Attacks on Christmas Continue
By Thomas D. Segel (12/06/05)
Harlingen, Texas December 6, 2005: As the Christmas season arrives and weather gets colder across the United States, Christian temperatures always heat up to the boiling point. Across the country those who practice their Faith find themselves making written and verbal cries about the multitude of attacks on this treasured holiday. This year, though the attacks on Christmas seem to have escalated, the pleadings of hurt voices have turned to roars of anger.
Television has been filled with pundits proclaiming, as in the case of Fox news Channel’s John Gibson, the “War on Christmas”. The same channel’s Bill O’Reilly continues a nightly dialog on his observation of anti-Christian attacks. There was event a media commentator who equated the push toward removing religion from the season to geography.
He made two very interesting observations. The first was that those who live in “Jesusland” or the “flyover” red states of America are course, crass, and really not very bright. They need religious symbols to give them a sense of direction. His second observation was those in the blue states have more heart and have a greater caring nature. He said this could be proven by the simple fact that those who live in the blue states have more “safety net programs” and pay far more taxes than those bumpkins in the red states who are tight with their dollars.
It could be argued that his first observation, particularly about “red staters” not being very bright, is belied by his second declaration that more taxes are paid by those blue state dwellers. Could it be that in the red states, we are bright enough to reject higher taxes?
It is understood that many conservative minded people and those of deep faith live in the east and left coastal states of the country. But, if they are being taxed beyond acceptable levels and their Christian values are so sharply under attack, perhaps they should consider moving to a place where their thrift is honored and their faith is lauded.
About our living in “Jesusland”, perhaps this television pontificator is right. As I drive around this small Texas city I see huge signs in the parks that say “Merry Christmas”. Some say “Feliz Navidad”. I have lost count of the churches in town and we still have an Invocation at all public meetings.
Our school choirs and bands held Christmas concerts where they sang and played music about the birth of Christ. The traditional “La Pasada” will be held in another of our city parks. Local television and radio are filled with real Christmas music and quotations from the Bible. Across the main street of town is a huge banner that advertises a “Festival of 800,000 Lights”, which is a display of Christ’s birth at a local church.
At the local Rotary Club we are having a program presented by Marines from our reserve unit just returned from Iraq. These young men, who fought so bravely, are already engaged in a new campaign. They are seeking “Toys For Tots” and plan on distributing the donations as Christmas gifts to thousands of needy children.
One thing we don’t like is a store that refuses to advertise Christmas and replace the words with “Happy Holidays”. We believe this is the Christmas season and we support all those who honor such celebrations.
There may be an attack on faith being conducted through the media and ACLU around the country, but none of their voices are being heard, nor are they welcome in this corner of the Lone Star State. If they should decide they want to spew such hate filled rhetoric in our direction, they should think first about a saying we use to warn all polluters…”Don’t Mess With Texas!”
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