The ACLU and Christmas
Here is an excerpt of a poem written by John Leo of U.S. News and World Reports
Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house
Not a creature was stirring not even a mouse
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care.
In hope that St. Nicholas soon would be there.
When out on a lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter.
There was Santa again, on his annual journeys,
Ensnared in a group of eight tiny attorneys,
They looked pretty grim and they threatened to sue,
So we knew in a flash---“It’s the ACLU”
So they paid us no heed, but went straight to their work,
Handcuffing poor Santa, then said with a smirk:
“This is secular airspace, we can’t have a saint
Flying our flightpaths---we need some restraint.
A sleigh full of toys is OK, we suppose,
But faith-based incursions we’ve got to oppose.
The poem goes on to describe many scenarios based on actual cases that the ACLU and others have been involved. The poem is a creative but sad way to describe the persistent attack that has been occurring over the last several years.
Here are just a few examples over the years from the ACLU cases and others. Although the majority of these cases were settled in favor of celebrating Christmas, it required legal action before they were resolved. There are many, many more like these:
• St. Paul Minnesota city hall banned red poinsettias because someone deemed them a Christian symbol
• City of Pittsburgh renamed the Christmas season sparkle days so no one would be offended by the C-word
• Plano Texas independent school was sued because they barred wearing red and green clothes at school
• In Rochester Minn., two girls were suspended for wearing red and green clothing and saying Merry Christmas in a school video presentation.
• In Connecticut, a library refused to display the nativity seen as part of a rotating display of local art.
• In Queens, New York, a school district refused to allow a child to include a nativity scene in the holiday display while allowing a menorah and an Islamic star and crescent.
• The Indiana School of Law removed a Christmas tree and replaced it with a generic depiction of winter
• A student in Indianolo, Iowa, was told by his school he couldn’t say “Merry Christmas” because it might offend someone
• The school district in Hanover Township, New Jersey threatened to outlaw Christmas carols at school concerts and in Maplewood New Jersey the school ordered purely instrumental Christmas music to be banned.
• Central Michigan University warned Christians that Christmas “may be offensive to others within a place of employment”, but no warnings were issued for observers of the non-Christian holidays.
• In Baldwin City, Kansas, a long standing tradition of allowing a member of the community to dress as Santa and visit elementary kids. When the Santa asked a little girl why we celebrate Christmas, she said because it was Jesus’ birthday. The ACLU sent a letter asking for an immediate halt in the practice.
• In Benton, Louisiana, the ACLU filed a lawsuit against Bossier Parish Schools because the school displayed a Nativity scene on school property.
• In Tipton, Iowa, the ACLU threatened to sue the Cedar County Board of Supervisors if they allowed a Nativity scene on the county lawn.
I re-iterate the point, that if these same activities were occurring with a non-Christian activity, there would be an outcry from so many secular and liberal individuals that the news media would not be able to keep up.
The attack is real!!
Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house
Not a creature was stirring not even a mouse
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care.
In hope that St. Nicholas soon would be there.
When out on a lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter.
There was Santa again, on his annual journeys,
Ensnared in a group of eight tiny attorneys,
They looked pretty grim and they threatened to sue,
So we knew in a flash---“It’s the ACLU”
So they paid us no heed, but went straight to their work,
Handcuffing poor Santa, then said with a smirk:
“This is secular airspace, we can’t have a saint
Flying our flightpaths---we need some restraint.
A sleigh full of toys is OK, we suppose,
But faith-based incursions we’ve got to oppose.
The poem goes on to describe many scenarios based on actual cases that the ACLU and others have been involved. The poem is a creative but sad way to describe the persistent attack that has been occurring over the last several years.
Here are just a few examples over the years from the ACLU cases and others. Although the majority of these cases were settled in favor of celebrating Christmas, it required legal action before they were resolved. There are many, many more like these:
• St. Paul Minnesota city hall banned red poinsettias because someone deemed them a Christian symbol
• City of Pittsburgh renamed the Christmas season sparkle days so no one would be offended by the C-word
• Plano Texas independent school was sued because they barred wearing red and green clothes at school
• In Rochester Minn., two girls were suspended for wearing red and green clothing and saying Merry Christmas in a school video presentation.
• In Connecticut, a library refused to display the nativity seen as part of a rotating display of local art.
• In Queens, New York, a school district refused to allow a child to include a nativity scene in the holiday display while allowing a menorah and an Islamic star and crescent.
• The Indiana School of Law removed a Christmas tree and replaced it with a generic depiction of winter
• A student in Indianolo, Iowa, was told by his school he couldn’t say “Merry Christmas” because it might offend someone
• The school district in Hanover Township, New Jersey threatened to outlaw Christmas carols at school concerts and in Maplewood New Jersey the school ordered purely instrumental Christmas music to be banned.
• Central Michigan University warned Christians that Christmas “may be offensive to others within a place of employment”, but no warnings were issued for observers of the non-Christian holidays.
• In Baldwin City, Kansas, a long standing tradition of allowing a member of the community to dress as Santa and visit elementary kids. When the Santa asked a little girl why we celebrate Christmas, she said because it was Jesus’ birthday. The ACLU sent a letter asking for an immediate halt in the practice.
• In Benton, Louisiana, the ACLU filed a lawsuit against Bossier Parish Schools because the school displayed a Nativity scene on school property.
• In Tipton, Iowa, the ACLU threatened to sue the Cedar County Board of Supervisors if they allowed a Nativity scene on the county lawn.
I re-iterate the point, that if these same activities were occurring with a non-Christian activity, there would be an outcry from so many secular and liberal individuals that the news media would not be able to keep up.
The attack is real!!
posted by Anonymous at 5:26 AM
6 Comments:
Was the ACLU involved in all of the preceding examples, or just the three noted at the end of the list?
They were definitely involved in the last ones and indirectly in some of the others but not all.
Dear HB,
How about a trade? I'll let you put up a Christmas tree,a nativity scene and a pulpit that you can use in front of City County building. Site is negotionable.
You let two loving American citizens enjoy the same civil rights and responsiblities as you have, regardless of sex. Without having to jump through extra hoops to obtain same.
Merry Christmas,
Iamhoosier
Christmas is a national Holiday recognized and celebrated.
I have no problems with any group setting up a tasteful display on government property to recognize and celebrate any holiday whether it be New Years, 4th of July, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, or Martin Luther King Day.
No one is asking for a pulpit and nobody has asked to preach. Just recognize the Holiday being celebrated without threats of lawsuits.
What do you know, we agree on something else. I have no problem at all with your response--to the first part of our trade. What about the second part? Never mind, I am pretty sure that I know the answer to that.
Oh yeah, you can still keep the pulpit. Acutually it would probably be a good idea, sort of like the clock area at IUS.
HB,
In reading a number of your entries, I find myself surprised that your are cast fairly heavily towards contemporary conservatism. I see your slant reflected in this article, and in opposition to same sex marriage, which I assume is what iamhoosier is griping about.
Yet your entries in my blog gave me the impression your are more liberal. I made a bad assumption based on your support of "big government," which of course is no different for the left as for the right these days.
Both sides love the BIG GUNS of government to force YOUR solutions down our throats. You don't disagree on the means, only on the ends.
You should not be surprised (and I find it hard to be sympathetic) when the left and right point those BIG GUNS at each other.
Nonetheless, you will find that I fully support your right to spread Christmas joy in any way you see fit and anywhere you see fit, even in public places, as long as you don't do it with my tax dollar.
Jolly Chriskwanukkahstice!
:)-K
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