Christmas Means Freedom
By Adam Graham (12/24/07)
America has changed, though in a small way. We still have more serious problems than I can count. But I have to say that something has fundamentally changed.
I was talking about the War Against Christmas in 2003, before it was even given a name. It was during this time I moved to a big, relatively conservative City and got my first taste of Happy Holidays PC. It had become an unspoken rule in many places in Boise. “Thou shalt not say, “‘Merry Christmas.’”
“Happy Holidays,” which back in Montana, I’d thought to be a rather innocuous saying, became a bane of my existence. It seemed to be everywhere and on nearly every lip, on every banner in every store. It predominated workplaces. How bad was it? In 2004, I got “Happy Holidays” from a Salvation Army bell ringer.
For many others, the situation was far worse. The pre-2005 regime had the Grinch-like ACLU planning attacks on small towns that chose to observe Christmas in a manner that they didn’t approve of, and many mayors and principals going to the silliest of extremes to avoid a potential lawsuit.
It was even the official policy of some stores that their associates could not wish customers a “Merry Christmas.” In essence, what was emerging throughout the country was a regime of censorship and self-censorship that attempted to strip away “Christ” from Christmas in the name of diversity.
Two years ago, something fundamentally changed. Fox Commentators Bill O’Reilly and John Gibson took on the issue on the air, and the Alliance Defense Fund pledged to protect the rights of people and individuals to honor Christmas. The American Family Association called stores, who loved to reap profits around Christmas, but refused to mention Christmas in their stores or advertisements.
At the time, many mocked the effort. Some raised points in favor of “Happy Holidays” such as the fact that Happy Holidays=Happy Holy Days and that “Happy Holidays” used to be an all-inclusive greeting for every holiday in December. Of course words change their meanings, as no one considers the Labor Day holiday to be holy unless they keep a shrine to Cesar Chavez, and while gay used to most commonly mean happy, if one shouts, “I’m so gay!” at an airport, people will not assume you mean you’re happy.
The etymological argument also failed to grasp the greater point. Americans do not like being told what we may or may not say in the name of political correctness. Polls began to be done, 96% of Americans celebrated Christmas, 95% were un-offended by Merry Christmas, but 51% were bothered by phony attempts at political correctness.
At the end of the day, Americans voices were heard, and America has changed. This year, I’ve heard Merry Christmas quite a bit more, Happy Holidays is still there, but is no longer the monotonous sound of the season that it once was.
There are far fewer lawsuits than in any other year I can remember. The ACLU hasn’t surrendered in the war on Christmas, but they’re picking their spots a lot more carefully with the countervailing forces of the Alliance Defense Fund ready to challenge them. The presence of the ADF in this battle has also been key in keeping cities and schools from violating the rights of citizens to please the ACLU, as they know that they’ll be challenged by ADF. Thus, they remain on an even keel.
Yes, there are still Holiday Trees and silliness like that. Yes, one can stare down and look at a few scattered cases and declare great doom. But, there’s so much more good to look at.
Some may insist this victory and fight has been silly, but I assure you it hasn’t. Today, citizens who felt they could not say two simple words are not shackled by political correctness. May we reach the day when no American feels so shackled.
Until then, God Bless. And Merry Christmas!
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