The annual, "is it Christmas or "the Holidays" war is raging here in the U.S. again. The latest volley was fired by Rhode Island governor Lincoln Chafee who has decided to call the blue spruce erected in the Rhode Island Statehouse a "holiday tree" instead of a "Christmas tree". It seems that Chafee is more devoted to not offending voters than to the reality that the tree is up because it represents Christmas, not a generic holiday.
Hmmm I am not sure anyone who isn't Christian or believes in Christmas really cares that there is a Christmas tree promoting that holiday. Evidently, Chafee thinks that calling Christmas "Christmas" will offend those who don't celebrate it. People who come to see the tree in the State House obviously believe in celebrating Christmas or they would not show an interest in the Christmas tree. Those who want to avoid it can look the other way. Christians have rights too. Must I stop eating ham for Christmas so as not to offend the people whose religion forbids the eating of pork? Should be change the name of 'Ramadan' to 'Muslim Festival'?
This country has no official religion, and that includes Christianity. But Christmas trees and the Christmas holiday isn't year round. Like Muslim holidays, Jewish holidays and other religious holidays it is acknowledged by the state and when Christmas day comes and goes the trees, decorations and Christmas celebrations are put away. I wonder what Chafee would call the Hanukkah Menorah or the Islamic crescent? It is sad that such a secular spirit of political correctness has swept over this country. The Governor's decision ignores long held American traditions and is an affront to the faith of many citizens. If I were Islamic I would be nervous at a governor who so brazenly denies or alters Christmas, as in "first they killed Christmas and then they killed Ramadan".
Trying to be "inclusive" by changing a holiday to nullify what it actually is (in this case Christmas) merely kills the holiday for everyone. Declaring everyone the winner of a race, for example, doesn't really make them all winners. Maybe we should all celebrate what holidays we want to celebrate, and not change them all to generic mush that mean nothing more than political correctness. It's the only way genuine respect can be gained for all people, regardless of religion or belief.
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