Tag: War on Christmas

Veterans Administration Turned Away Christmas Cards, Censored Choir

Christmas may be over, but, as we’ve already reported once this year, the War on Christmas isn’t.

Last December, Kelly Shackelford, President and CEO of Liberty Institute in Texas, wrote an opinion-editorial titled, “Yes, Virginia, there really is a war on Christmas.”

In it Shackelford outlined examples of attempts to censor Christmas celebrations around the country. Most of this censorship involves removing the religious elements from Christmas.

Now Todd Starnes and the American Family Association are reporting some disturbing news related to the Veterans Administration. According to Starnes, last month the VA

• Censored a school choir who came to sing at the VA hospital in Augusta, Georgia, because their Christmas songs included the words “Christmas” and “Jesus;”
• Told American Legion volunteers they could not hand out gifts to veterans if the wrapping paper included the words “Merry Christmas;”
• Turned away at least one Alabama woman distributing Christmas gifts to veterans because the wrapping paper she used included the words “Merry Christmas;” and
• Rejected handwritten Christmas cards from Dallas schoolchildren because the cards contained phrases like “Merry Christmas” and “God Bless You.”

This situation is just bizarre. As we have written over and over again, Christmas is a federal holiday; our state and federal governments recognize it; our courts have ruled time and again there is nothing wrong with that.

With that in mind, why turn away schoolchildren who want to honor our veterans with Christmas songs or cards? Why reject Christmas gifts? It simply does not make sense.

Read more from AFA here.

Read Starnes’ column here.

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War on Christmas Extends into January

The war on Christmas has spilled over into January.

According to the Baxter Bulletin, on Wednesday of this week (New Year’s Day), an atheist group wrote a letter to Baxter County Judge Mickey Pendergrass, Mountain Home Mayor David Osmon, and Mountain Home attorney Rick Spencer. The letter complains about a Nativity scene on the courthouse lawn in Mountain Home, and threatens legal action if the Nativity is not removed.

Now, Christmas is already over and the Nativity scene (which you can see here) will be “removed” soon anyway, if it has not been already. Just the same, this group wants to be assured the Nativity, which has graced the courthouse lawn for the past fifteen years, never will be put up again.

But the Nativity is well within the bounds of the U.S. Constitution. According to Alliance Defending Freedom, courts have ruled that government offices can place Nativity scenes and other decorations with a religious connotation on their public property–especially if non-religious decorations are present as well.

The display in Baxter County includes a large Christmas tree with a Santa Claus standing next to it — neither of which is a religious decoration. In the background, an arch of holly is visible surrounding the doors to the courthouse, and red bows are visible on the building — both are Christmas decorations, but not religious.

The courthouse’s Christmas decorations are not exclusively religious; in fact, they are exactly the kind that judges have ruled constitutional.

We keep saying it: Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ. It is also an official holiday in this country. Why would our government be free to recognize Christmas as a holiday; give its employees time off from work on Christmas day; put up decorations commemorating Christmas; but not even mention the very event Christmas celebrates? It’s ridiculous.

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