The War on…. huh?

Apparently, someone declared war on… um… let’s see. Terrorism? Well, yeah, but that’s not news. Poverty? Not in this country. Illiteracy? Sketchy — NCLB seems to be doing as much (if not more) harm for our kids as good. Drugs? Ancient history, so that can’t be right.

Turns out, the new war is supposed to have been on “Christmas.” Though I’ve read as much of the hullaballoo around this as I can stomach, I can’t really see who’s on the offensive. I mean, the conservative Christian factions appear to be on the offensive, but they’re supposedly defending Christmas, its spirit and symbols. I think they’re accusing “liberals” (an amorphous, therefore convenient catch-all label) of attacking Christmas. Nowhere have I seen anything that remotely resembles an “attack” on Christmas by anyone, at least, not on what it’s supposed to be about.

So I’m more than a little befuddled as to why any intelligent congressperson in this country (okay, okay — let me give them the benefit of the doubt before you come unglued on me) would feel the need to introduce a resolution, late at night just before holiday recess, and pass it. Resoundingly — 401 - 22 (I sincerely hope Mike Thompson was in the 22 opposed, but I doubt it).

Here’s what it said. Take a look:

Whereas the Framers intended that the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States would prohibit the establishment of religion, not prohibit any mention of religion or reference to God in civic dialog: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the House of Representatives–

(1) recognizes the importance of the symbols and traditions of Christmas;

(2) strongly disapproves of attempts to ban references to Christmas; and

(3) expresses support for the use of these symbols and traditions.
(text from Library of Congress website.)

I must confess I’m still in shock after reading, and rereading this. My initial dismay may put me in the “liberal” camp that is conducting some furious onslaught against the holiday, according to fundamentalists, but from where I sit, this looks like an egregious attempt to circumvent the religious tolerance clauses in the 1st amendment to our constitution.

While these self-righteous idiots introduce and vote on resolutions so specious, more American soldiers and Iraqi civilians are dying in a war we were led into by deceit and incompetence; the homeless who can’t make it into shelters are freezing in the cold; children who need food stamps and Medicaid to merely survive have been cut from the system — and some of the richest people in the world just got their tax cuts.

I like what the Democratic congressman from Virginia, Bobby Scott, said in response to this latest display of stupidity in our legislature:

Madam Speaker, this resolution purports to protect the symbols of Christmas, but what really needs to be protected are not the symbols of Christmas, but rather the spirit of Christmas. The spirit of Christmas demands generosity and goodwill towards others. Instead of legislation that respects the spirit of Christmas, Congress in just these past few weeks has passed a budget that includes mean-spirited attacks on the least of us. For those who are hungry, we are cutting food stamps. For those who are sick, we are cutting Medicaid. For those who are in prison, we are imposing senseless mandatory minimums. For others we are ignoring increases in heating costs and cutting student loans. At the same time we are cutting those programs to help the least of us, we are cutting taxes for the wealthiest in society. Madam Speaker, we ought to express our passion for Christmas through deeds, not words; and we should not be distracted from our responsibility to uphold the spirit of Christmas as we consider the effects our actions on the Federal budget will have on the least of us during this holiday season. For these reasons I oppose this resolution.

I oppose it too, Bobby. What about Hannukah? Or Kwanzaa? Or Yule, that ancient European ancestor of Christmas? Aren’t those holidays important to some citizens of this nation? Aren’t those symbols important too? Doesn’t the 1st amendment protect them and render them just as worthy of inclusion as Baby Jesus and Santa Claus?

There are days when I have trouble envisioning this country as the same one so idealistically portrayed in its Constitution and Bill of Rights. This is definitely the latest one.

Time to fire off another incredulous email to Mike Thompson’s office, I see…

Quote of the Day: Mr. President: This is the way democracy ends; This is the way democracy ends; This is the way democracy ends; Not with a bomb, but a gavel. – Senator Max Baucus

Metaphors For Life’s website