I've heard nothing this year about the "War on Christmas," except to catch a squib of O'Reilly while flipping channels. He had a story on about a small Massachusetts(?) town (New England, anyway; hey, I ain't no yankee! They all look alike to me!)
Well, that's the map I grew up with! Now, as I was saying: O'Reilly had some story about the selectmen of this town apparently not wanting Xmas lights up in the town. Or something. I came into the middle of the story and didn't really linger to understand it, but O'Reilly let slip that some viewer had told him the "War on Christmas" had been won, and Bill agreed, but said there would still be "skirmishes," citing the story as an example.
It is all bosh, of course, and nonsense; another lame attempt to generate a controversy (like immigration) so come segment of the population will have a reason to feel aggrieved. I'd call it peculiarly American, but sociology tells me it's peculiarly human, so we just have to learn to live with it. But the odd thing is, here in one of the buckles of the Bible Belt, with one of the largest Baptist churches imaginable (five "campuses" and it brags of "the largest single adult ministry in the United States), and hardly a hotbed of liberalism, yet I've not heard one local peep about a "war on Christmas." (Heck, they're freel advertising "Christmas at Second." I wonder if they've brought in a giant chimney and are planning a huge slumber party for the 24th?) And yet here is a small Baptist church in New York (where they are supposed to be more reasonable than the Southern variety. I know the Baptist churches in St. Louis were certainly less risible) puts up a ridiculous sign like this. As Thers says: "Christmas is not a curse word."
Honestly; has anyone who reads this been treated with the opprobrium due a drunken sailor for saying "Merry Christmas!" to anybody? Have the annual run of treacly specials been removed from TV in order to not offend anyone who doesn't "keep Christmas"? Well, of course not. And I understand victimization and whinging and all other manner of foolishness; but this just takes the cake.
And it was Jesus' birthday cake, too. I mean, really!
Oh, well. As a wise child once said: "This is one dog who's not going to ruin Christmas for me!"
I'm sure we can manage to do that all by ourselves.
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