Catholic League president William Donohue commented today on the way Central Michigan University is handling Christmas celebrations:
“Central Michigan University’s affirmative action office publishes a calendar, available online, that denotes various holidays. In December, it lists Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and Las Posadas. An asterisk next to Christmas reads, ‘Warning of Holiday Decorations.’
“By clicking on the ‘Warning,’ it is possible to access a document titled, ‘How to Celebrate Christmas Without Offense.’ Before going any further, it should be noted that there is no asterisk next to the other three holidays. The absence of any ‘Warning’ suggests that those who celebrate Christmas have found it difficult to do so without offending others. The implication is that Jews and African Americans, as well as Mexican Christians, have been able to celebrate their respective holidays without offending anyone. Perhaps they should be asked to give sensitivity lessons to white Christians.
“The ‘Warning’ document is a gem. ‘During the December Holiday season it is important to realize what may be offensive to others within a place of employment.’ Again, those who celebrate the other holidays are spared the lecture about offending others, the implication being that celebrating Christmas enrages non-Christians. Which, if true, suggests that Jews and Muslims are religious bigots. This is quite a statement coming from an affirmative action office.
“The document proceeds to instruct Christians on what is permissible: ‘It is inappropriate to decorate things with Santa Claus or reindeer or other ‘Christmas’ decorations.’ So if the Multicultural Gestapo remove Santa, what do they do if they stumble on a nativity scene—smash it with their clubs? At any event, the document says, ‘Good ideas for decorations during this time are snowflakes, snowpeople, poinsettias to give a feeling of the winter.’ Though this was obviously written by an illiterate—or by a dean—it’s a solid point. Any school that would allow a snowman is clearly sexist, to say nothing of dissing ‘a feeling of the winter.’”
