I continue to think that the volume of War Against/On Christmas items thrown up by the Google news search engine is heavier than last year. Not from the MSM of course. There the subject is been declared taboo. And even in the local press factual items are more commonly found in the letters and comment threads — for instance this letter in the Muncie, Indiana Star Press published today:
Last year I counted four songs that even referenced Christ at the Muncie schools' annual Christmas sing. This year it was less than that. But sadly, many won't take the time to notice. Growing up in Muncie, I can remember when this city contributed to the spirit and celebration of Christ and Christmas, from the annual Christmas displays to former Mayor Jim Carey speaking as mayor on Christmas. I have not heard our current mayor say a word about Christmas publicly in a prayer for any event.
(There is, of course, also nothing in The National Review, where the War Against Christmas competition was started by Peter Brimelow some 15 years ago. They formally fled the field in 2006. In fact this year there seems to have been a further cut-back on Christmas references generally — something of a reversion to the early years of this decade. No doubt having Obama on the hook in Afghanistan, the controlling NeoCon faction feels it can stint on paying the Christian levies.) The provincial press is running a number of ”On the one hand/On the other hand/On the third hand” pieces which could be generously interpreted as acknowledging and protesting (very timidly) against the repression of Christmas. An example from Colorado Springs is OUR VIEW: A perfect time for 'Merry Christmas' Wayne Laugesen, editorial page editor, for the editorial board The Gazette December 19,2009
By saying ”Merry Christmas,” one is thoughtful and inclusive, wishing cheer to anyone stable enough to accept kind words…Those who consider ”Happy Holidays” an affront to Christians may need help. Likewise, for non-Christians who take ”Merry Christmas” as an affront. To react negatively to a Christmas wish is to insult Christians…
(VDARE.com readers might like to participate in the vote about "saying ”Merry Christmas” to strangers" at the lower right of this editorial.) So far the most ingenious stratagem Anti-Christmas forces have produced this year is to publicize outfits like the Advent Conspiracy, effectively telling Christmas supporters that unless they observe the festival in an extreme and ascetic way, their objections are somehow illegitimate. A leader in this ploy has been Peace on Earth in Our Time By Christopher Beam Slate Dec 17, 2009. Of course this assertion is extremely intrusive and objectionable. Who would suggest to Jews that only if they observe the High Holy Days in the manner of the Hasidim may they have the event at all? The Beam article, while irritatingly gloating over the fruits of eliminating MSM discussion of Christmas repression, does have some useful information - for instance noting Focus on the Family’s enterprising store-rating StandForChristmas.com. But this effort to dictate to the friends of Christmas how they should observe the occasion must be forthrightly rejected. The Christmas season is a broad cultural, social and (dare one say?) ethnic event. Details differ. There have always been Christian leaders complaining about this. But when they join in the repression efforts, whatever their motives, how different are they from the famed Kapos of the Concentration Camps?
