'War on Christmas' controversies come to North Carolina

December 6, 3:06 PMCharlotte Political Buzz ExaminerCaleb Howe

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Is Rudolph Being Muzzled? 

For the last few years, the national media and the blogosphere have reported on a series of Christmas controversies, often referring to a "War on Christmas". One of the most recent incidents occured in Washington State, where officials allowed the placement of a sign attacking religion as enslavement to be put on display beside the Capitol building's Christmas tree display. It's not just the north-east or the west coat, though. This year, the so-called war on Christmas has come right here to North Carolina, too.

Over the last week, New Hanover County banned and reinstated Christmas at a Murrayville elementary school, reports the Wilmington Star-News. A kindergarten class was preparing a concert, and one of the songs to be performed was "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer." An unnamed parent objected to the song, suggesting that the words "Santa" and "Christmas" carry religious overtones. The school responded to the complaint by pulling the song from the program. More parents then complained, and the matter was then decided by adminstrators and lawyers. Taxpayer dollars at work.

The board and the lawyers determined that singing "Rudolph" is not an endorsement of religion by the government, nor are the songs in and of themselves promoting religion. Although the decision is both legal and utterly reasonable, the original objecting parent remains unsatisfied, saying "They have clearly decided that any other religion or custom is not important." She also added on Friday that, "I don't mind Christmas or anything Christmas-related at all, so long as you're not imposing it on my child." The concert participation is not mandatory. 

Another incident occured last week on the campus of UNC Chapel Hill, where the traditional pair of Christmas trees at the two main libraries will not be there this year. University associate provost for libraries Sarah Michalak said that a library is a place where information and traditions from around the world come together, and that displaying a Christmas tree would directly contradict that philosophy. As Charlotte Law Examiner Mike DeVine notes, no commission was required for the decision to be made. Sarah Michalak was empowered to determine what was offensive all on her own, despite that the same university needs a full commission investigation to determine the fate of racist graffiti. So if you're keeping score, racism is a complex issue to the school, but Christmas trees are offensive outright. 

Derek Belcher, president of the UNC Chapel Hill's College Republicans, remarked that "we have Christmas as a federal holiday. If we're going to remove the Christmas tree, do we have to remove that holiday?" That, of course, is an important question. The problem with the so-called "War on Christmas" is two-fold. In the first case, the problem is one of political correctness run amok. The idea which has been planted in the American concsciousness that showing a Christmas tree without a symbol of, say, Hinduism, constitutes a governmental endorsement as well as a silent attack on Hinduism. In the second case, it is often a none-too-subtle aggression on the part of atheist groups who want to purge Christianity from the nation, as in the story from Washington State.

What the Christmas attackers often fail to address is exactly what Belcher mentions above. Christmas is a federal holiday. It's also a secular holiday in addition to being religious. Christmas is a cultural tradition in the United States, yet these groups, who often lay claim to being sensitive to people's cultures, dismiss the notion on its face. The one type of tradition or culture which Americans may feel free to attack or purge is American tradition and culture.

North Carolina is the south. More than any other part of this nation, we in the south honor our traditions, culture, history and uniqueness. For more than two-hundred years, Christmas has been an important part of the South. But far-left elements of society, emboldened by the elections, are bringing their war on Christmas even here. I think they'll find, perhaps outside of the ivy shield, that they won't have so much luck down here. At least, I pray they don't.

Merry Christmas to all!