‘Tis the Season… for Bashing and Banning Christmas: Victory for Atheists in Washington? (video)
Posted By Vicki McClure Davidson on November 29, 2009
Every year, atheists become louder and more hateful in their protests against religious displays, especially against Christian symbols of Christmas, the celebration of Jesus Christ’s birth. I have yet to hear about any atheist protests against Muslims or Buddhists. Maybe they’re out there in droves and I’ve just missed it… but when it comes to shameless mugging for the media spotlight, atheists love to attack Christmas and Christians.
In Washington state, a heated ruckus occurred last Christmas, as discussed in the first FOX News video below. It’s now escalated this Christmas in the government-mandated removal of Christmas and Hanukkah symbols and displays. The governor of Washington has caved in to appease a fringe group minority of radical atheists. Never mind what it says to the millions of Christians, Catholics, and Jews in the state or in the country. Or to secular folks who just like seeing Christmas displays because it cheers them up.
This was last year in Washington state…
Washington State Hates Christmas: O’Reilly v. Gov. Gregoire | December 2008
This year, it’s gone farther in Washington state. Now, all Christmas and Jewish holiday symbols are banned from inside the capitol building.
FOX News: Atheist Victory? – Religious Displays Banned at Washington State Capitol | November 2009
FOX News: Washington State Bans Holiday Displays Inside Capitol:
The nativity crèche and the menorah are no longer welcome inside the Washington state Capitol after Gov. Chris Gregoire banned non-government displays, including religious ones, from inside the building.
The new rules — set to take effect Dec. 1 — came after repeated protests from The Freedom From Religion Foundation, a Washington-based atheist group, over holiday décor inside Capitol campus buildings in Olympia.
The rules, which were officially signed into order by Washington’s Department of General Administration on Oct. 30, still allow the annual state-sponsored holiday tree inside the Capitol rotunda. The new restrictions reportedly apply to all buildings and four parks managed by the general administration on the Capitol campus.
Last December, the atheist group erected a plaque on Capitol grounds that read: “There is no God and religion enslaves minds and hardens hearts” — sparking a heated dispute over holiday-season displays inside Capitol buildings.
“The state government caved to a select few Scrooges or atheists, where 95 percent of U.S. citizens celebrate Christmas,” said Ron Wesselius, a resident of Olympia, Wash., who has previously displayed his nativity scene inside the Capitol and who challenged the state in court over the new rules.
Annie Laurie Gaylor, co-president of the Wisconsin-based Freedom From Religion Foundation, told the Associated Press in November she was pleased about the new rules but added that they don’t go far enough.
Some passionate venting in the DrinkingWithBob video clip… warning, some profanity.
From DrinkingWithBob… Christmas trees are offensive
This World Net Daily article was posted back in 2004… Christmas bashing in New York City and Florida.
WND HOLIDAY BLUES
Nativity banned but Muslim, Jewish symbols allowed
2 prominent religious discrimination cases reach critical stageTwo prominent legal cases battling policies that outlaw public display of the Christian Nativity while allowing symbols of other religions have reached a critical stage.
In New York City, arguments will be presented Monday in a federal lawsuit challenging the city’s display of the Jewish Menorah during Hanukkah and the Islamic star and crescent during Ramadan in more than 1,200 public schools while barring Nativity scenes during Christmas.
In Florida, U.S. District Court Judge Cecilia Altonaga is expected to rule early next week on a request for a temporary restraining order that would require the town of Bay Harbor Islands to allow a Christian resident to display the Nativity alongside existing Jewish Menorahs.
Both cases are being argued by attorneys with the Michigan-based Thomas More Law Center.
“Christmas is under siege throughout our nation, and the cases in New York and Bay Harbor Islands demonstrate the kind of hostility and double standard being used by officials to deny Christians the right to publicly celebrate one of their holiest seasons,” said Richard Thompson, president and chief counsel of the Law Center.
The New York suit against the city’s Department of Education is in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit after senior U.S. District Court Judge Charles Sifton ruled the city’s discriminatory policy was permissible because it was an accommodation of “multiculturalism” and “an attempt to diversify the season and provide non-Christian holidays with parity.”
But Christmas is still embraced by a majority of Americans. Read about Colorado’s Politically Incorrect Sheriff at Patterico’s Pontifications to lift your spirits.
More reading:
JTA – Jewish & Israel News: Court: Schools can ban religious music at assemblies
Diary of a Mad Conservative: 72% Favor Merry Christmas
Motor City Times: Tyranny Of The Minority: Majority Of Americans Prefer ‘Merry Christmas’
HillBuzz: Something fun to do to Best Buy: force them to recognize every obscure and/or offensive holiday you can think of and You are hereby ordered by the State of Utopia to prepare merrily for Obamamas, December 13th
Gateway Pundit: Religious Ornaments Banned From Annual Capital Christmas Tree This Year
Examiner: The Christmas vs. Holiday battle ensues (video)
Alamo City Pundit: Feds Ban “Merry Christmas”; Get Caught; Blame Bush. . . (sigh)
UPI.com: ‘Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the court…
World Net Daily: Guess who’s now banned from Capitol Christmas tree! Forest Service forbids ‘religious themes’ on 5,000 decorations recognizing holiday
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