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Across the United States, celebrations for what many Americans now refer to as the "C
word" have been all but restricted to churches and private homes. The fightback,
however, has begun. (see below)
In Wichita, Kansas, a local newspaper ran an apology after referring to a "Christmas
tree", rather than a "community tree" at the city's Winterfest celebration.
In Denver, a Christian church float was barred from the city's parade while Chinese lion
dancers and German folk dancers were welcomed. In parts of Florida, fir trees have been
banned this year from government-owned property.
A mayor in Massachusetts issued a formal apology to anyone offended by a press release
that mistakenly described the town of Somerville's holiday party as a "Christmas
party". Schools in Florida and New Jersey have banned all carols and elsewhere in
Washington state a school principal banned a production of A Christmas Carol mainly
because Tiny Tim prays: "God bless us, every one."
In one New Jersey school district, where the singing of Christmas carols has long been
abandoned, officials have this year forbidden children's orchestras to play songs
such as Silent Night because that might remind people of their Christian content.
Frosty the Snowman and Winter Wonderland have, however, been deemed acceptable as they are
devoid of any religious references.
"The majority of people in the towns think that this policy is unnecessary,"
said William Calabrese, the town president (mayor) of South Orange. "This feels like
a slap in the face to diversity, not a symbol of it. They're sterilising the school
systems, taking away freedom of choice. It's a type of totalitarianism."
The fightback, however, has
begun.
Showdowns are taking place across the country
as individuals, and conservative and religious groups, come out against the zealous
interpretation of the separation of Church and state.
In Chicago, a Nativity scene has been given police protection after a life-sized model of
the infant Christ was briefly stolen before being recovered earlier this month.
"This has been getting worse for years and people have finally had enough," said
John Whitehead, the founder of the Rutherford Institute, which has issued its own
"Twelve Rules of Christmas" setting out people's religious rights.
"Political correctness is all-pervasive here. Christmas has become a taboo in America
but now people are fighting back."
In the Oklahoma City suburb of Mustang, voters angered by a school board's decision to
remove a Nativity scene from a school play demonstrated their fury at the ballot box last
week. They rejected the board's plans to raise $11 million (£5.7 million) by issuing
bonds.
Many parents were particularly angry that the play still featured Santa Claus and a
Christmas tree in addition to symbols of the Jewish festival of Hanukkah and of Kwanzaa,
an African-American celebration established in 1966 as a counter to Christmas. These were
deemed "cultural" rather than religious.
Also last week, a court challenge began in New York to overturn a policy that allows the
Jewish menorah and Islamic crescent and star to be displayed in schools, but forbids
Nativity scenes.
The Catholic League and Thomas More Law Centre are appealing against a lower court ruling
that found that the Jewish and Muslim symbols have a secular dimension while the Nativity
is "purely religious".
Organisations such as the Americans United (AU) for Separation of Church and State believe
that the campaign to put Christ back into Christmas is being pushed by conservative
Christian groups buoyed by the victory of President George W Bush and the religious Right
in last month's elections. "They are emboldened," said Robert Boston, an AU
spokesman.
The Chicago Nativity has been at the centre of controversy since the American Civil
Liberties Union, the American Jewish Congress and the American Atheists launched a legal
challenge against its location on public property.
Their case was thrown out because the scene was erected by a private group. This year, at
least, other expressions of religious freedom are also being allowed in the city.
Pressure groups such as the Rutherford Institute and the Alliance Defence Fund, which
hires lawyers to fight perceived anti-Christian bias, say that many teachers and public
officials are confused about the law and wrongly believe that any religious displays or
symbols are forbidden on government property.
Others have been cowed by a stream of complaints and are just seeking "the easy
life", according to Mr Whitehead. Retailers are particularly sensitive to complaints.
Several stores, including Macy's, have reportedly banned their staff from referring to
Christmas in case they deter non-Christian customers, prompting a group of angry
Californians to boycott its outlets.
While President Bush's holiday greetings card, posted to a record two million recipients
this year, carries a line from Psalm 95 – "Let us come before him with
thanksgiving and extol him with music and song" – there is no mention of
Christmas on the White House website. Even Fox News, the conservative television network,
cannot bring itself to wish a merry Christmas to its viewers. Instead, "Happy
Holidays" is flashed up to the tune – but not the words – of Ding Dong
Merrily on High.
The Rutherford Institute despairs. "This is not a Left-Right, Republican-Democrat
issue," said Mr Whitehead. "It's about everyone's right to celebrate their
religious beliefs as they want. We should be including all religions, not excluding
one."
10 December 2004: Carollers told they pose a fire risk...13 July 2004: Secular Christmas
stamps attacked
12 December 2003: The day that Christmas carols fell foul of the PC brigade
Nativity display erected on public land by church County attorney says once
placed, may be unconstitutional to remove
After months of official wrangling over Christmas decorations by Polk County, Florida,
commissioners, 35 members of a local Baptist church decided to resolve the debate by
erecting a nativity scene in front of the county administration building in the dead of
night – and the state of controversy over such displays being what it is, the creche
might stay.
The "vigilante" action occurred following the recent midweek prayer meeting at
the Bartow First Baptist Church. Morning saw a nativity scene, a snowman and a disclaimer
notice saying the county commissioners who had voted against the display were not
responsible for its sudden appearance. According to Barbara Pittman, a Sunday School
director at the church, the display is a "gift to Polk County."
"Needless to say, not all see it that way. In the contentious debates that began in
October, the specter of lawsuits against the county was raised if commissioners approved a
nativity display.
Commissioner Randy Wilkinson, the official behind the nativity effort, proposed adorning
the historic courthouse with multicultural holiday decorations representing multiple
religions. Resistance to that solution came from another commissioner who said the
citizens of Polk County shouldn't have to tolerate "symbols of people who hate,"
in reference to Islamic decorations.
"When people blow up our buildings, I ain't putting those symbols up on there,"
he concluded. Consequently, the multicultural option failed.
According to County Attorney Joe Jarret, who sympathizes with the church members, the
nativity scene isn't unconstitutional but their actions constituted a trespass on public
property. The county has to regulate displays on public property, he told Polk County's
News Chief, otherwise they "would soon turn into forums for various groups, many of
whom [possess] agendas contrary to prevailing community mores, morals and attitudes."
Even so, the display might stay.
"It's an unresolved issue at this point," Jarret says. "The Supreme Court
has essentially said that once it becomes a public forum, it's a public forum. So it could
prove to be difficult to restrain or otherwise regulate content."
In short, Jarret is unsure the county can take the display down without violating the
constitutional rights of the church members who placed it there. And with no further
commission business scheduled for the remainder of the year, any action would require a
special board meeting.
Even commission chairman Jack Myers, an opponent of holiday decorations at the courthouse,
is satisfied to leave the rogue nativity scene in place as long as it continues to bear
the disclaimer that the county bears no responsibility for its placement. "I called
the county attorney," Myers says. "It meets the legal test."
We want our grandchildren to grow up in a town where the birth of Jesus can be celebrated
in public," nativity plotter Pittman said. "Bartow, to us, is Hometown, USA. And
if we, as Christians, cannot openly display Christian symbols, where in this whole world
can we do so?" |
