’Tis the Season

By William L. Garvin

Christmas has survived for another year. This is probably because the sardonic Jon Stewart pompously declared that there was no “war on Christmas” and mugged and mocked those who are concerned. Unfortunately, many of his sycophants hear his words as “gospel.”

One advantage that entertainers have is that no one ever fact checks their so-called humor. Laugh tracks are also helpful. Another advantage is that they can spout their comedic riffs and never consider any contrarian points of view. For instance, numerous societal observers have commented on the increasing commercialization that threatens to eclipse the religious values of Christmas. It was impossible to miss the ruthlessness and lack of courtesy or concern in many of the “Black Friday” mobs. That was bad enough but then came the release of the “Air Jordan Retro XI Concord” shoes. Those of us who grew up in an era of Keds and PF Flyers don’t understand paying $200 for a pair of tennis shoes but crowds of thousands now vie to do just that. What’s more, they will violently defend their rights to ostentatiously consume.

In Seattle, Washington, police had to use pepper spray (oh, the horror!) to break up fights in the crowd. In Austin, Texas, two officers were overrun and injured when the crowd bolted through the doors. In Atlanta, Georgia, the crowd broke down the mall door to get inside early. Not to be outdone, an Indianapolis mob ripped doors off their hinges. Police reports in Louisville said there were 75-100 people fighting. In Richmond, California, the mall closed down after some idiot fired a shot in the crowd. Lots of folly; not much jolly.

After commercial warfare, there’s spiritual warfare. Despite their relatively miniscule numbers, atheists managed to secure seven of the ten public displays at the Loudon County Courthouse in Virginia. They used one of their displays to depict a Santa Claus crucified on a cross. Their “soul” mates, the Wisconsin Freedom From Religion Foundation felt so strongly that a nativity scene in Athens, Texas, “sends a message of intimidation and exclusion”, they demanded the scene be torn down or they would sue. Unlike other municipalities who buckled under the costs of potential lawsuits, the Henderson County Courthouse display remained intact with overwhelming community support.

Santa Monica, California, has a sixty year tradition of displaying nativity scenes in twenty-one city park spaces. This year, only three spaces went to Christians in the lottery. The rest went to atheists who appropriately left many of their spaces…blank. Then there’s the Massachusetts Superintendent of Schools who banned Santa Claus and cited the “Constitutional separation of church and state.” That is absurd beyond belief. First of all, the “separation of church and state” is not found in the Constitution. Our Constitution guarantees “freedom of religion” not “freedom from religion” as the atheists seem to want. Secondly, it’s unclear as to exactly which church Santa attends or where he is mentioned in any of the holy writings. Unfortunately, this superintendent is a profound example of one who has confused his education with his diploma.

It should also be noted that there is no ornament recognizing Jesus Christ on the national Capital Christmas Tree. Coincidence? Certainly the decision by the House Franking Commission that any correspondence between representatives and their constituents could not bear the greeting of “Merry Christmas” was not accidental. It did permit the apparently non-offensive use of “Happy Holidays.” Let’s pray that no one tells them that “holiday” actually means “holy day.” If you want to push this separation motif further, why do government employees get Christmas Day off? Let’s see the atheists take on the unions over that one!

On a deadly serious note, for the second year in a row, there have been a series of coordinated terrorist attacks on Christian churches in Nigeria on Christmas Day. This year, at least 39 people have been killed and many more wounded by the Boko Haram sect that desires to install Sharia law over all Nigeria. Maybe the hilarious Mr. Stewart should explain to the dead and dying on the steps of St. Theresa Catholic Church in Madalla just exactly how he reached his conclusions.