Locke and Load

Star (on top of the Christmas Tree) Wars

I'm feeling better. Not yet feisty. Just better. Sunday was a bit muddy from all the drink Saturday night. Monday and Tuesday, I felt like I was coming down with the flu. Yesterday my back hurt, of all things. What a week. But, to say it again, I'm on the uptick. So I'll put my big toe back in the water with...

...this Y Files post. Apparently the Save Christmas (from whom?) Coalition has fixed their scope on born-again Christian and leader of the free world, President George W. Bush, of Texas:


This month, as in every December since he took office, President Bush sent out cards with a generic end-of-the-year message, wishing 1.4 million of his close friends and supporters a happy “holiday season.”

Many people are thrilled to get a White House Christmas card, no matter what the greeting inside. But some conservative Christians are reacting as if Bush stuck coal in their stockings.

“This clearly demonstrates that the Bush administration has suffered a loss of will and that they have capitulated to the worst elements in our culture,” said William A. Donohue, president of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights.


Two Decembers ago, I fled permanently from the Glenn Beck radio show for this very thing, his non-stop anti-anti-Christmas whining. A few points on the subject:


1. While movements to forbid nativity scenes from public places are excessive and misguided, we must remember that public squares are the public's business. A successful ACLU suit of this nature is not a violation of individual rights. A successful ACLU suit against nativity scenes on private property would be a violation of individual rights.

2. One more point about public-sector nativity scenes. What footnote to "reduce government spending" are the conservatives reading from, anyway? Civic displays cost money to procure, assemble, maintain, disassemble, store, and reassemble next year. That money comes from tax revenue. The taxes come from the people. On any other matter, conservatives would have cut me off at the word "procure" and started howling about the redistribution of wealth.

3. It was always weird to me hearing store greeters wishing "Merry Christmas" on any day but December 25. Here's a thought: wish "Happy Holidays" on every day between Thanksgiving and New Years Day, and wish "Merry Christmas" on Christmas. Or here's another: greet customers with "Welcome to Wal-Mart" when they show up and with "Thank you" when they leave. Pure genius!

4. No matter what you think of my solution #3 above, retail greeting policies are matters of private consideration, meant to make the store more universally appealing to shoppers and, therein, meant to look after their shareholders' investment. And yes, whether you boycott these retail outlets for their private considerations is also a private consideration. To the present author, an organized boycott on this basis alone seems excessive and misguided (a common motif in holiday/Christmas matters anymore).

5. Please. The sitting president of the United States is not "capitulating to the worst elements in our culture," period. Violence, nihilism, thievery, power-lust, racism, xenophobia, intolerance of other religions? These are the worst elements of our culture (and of all cultures). Protection of minorities (albeit excessive and misguided protection of minorities in this case) is the most democratic thing I can think of.

6. As to the "loss of will" remark, no. Get some perspective. G.W. Bush proposing that the U.S. Army militarize the national response to the avian flu? Yeah. That represents a loss of will.

posted by Immanuel Can't @ 6:20 AM