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S.E. Wood The true meaning of Xmas There was an advertisement in the newspaper
over the weekend for Christmas trees. They looked like Christmas
trees. Even smelled like Christmas trees. But they didn't call
them Christmas trees. They were advertised as "holiday trees." My grandchildren are home for "winter
holidays," not "Christmas holidays." And I'll
bet they don't get an "Easter break," either! What is the matter with us? Do retailers really
believe that someone is going to be offended if a Christmas tree
is called a Christmas tree? Why is it that certain New York City schools
prohibit prayers to a Christian God, but provide a special room
for Islamic students to use while praying to Allah? In Seattle, a King County executive named
Ron Sims sent out a memo to county employees asking them not
to say "Merry Christmas" and to be "religion neutral."
The Wisconsin Municipal Clerks Association ordered religious
ornaments banned for the state "holiday tree." A Frederick County, MD, school employee was
prohibited from handing out Christmas cards on a public-school
campus. Elementary school principal Sandy Niemiera announced
to startled Plainfield, IL, students that all holiday celebrations
would be banned because of "diversity" concerns. And
in Maine, the state that supplies natural Christmas trees to
much of the nation, they are banned in one school district because
some cultures don't believe in them. Red poinsettias were removed from the Ramsey
Court House in St. Paul, MN, because they offended one person
who believes the flowers to be a symbol of Christianity. And
another St. Paul suburb banned images of Santa from public display
because he might offend those of a different cultural background.
Santa Claus was banned by the Kensington, MD, town council because
of two complaints that Ol' Saint Nick would offend some citizens
at a tree-lighting ceremony. Santa showed up anyway, presumably
with his lawyer. The truth is that although an elfish creature
of various identities has been known for centuries to spread
good will throughout the world, the Santa Claus we know was conceived
by artist Haddon Sundblom for a 1931 Coca-Cola advertisement
in the Saturday Evening Post! Santa is not, and never has been,
a symbol of Christianity. But no matter. He is a symbol of an
American Christmas. Aren't we taking this cultural thing just
a bit too far? Where do those coming to our shores get the right
not to be offended, or even exposed, to something they might
not find in their native lands? Although you hear very little about it, there
is such a thing as an American culture. And the democracy on
which it is based has produced the most successful and the most
generous society in the history of civilization. The terrorists' attack on the World Trade
Center was not an effort to militarily defeat the United States
of America. It was an attack on Americans, and an attack on the
American way of life. To many, the World Trade Center represented
the character of our nation. And those who planned this successful
attack may now feel our strength of character is broken. The current effort to destroy our traditional
American Christmas extends beyond an opposition to Christianity,
as evidenced by the denunciation of Santa Claus. It is just one
of many efforts currently being promoted to destroy the American
way of life. Why? Simple. Envy. The American way has been the
most successful way in the history of the world, and the rest
of the world is envious. So now Christmas is over. The Santa costumes
are put away for another year. But the attack on Santa, and what
he represents, continues. Liberal politicians, the ACLU and other
left-wing extremist groups are relentless in their crusade to
banish God from the public square. To remove prayer and the Ten
Commandments from all public places. To attack the relevancy
of our Constitution, our Pledge of Allegiance - even our National
Anthem. Our men and women in the military are representing us well on the front lines. But their sacrifice will have been for naught unless we are equally successful in defeating those from within who use our own freedoms and our own liberties to destroy our uniquely American culture, and our American way of life. · · · |