As much as the title of this thread may sound like some sort of nonsensical parody, a setup for some ham-fisted satire, or just a ridiculous fantasy, those in the United States should be familiar with the phrase as headline actually working it’s way into the mainstream media. The idea of a “Christmas under Siege” is one which I believe first really started to appear (with any significant coverage) by splotchy headed Fox News Pundit, Bill O’Reilly. Every winter for a few years now he’s been asserting on his show that there’s some sort of shadowy PC liberal conspiracy to do away with Christmas. The means by which this feat is to be accomplished is apparently simply by saying “happy holidays” rather than “merry Christmas”. O’Reilly’s sentiments are, of course, backed up by a number of right-wing evangelical weirdoes and goons who seem to be leaping at the “issue” in order to ad fuel to their inexplicable persecution complexes. The really screwy part of this non-issue is that it’s now branching out and getting coverage outside of O’Reilly’s show. Earlier today on The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer I caught a report wherein Wolf, with a completely straight face, tackled the issue of the “culture war” and the “battle over Christmas”. The most salient point discussed was that the White House Christmas cards this year say “Happy Holidays” on them, rather than “Merry Christmas” and this is apparently pissing off some right-wing bloggers and hate-groups with names that either start or end with “family”. Apparently it hadn’t occurred to them that over a million of these cards were being sent out this year, including many to various Jewish organizations who are in good with the Neocons who support Israel. The fact that our nut-job president could be accused of being against Christmas in some way simply for tailoring the inside of his Christmas cards to a broad audience does well to illustrate what utter BS this “issue” really is. So are we now to believe that the phrase “happy holidays” is an anti-Christmas, or anti-Christian sentiment? That’s how the media is portraying it at the moment, while utterly missing what this story is really all about. There’s something definitely worth looking at here – and that’s the cult-like tactics that evangelical right-wing Christians are trying to use to frighten their own base into line. They’re making up spook stories about evil liberals, this time in the form of anti-Christmas activists in order to instill into their flock a sense that they’re way of life is under attack. In other words they’re trying to stir the shit and keep the masses foaming at the mouth, thinking that despite having their man in the white house – controlling the house, senate, and an increasing segment of the judiciary as well as the majority of state legislatures they are still a persecuted minority, and need to push back hard against any hint of views which conflict with their own (whether that conflict is real or imagined). This controversy was engineered by the right in order to scare the hell out of the right, so that when they make up even more spectacular lies which more directly make accusations against political opponents and democrats/liberals in particular, people will believe it. This is how you build a culture where people will actually believe a pamphlet that claims John Kerry wants to ban the bible. Part of the reason that these sorts of fabricated controversies are so effective is that even if there’s a hint of credibility to any of it, there’s no other-side of the issue to make statements. No one is going to come forward and say “You know what, I don’t like Christmas” Trust me on that, I’m in a good position to know. If we’re to assume that it’s liberal anti-Christian secularists who are pushing for the death of Christmas as much of the “controversy” coverage suggests, then I myself would be right at the center of it. The circles I travel are full of atheists leftists and queers and not a single one of them is against celebration of Christmas – most of them love it. Even the San-Francisco based transsexual aspiring cult-leader and self-styled anti-Christ and socioanrchist whom I maintain contact with is celebrating – he and his hormone grown breasts are decorating a bush with lights and ornaments and calling it Christmas. There is no Issue here, like a coke habit it’s all just smoke and mirrors. There is no war on Christmas, only a war on our intelligence.
Yes this latest effort by the far right to "defend Christmas" is silly when you realize these people obviously have no knowledge about the history of the observation of Christmas in this country. It goes back to the Puritans who did not observe Christmas and saw it as pretty much criminal to do so because of it's roots in Roman Pagan traditions. It's observation continued to be frowned down upon by most Christians until the early 20th century. That's when the modern mix of materialism and sentimental stories about kids and Santa Claus became the domestic version of Christmas. Until now religious groups have fought the materialism of the holiday but the latest group of "defenders" seem to be not only embracing it, but trying to force business to use Christmas in their marketing efforts via boycotts against firms using the words "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas". They're not really protecting a tradition as much as they are pushing a new poltical agenda. I think this is really about a few radical groups/people using an issue to draw attention/money to themsleves and their own political agendas.
I agree, this whole "War on Christmas" is pure rubbish, although it DOES make me wanna start some kinda anti-Christmas thing just to piss off all those idiots. Ah, self-fulfilling prophecy as it's best. Merry CHRISmas, everyone! (Chris Kringle) Move outta the way, Christ, we've been celebrating this Chris for the longest time. We love gifts, not you. Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! - N
I think he just picked up the proverbial mistletoe sprig and ran with it, so to speak. O'Reilly's fellow gibbering Fox Pundit John Gibson has actually scribbled a book entitled The War on Christmas: How the Liberal Plot to Ban the Sacred Christian Holiday Is Worse Than You Thought , apparently detailing the nefarious scheme to remove all reference to the baby Jeebus from the Winter Solstice celebration. Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!
and christmas was stolen from the pagens ,it was SUPPOSED to be the winter solstice celebration. thats where we get xmas trees. the christians just stole the holiday and said it was jesus birthday. fuck christmas.
Who wants a corporation to use his Savior's birthday to sell products anyway? It's a transparent ploy for attention.
I see your point, but I honestly don't get why everyone's freaking out about this stuff. I could be Jewish, Christian, or Athiest and if I got a card that said "Happy chirstmas" or "happy whatever" I really don't give a crap. The point is that whoever sent me the card was thinking about me and took time out to send me something. It's a nice gesture. Besides lets say I had a Jewish friend and she sent me a card saying "Happy Hanukkah" I wouldn't mind in the slightest. It's nice anyway, and after all she's Jewish so why should I care? "Happy Hoildays" is the saftest thing to say, but honestly! What's wrong with us? People are wishing us well and we have to bitch about it! Ah, whatever, Happy Hoildays.
I'm glad that you don't mind someone sending you a Merry Christmas or Happy Hannukah card. That's how it should be. Everyone should be able to celebrate their own holidays. However, that's not the point people are trying to make in regards to this whole "anti-Christmas" thing. The problem is that you see NOTHING BUT "Merry Christmas" all over the place, with little to no recognition of other holidays. I don't know about you, but I've NEVER seen a store or TV ad say "Merry [insert other holiday]". That's it and that's all they want. Simple recognition, NOT to get rid of Christmas, but for everything to be celebrated. Other than the crazy liberal teachers that ban anything to do with Christmas yet allow other religious holidays (those are the psychos), it's the CHRISTIANS that are the ones turning this into an anti-Christmas thing with their crazy defensiveness. The Christians are up in arms all because someone chooses to say "Happy Holidays" or a non-Christian not say "Merry Christmas". Geez, imagine if the tides turned and instead of seeing "Merry Christmas" all over the place, it said "Happy Hannakuh" instead, they would shit their pants! Other people simply just want recognition of their holidays, but it's the Christians that want to hear NOTHING BUT "Merry Christmas". Luckily there's people like you that don't mind hearing "Merry Christmas" or "Happy Hannakuh" and that's how it should be. "Happy Holidays" has existed for the longest time and for them to bitch and complain about it now is pretty dang stupid and they're stubborn as hell for having a problem with that phrase. - N
It sucks how the conservative right kind of took religion as their own, thats how they get the evangelical vote, theyve aligned themselves so it looks like a polical holy war: christians vs. all those damnable liberals. Also it seems to be Jesus definetly would have voted democratic, he was all about the people, or so ive read. I dunno.
