Saturday, December 18, 2004

MORE ATTACKS ON CHRISTMAS

"All I'm asking for is inclusiveness," Sandra Snowdon, discrimination plaintiff in a case involving a manger scene in her own yard, told the St. Petersburg Times one year ago. "I do not know why a baby Jesus in a manger would be so offensive to this town." (Nativity Banned, But Muslim, Jewish Symbols Allowed, WorldnetDaily.com, accessed 12-10-04). "...A high school principal in the Seattle area canceled a dramatic performance of Charles Dickens' classic "A Christmas Carol," partly because he feared it would raise questions about the place of religion in public schools" (School Censors Christmas From Student Performance but Superintendent Leaves References to Hanukah, Kwanzaa, WorldNetDaily.com, accessed 12-10-04). The article continues, "Seattle Times columnist Danny Westneat describes himself as a 'secularist and agnostic,' but, pointing to a wider trend, he wrote... 'even a lifelong doubter like me can see that something crucial is being lost, especially in the schools. If kids can't see a Charles Dickens play, hasn't the cause of separating church and state gone too far?' he asked.... Seattle area commentator Ken Schram commented, 'As the principal of Lake Washington High School, Robertson has joined the ranks of a sanitized society; the oh-so-nice, homogenized world of the politically correct,' said Schram, known for his blunt commentaries. 'PC paranoia,' he said, 'has led to the banning of a Dickens classic, by a seemingly nice guy who probably thinks he's doing the right thing. 'God help us, everyone''" (Dickens Classic Too Religious for School, WorldNetDaily.com, accessed 12-10-04).

In another case just this week, an Oklahoma school superintendent cancelled the singing of Silent Night and a nativity scene from a school play. He said, "I just could not break the law," Springer said. "We may have sins of omission occasionally, but we won't have sins of commission. If I know about something that I believe to be against the law, (then) we will take action on it." This telling ignorance of the law and fear of church-state separation issues plays out nationwide more and more each year, thanks in no small part to the secularizing force of the American Civil Liberties Union. More conservative legal rights organizations like the Alliance Defense Fund (www.alliancedefensefund.org) and Free Market Foundation (freemarket.org) routinely mail letters on behalf of hapless Christians to school boards and officials informing them of case law and the Constitutional right to freedom of speech in such cases. Kelly Shackelford, president of the Free Market Foundation says, "Censoring Christmas is not what the Constitution says, not what the law says and not even what the Supreme Court has said.

More here



COMMUNISTS STILL PC

They have not even got the excuse that Christian symbols are being displayed -- showing that they want people to be politically correct, not happy

Move over, ACLU: The latest tyrannical dictator to declare war on Christmas is Fidel Castro. Cuba is threatening James Cason, the United States' senior diplomat in Havana, with "serious consequences" unless he takes down Christmas decorations at the American Interests Section. The display "includes a reference to 75 dissidents jailed last year," BBC reported today, adding in a whining aside that "the display does seem designed to irritate the Cuban government." Cason insists he won't obey Castro. "We're prepared to pay whatever price for the things we believe in," he said. "They could expel us. They could continue to hinder our activities. ... We don't know what they're going to do." The exhibit "includes a huge white Santa Claus, an image of galloping reindeer and a flashing sign wishing Cubans a Happy Christmas," according to BBC. Candy canes and white lights are also featured, the Associated Press reported. Apparently, then, there aren't any Nativity scenes or other symbols commemorating what Christmas actually is, or used to be: a celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ

Source



CENSORING CHRISTMAS IN THE WORKPLACE

Catholic League president William Donohue commented today on attempts to censor Christmas in the workplace:

"The University of Alabama's Office of Cultural Diversity recommends that all nativity scenes should be banned because they are `religion-centered.' The menorah, which is a Jewish religious symbol, is `fine' because it is really a `secular' symbol. Employees are also instructed to `avoid confronting others from different religions about their beliefs.' Failure to do so may result in `unintentional oppression or hostilities.' They actually said this.

"An attorney at Strauss & Troy in Cincinnati warns that `if the workplace is permeated with religious symbols-presumably of another religion-to the extent that the employee feels intimidated, ridiculed or insulted, he or she could make the claim that the company has allowed or created a hostile environment.' The bottom line: the bigot is not the problem.

"Penelope Trunk, a columnist for a Virginia weekly, titled a recent piece, `Skipping Christmas: Erase Holiday from the Office.' She says that `acting as if everyone has the `holiday spirit' squelches the spirit of workplace diversity.' She also objects that as a Jew she is forced to `take a holiday' on Christmas. Why the anger? `No stores are open. There's nothing on TV. Most restaurants are closed. It's a boring day, a good day to be at work.' Talk about oppression! Perhaps her boss could give her the keys to the office that day.

"What bothers these cultural fascists is traditional morality. For example, consider what the nation's top labor law firm, San Francisco's Littler Mendelson, said on December 10: `Renewed interest in moral values-as evidenced by the recent presidential election-and increased religious activity in the workplace can lead to clashes during the holiday season.'

"This may explain why New York's Bar Building is featuring a menorah in the lobby but no Christmas decorations. But there is a big bundle of twigs shaped like a diamond with a red sash made out of what looks like pantyhose. No wonder those who work there call it a `Blair Witch Christmas.' All this is courtesy of the high priests of tolerance."

Source

No comments: