inappropriate.
Intellectual bullies come in all political stripes. And yes, Pat Buchanan is one, though I agree with him on some issues. Anyone who considers Joe McCarthy a hero is someone I look at askance.
2:50 PM
From the wire (and Anonymous Guy)
By SARA KENNEDY, Associated Press Writer
BARTOW, Fla. - When a church group put a nativity scene on public property, officials warned it might open the door to other religious — and not-so-religious — displays. They were right.
Since the nativity was erected in Polk County, displays have gone up honoring Zoroastrianism and the fake holiday Festivus, featured on the TV show "Seinfeld."
The Polk County Commission voted 4-1 Wednesday to permit the nativity scene to remain across the street from the courthouse, as well as to make that area a "public forum" open to any type of display.
But the commission insisted that unless someone claims a particular display and submits a written request asking it remain, it would be removed. By Wednesday evening, no one had claimed the Festivus display, and the commission said it would come down; a woman claimed the Zoroastrianism display, which was to stay.
The debate began Dec. 15 when a handmade creche with the figures of Joseph, Mary and baby Jesus was erected by a Bible study group from the First Baptist Church of Bartow.
"The real spirit of Christmas is the birth of Christ," said Marvin Pittman, a retired law enforcement officer and parishioner. "We felt it needs to be in the public eye, so we did it."
Other displays are fine, too, he said, adding, "If somebody wants to do that, it's their right."
And true to form, the site almost immediately sprouted alternative displays, including a simple sign that reads: "Festivus for the Rest of Us — Donated to Polk County by the Seinfeld Fan Club."
The display, a reference to the fake holiday featured on an episode of the television sitcom, did not include the totem of Festivus — a bare aluminum pole instead of a tree. Key rituals of Festivus include accusing others of being a disappointment and wrestling.
Another display celebrating Zoroastrianism was erected by Stella Darby, who wanted to encourage people to research the ancient Persian religion.
Richard Blank, a member of the American Civil Liberties Union (news - web sites), objected to the nativity scene's presence on public property, arguing it violates the constitutional separation of church and state.
"The nativity scene is totally celebratory of the birth of Christ," he said. "Not everyone subscribes to that, and those who do should put it on their own property."
But a board member who voted to allow the creche as part of the "public forum" disagreed with Blank. "A group had asked to display a scene important to their beliefs; I felt we shouldn't suppress their right to do so," said Commissioner Samuel K. Johnson.
12:16 PM
It's disappointing that we have such apathy toward Festivus in this country.
12:41 PM
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