Never before have more Christians fought back in an effort to reclaim Christmas.
For example, in 2003, a Glenview, Illinois firehouse was told it could not display Christmas decorations. In 2004, they won approval. In 2003, an 8-year-old boy from Plano, Texas was forbidden from giving his friends candy canes in school. In 2004, he was allowed. In 2003, a crèche in Cranston, Rhode Island triggered a lawsuit. In 2004, it was erected without controversy.
In 2004, Christians organized to protest the exclusion of nativity scenes from the same South Florida malls that allow menorahs. When a school in New Jersey banned the singing of Christmas songs, local residents staged their own “protest” concert. When four atheists protested the display of a nativity scene in Milford, Connecticut, 200 pro-crèche supporters greeted them.
Atheists in Reynoldsburg, Ohio lost in their effort to stop the display of a nativity scene. Residents of a lower East Side housing project in New York City successfully protested a ban on Christmas lights. When Christmas songs were banned from school buses in a Chicago suburb, parents began their meeting with school officials by singing “We Wish You a Merry Christmas.” They won. Singing “Silent Night” was first banned from a concert in the schools of Egg Harbor, New Jersey. The ruling was then reversed.
Stafford township in New Jersey initially balked on displaying a crèche, but later reversed its decision. Residents of Pasco County, Florida revolted when Christmas trees were banned. The decision was reversed. Taxpayers in Mustang, Oklahoma were so angry at the banning of a nativity play in a school that they killed a school bond bid. And in Fairfield, Connecticut, nativity scenes were allowed to be displayed for three days, but only if they were monitored around the clock. Nello Ceccarelli, who is 89, agreed to do just that.
In addition to these battles, the Catholic League was critical of the newly created holiday, Chrismukkah. The purpose of this holiday is to jointly celebrate Christmas and Hanukkah, the target audience being Christians and Jews who have married. We are pleased to note that at the request of the New York Board of Rabbis, we issued a joint statement criticizing Chrismukkah for diluting the significance of both Christmas and Hanukkah.
The cultural fascists who waged war on Christmas never expected such a backlash. Hope they got the message.
