When the angry phone calls and emails started arriving at the office, I knew the holiday season was upon us. A typical message shouted that we at the American Civil Liberties Union are “horrible” and “we should be ashamed of ourselves,” and then concluded with an incongruous and agitated “Merry Christmas.”We get this type of correspondence a lot, mostly in reaction to a well-organized attempt by extremist groups to demonize the ACLU, crush religious diversity, and make a few bucks in the process. Sadly, this self-interested effort is being promoted in the guise of defending Christmas.
For example, the Alliance Defense Fund celebrates the season with an “It’s OK to say Merry Christmas” campaign, implying that the ACLU has challenged such holiday greetings. (As part of the effort, you can get a pamphlet and two Christmas pins for $29.) The website WorldNetDaily touts a book claiming “a thorough and virulent anti-Christmas campaign is being waged today by liberal activists and ACLU fanatics.” The site’s magazine has suggested there will be ACLU efforts to remove “In God We Trust” from U.S. currency, fire military chaplains, and expunge all references to God in America’s founding documents. (Learn more for just $19.95 … )
…continues at [www.aclu.org] ; one of the things that surprises me is that when in the ‘States when I get asked “What do you believe in” (sic) and the answer “Nothing” seems morally unacceptable to some.
Here in the UK, that’s fine. I can reject the notion of God, Allah, or even the Flying Spaghetti Monster:
…and yet nobody complains that I still say “Merry Christmas” / “Happy Hannukah” / “Wrap Up Well For The Winter Solstice” / whatever, and buy gifts for friends and family, give money to charity, help old ladies across the street, etc.
Apparently in the USA there’s this element of you’re either with us or against us? [link]
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