The “War on Christmas” began in the 1980s with legal challenges to nativity scenes on public property, and then morphed into a multicultural rage in the 1990s. It peaked around 2005-2008, and then subsided.

The anti-Christmas forces are still out there, most notably on college campuses. One thing never changes: the anti-Christmas activists continue to make spurious legal and ideological arguments to justify their hostility to the holiday. But they do not speak for most Americans.

As a recent Pew Research Center survey showed, 90 percent of Americans celebrate Christmas. The majority still celebrate Christmas as a religious holiday, though somewhat less than a few years ago. The majority also note that the religious roots of Christmas are less emphasized now than in the past, however only a third say they are bothered by it.

Some observers conclude that since most Americans are not bothered by the diminishing religious role of Christmas that that is evidence of how contrived the “War on Christmas” is. Wrong.

The attacking and neutering of Christmas has had the cooperation of elites from many segments of society: the courts; the universities; the elementary and secondary schools; the media; the entertainment industry; and activist secular organizations. All have played a pivotal role. So it would be astonishing if the survey data were different.

It is important to note that the elites did not take their cues from the people: there was no push by the public to accomplish this end.

Americans are a practical people. Their primary interests are both micro and local: they put their family and community first. In general, they tend to accommodate themselves to the prevailing winds of the culture, even if they would prefer different conditions. This includes the transformation of Christmas.

Instead of asking respondents whether they are “bothered” by the decline in the religious elements of Christmas, Pew researchers should have asked if they are “happy” with this outcome. No doubt that would have elicited a different response.

Most Americans are not cultural warriors, so when they note changes in the culture that they dislike, they tend to shrug, saying such things as, “it is what it is.” That should not be read as an endorsement: it is a way of practically adjusting to new norms and values.

Similarly, if the American people had been asked some 30 years ago, when the “War on Christmas” began, whether they would prefer to preserve the religious roots of Christmas, or adopt a more secular approach, it is a sure bet they would have opted for the former. But the elites never asked—they never do—they simply imposed.

Anyone who thinks the “War on Christmas” is not real should go to the Catholic League website and check out our Annual Reports; there are hundreds of examples available online. Below follows a short list of some of our favorites.

THE DATA

2017

Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority–Banned a D.C. bus ad by the Archdiocese of Washington because it featured the words, “Find the Perfect Gift.” It neither mentioned nor depicted Christ.
University of Minnesota–Santa Claus, Christmas trees and the colors red and green are examples of inappropriate “religious iconography” during the holiday season, according to a paper distributed during a “Respecting Religious Diversity” event. “Jewish Hanukkah” is targeted, too, with menorahs and the colors blue and white also described as being “not appropriate.”

2015

University of Tennessee–The Office of Diversity and Inclusion at UT issued guidelines indicating which kinds of “holiday” celebrations would be tolerated, and which would not be. Best of all was their admonition not to hold “a Christmas party in disguise.”
December 2
Marlborough, NH–The school superintendent banned use of the word “Christmas” from all Christmas events, including celebrations at the local American Legion post. He said he was constitutionally obligated to censor Christmas. Bill Donohue suggested that he contact the United States Congress and demand that it rescind Christmas as a national holiday.
December 15
Johnson County, KY–The superintendent of schools censored all references to religion in this year’s Christmas celebrations. Specifically, he banned a presentation of “A Charlie Brown Christmas” at one school.

2014

December 15
Orono, ME–An administrator at the University of Maine, emailed other employees advising them not to display any “decoration that could be perceived as religious” including “xmas trees, wreaths, xmas presents, candy canes, etc.”

2013

November 15
West Columbia, SC–The American Humanist Association threatened to sue the East Point Academy charter school over its annual Christmas toy drive “because the purpose and effect of Operation Christmas Child is to induce impoverished children to convert to Christianity.”
December 5
Frisco, TX–Students who attended Nichols Elementary School’s “Winter Party” were banned from talking about Christmas or any other religious holiday.
December 5
Nashville, TN–Two shoppers were asked to leave the Opry Mills Mall because they were dressed in Christmas costumes and wishing people a Merry Christmas.
December 12
Kings Park, NY–Officials at the Ralph J. Osgood Intermediate School decreed that the version of “Silent Night” performed during the school’s concert would delete all religious references. Thus “Silent Night” was sung with lyrics such as “Holy infant,” “Christ the Savior,” and “Jesus Lord at thy birth” omitted.

2011

November 3
The Air Force apologized after being accused of religious intolerance by the Military Religious Freedom Foundation for promoting Operation Christmas Child. Sponsored by Samaritan’s Purse, a Christian group, it sends Christmas gifts to impoverished children worldwide.

2009

December 1-4
Chelmsford, MA–The Byam Elementary School asked parents to donate holiday gifts to the school’s holiday gift shop. Shopping guidelines specified “No Christmas, Chanukah, or religious items,” and “No Santa, candy canes or stockings.”
December 14
Slatington, PA–Santa was banned from his gift-giver role in the Northern Lehigh Valley School District in Pennsylvania; instead the district mascot, the Bulldog, got the job.
December 18-19
Benton, AR–A children’s play “Christmas Hang-Ups” included a hula girl. The woman in charge of the play announced that the hula girl represented the reason for the season: “The meaning of Christmas is to not judge each other.”

2007

December
During a “Winter Concert” at a public elementary school in the Maryland suburbs of Washington, D.C., “The Twelve Days of Christmas” was performed, but the word “Christmas” was replaced throughout the song with the word “winter.”

2006

Penn State’s Associate Professor of Diversity Education issued guidelines for holiday parties “neutral” decorations—”flowers, balloons, candles and snowflakes.”

2005

Jefferson, GA–The Jackson County School System sent a letter to teachers prohibiting them from wearing “any pins, angels, crosses, clothing” with any religious connotation or affiliation, and from referring to any party as a “Christmas” party.
Texas public school teachers were told that they could not mention the word “Christmas.”

2004

Sacramento, CA–Three first-grade teachers were ordered by a superior not to let the word “Christmas” slip from their lips.

2001

Rochester, MN–Two 13-year-old middle school students were disciplined following a holiday skit. Their offense was wearing red and green scarves and ending the skit by saying, “We hope you all have a merry Christmas.”
Plymouth, IL–A second-grade teacher was warned by the principal not to read a book about Christmas to her students. The book was available in the school library.
Kensington, MD–The town of Kensington officially banned Santa Claus at its annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony.
Northdale, FL–Government officials banned icicle lights that some residents wanted put up on public property as part of the Christmas season.

1997

Hillsborough, NJ–The school board decided to change the name of the Christmas holiday to the “December season” in order to avoid “religious overtones.” Classroom gift-giving was also banned as a religious activity.

1996

Sacramento, CA–In a public school a ban was placed on celebrating Christmas because school officials held that Christianity “was not a world religion.”

The annual “War on Christmas” continued in 2014 with both sides having achieved roughly the same number of wins and losses. This is certainly an improvement over the days when the anti-Christmas side appeared to be winning this battle in the culture war. The good news is that the pro-Christmas side has been pushing back, even reversing previous losses.

The presence of the Catholic League was felt in New York City where a record number of people commented on our nativity scene in Central Park; this year it was displayed right in front of the Plaza Hotel.

When it comes to putting a nativity scene on public property, the pro-Christmas activists claimed several victories, despite the fact that almost all of them were challenged by the anti-Christmas forces. They too had their victories, succeeding in getting some displays removed. 

Freedom from Religion Foundation was active in many of the attacks, as were American Atheists, the ACLU, and Americans United for Separation of Church and State; the latter advised Satanists of their rights, thus proving that their real agenda is to attack Christianity. American Atheists erected anti-Christmas billboards in some cities, mocking the holiday. 

Most atheists either celebrate Christmas in a secular fashion, or are wholly dismissive of it; few are terrified of it. American Atheist President David Silverman showed his hand when he said “Millions of American children are forced to go to church under the threat of being denied meals, losing household privileges, having their college tuition cut off, or being kicked out of their homes. Many atheists are forced to go to church under threat of divorce or lose custody of their children.” It is this mindset which shows the true goal of these activists, not just to censor Christmas, but to attack those who celebrate it.  

The Catholic League made a splash in Los Angeles with its billboard: we called attention to hate speech directed at Christians at home and abroad. From the media response, we know we provoked a discussion. 

We also drew attention to the extent that militant secularists are terrified about Christmas. For example, their censorial response reached absurd heights when some sought to ban candy canes. That was the initial response of the University of Maine; it changed its policy once the media exposed its madness. Why did it seek to censor candy canes? Because, they said, the candy canes reminded people of Christmas. Evidently, that is not something that an institution of higher learning should be expected to tolerate.  

Cambridge, Massachusetts, we pointed out, wouldn’t blink an eye about welcoming terrorists to speak at any venue, but when it came to having Santa appear at a local school winter concert, the open-minded bigots decided to disinvite him.

It never ceases to amaze us that all of those seeking to silence the Christian voice at Christmastime boast of their unwavering commitment to freedom of speech, diversity, and tolerance. Their real political stripes are totalitarian; they are a menace to freedom. But the good news is that they keep running up against people like us.

September 9 – October 14
Marshfield, MA – On September 9 the School Committee of the Marshfield School District voted 3-2 to change the name of the annual December break to “Holiday Break” from its original designation of “Christmas Vacation.” The matter was considered because one parent complained to the superintendent that using Christmas was “slightly archaic.”

Outraged residents and parents collected over 400 signatures and launched a campaign to convince the School Committee to change the name back. On October 14 the committee considered a motion to restore “Christmas Vacation” to the calendar, but it too was defeated 3-2.

November 24
Rusk, TX – The American Humanist Association sent a letter to Cherokee County officials objecting to the placement of a nativity scene on the lawn outside the county courthouse. Texas State Attorney General Greg Abbott expressed his support for, and legal assistance in defending the display.

November 25
Piedmont, AL – The theme of the city’s annual Christmas parade was “Let’s Keep Christ in Christmas” until the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) sent officials a letter claiming that the theme “alienates non-Christians.” City officials responded to FFRF the following day that the theme had been changed to simply the “City of Piedmont Christmas Parade.”

December
Tallahassee, FL – The Florida Department of Management Services approved a number of displays for the State Capitol, some of which are meant to mock Christians and Christmas. A pro-Christmas group would be erecting a nativity; the Satanic Temple, who was being represented by Americans United for the Separation of Church and State, was approved for a falling angel display; American Atheists displayed a placard mocking the true meaning of “X-mas” including friends, fun and Chinese food; local blogger and activist Chaz Stevens displayed a pole made out of beer cans for the fictional holiday Festivus; and the Freedom From Religion Foundation once again displayed its secular Winter Solstice banner in the capitol. The banner included a “bill of rights nativity” scene.

December
American Atheists launched a series of billboards in St. Louis, Milwaukee and Ft. Smith, Arkansas. The billboards featured an image of a young girl and her letter to Santa. It read, “Dear Santa, All I want for Christmas is to skip Church! I’m too old for fairy tales.”

December 2
Madison, WI – The Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) installed a “Natural Nativity Scene” in the Wisconsin state capitol. The display, which is meant to mock Christmas, celebrates the rebirth of the sun and includes Charles Darwin, Thomas Jefferson, Emma Goldman and the Statue of Liberty. Jesus is represented by a female doll and Mary by Venus. FFRF also installed a Winter Solstice sign imploring readers to “Keep State and Church Separate.”

December 4
Columbia, TN – Maury County’s Commissioners voted not to install a nativity on their courthouse lawn this year. The county attorney and local mayor both warned the commissioners against approving the display citing the likelihood of lawsuits.

December 4
Coral Gables, FL – Vandals sprayed statues of Mary and Joseph with blue and yellow paint and stole the statue of baby Jesus from the nativity scene outside an office building. Police recovered the missing statue on December 6 and returned it to the business owner. The Jesus statue is valued at $2500.

December 4
Portsmouth, NH – The ACLU objected to the decision made by Sheriff Bill Watson to display Christmas trees, a nativity scene and a menorah inside the city’s courthouse. Sheriff Watson spent his own money to buy three trees for display at each entrance to the courthouse, as well as a nativity set and a menorah that were displayed inside the sheriff’s office. City policy prohibits religious displays and the ACLU protested the inclusion of the religious symbols. As a result, the city’s chief judge asked Watson to voluntarily remove the religious displays. Watson, who initially rebuked the ACLU, complied with the judge’s request in order to avoid a legal directive.

December 4
Rockaway Township, NJ – The baby Jesus figures were stolen from two nativity scenes on the lawns of private homes. Both figurines were taken after 9 p.m. from the houses that were 3 miles apart. Police were investigating whether the same person was responsible for both thefts. One of the figures was later recovered.

December 5
American Atheists unveiled billboards in Memphis and Nashville, TN that targeted Christians. The atheists admit that their billboard was aimed at “in-the-closet atheists who are pressured to observe religious traditions during the holidays.”

December 5
Mountain Home, AR – The American Humanist Association complained that a crèche on the lawn of the Baxter County Courthouse violated the First Amendment. The display also included a 10-foot Christmas tree, Santa Claus, and a reindeer. It had been installed for over 30 years. After complaints were made in 2013, the county included a sign with a disclaimer that the display was privately funded.

December 6
Killen, TX – Vandals struck the home of a disabled veteran who displayed dozens of inflatable Christmas decorations as well as over 1900 lights and other decorations. The inflatable decorations were slashed and wires were cut. Over $800 in damage was inflicted.

December 7
The season finale of “Family Guy” on Fox, was titled “The 2000 Year-Old Virgin,” and featured the characters meeting Jesus in a mall. Jesus discloses that he does not have a good relationship with his father, God. God spends Christmas at a time-share with a girl-friend, which leaves Jesus home alone for his birthday.

The characters learn that Jesus is a virgin and does not know anything about sex. They embark on a mission to find Jesus a girlfriend for his birthday. The remainder of the episode mocks Jesus, Christians and the Christmas story.

December 7
Franklin, IN – A two-foot statue of Jesus was removed from the nativity at the Indiana Masonic Home. The retirement community moved the nativity to a more prominent location this year so that it would be visible to passing traffic. The missing statue was later found elsewhere on the property.

December 9
North Augusta, SC – A nativity display was removed from the Nancy Carson Library. After the library received complaints, including from the County Council, the nativity was returned as part of a display that included other religious and non-religious symbols.

December 11
Jay City, FL – After receiving a letter from the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF), the Jay City attorney advised against installing a crèche at city hall. FFRF claimed the display would be illegal and the city feared incurring legal costs defending the crèche. Instead the city gave the crèche to a private organization to display.

December 11
North Ogden, UT – A complaint was filed by a local resident against a nativity that was set up in front of the city’s offices. Additionally a Facebook page for the city’s mayor became a forum for debate between those residents who wanted the display and those that did not. A spokesperson for the Utah chapter of the ACLU said the city needed to install secular symbols such as reindeer or candy canes next to the nativity. The mayor supported keeping the nativity.

December 12
Cambridge, MA – Santa Claus was disinvited from his traditional appearance at the winter concert at Andrew Peabody School because one parent complained. The annual concert for first through fourth grade students would normally include a visit from Santa. The school describes itself as an “inclusive community” and said Santa would make an appearance at a different event for families at the school. That event was not part of the school day and attendance was optional.

December 12
Grand Haven, MI – Americans United for the Separation of Church and State threatened to sue the city over the installation of a nativity scene on city owned Dewey Hill. The location is already subject to controversy because of a cross on the property.

Note: See the Activists section for more information about those protesting the cross.

December 12
Utica, NY – The Freedom From Religion Foundation sent a letter to the Utica Fire Department demanding that a “Happy Birthday Jesus – We Love You” sign be removed from outside fire station 4. The handmade sign was installed outside the station by the local chief.

December 13
Dallas, NC – After being threatened with a lawsuit from the Freedom From Religion Foundation, the town decided to remove a nativity from town property. The nativity had been placed outside the courthouse every Christmas for 40 years.

December 15
Lansing, MI – The Satanic Temple was approved for a display outside the state capitol. According to Capitol rules the display had to be removed each night. The display was meant to counter a nativity scene which was installed later in the month.

December 15
Orono, ME – An administrator at the University of Maine, Auxiliary Services Executive Director Daniel Stirrup, emailed other employees advising them not to display any “decoration that could be perceived as religious” including “xmas trees, wreaths, xmas presents, candy canes, etc.” The email continued that “plain trees without presents underneath, decorative lights, but not on trees, snow flakes, etc.” were allowed.

Once students complained and the local media covered the story, the school’s Dean of Students issued a statement revoking the earlier policy and stating “we welcome every faith tradition, and we welcome displays of those faith traditions.”

December 16
Brookville, IN – The ACLU filed a lawsuit on behalf of the Freedom From Religion Foundation against a nativity scene that was on display outside the Franklin County Courthouse. The display was paid for with private donations.

December 16
Chicago, IL – A series of 11 billboards were installed by the Freedom From Religion Foundation. The advertisements featured members of the group with quotes meant to mock people of faith. That the billboards were installed shortly before Christmas showed they were targeting Christians.

December 18
Lincoln, NE – An application by the Thomas More Society to install a crèche in the Nebraska state capitol was approved, but not without controversy. However a state senator, Ernie Chambers, protested the decision to grant the group permission. “Except for the fact that I am a man who believes in using legal processes to address inappropriate use of state facilities, I would dismantle it and remove it myself” Sen. Chambers said.

December 21
Lockhart, SC – A vandal slashed inflatable Christmas decorations at two homes.

December 22
Louisville, KY – At least 25 homes were vandalized when a group of teenagers went around breaking Christmas decorations, stealing lights and slashing air-filled displays.

December 22
Statesboro, GA – The Freedom From Religion Foundation set up a freethought solstice banner to counter the nativity outside the Bulloch County Courthouse. The banner said there is no God and that religion is a myth.

December 24 – 25
American Atheists’ internet based television channel, AtheistTV, promised “original programs proclaiming the truth about Christmas.” The scheduled programs included a de-bunking of Christmas, anti-Christmas shows, and a selection titled “Is Christmas a Religious Holiday?”

December 25
Haverhill, MA – When a priest arrived at Sacred Heart Parish to celebrate Christmas Mass he noticed the baby Jesus figure was missing from the church’s nativity scene. Upon closer inspection he discovered that the infant was replaced with a severed pig’s head.

Police arrested a suspect and charged her with destruction of a place of worship. The same homeless woman also vandalized the nativity on December 31 when she stole a large metal crucifix from the crèche.

October 30
Olympia, WA – The director of the Department of General Administration signed rules that dictated no religious or other nongovernmental displays would be allowed inside any building on the State Capitol campus. But the new rules did allow for a state sponsored “Holiday Tree” to be displayed in the Capitol rotunda. Although the new rules did not allow religious displays inside the Capitol buildings, Annie Laurie Gaylor, co-president of the Freedom From Religion Foundation, believed the rules were not strict enough because they allowed for displays outside of the buildings. She said, “I don’t think the public will be any happier about it on the outside than they would be on the inside. I encourage the state to avoid the entire debacle.”

November 2
Seattle, WA – The Freedom From Religion Foundation launched an ad campaign featuring Santa Claus saying, “Yes, Virginia, there is no God.” Foundation co-president Dan Barker said, “People have been celebrating the winter solstice long before Christmas. We see Christianity as the intruder, trying to steal the natural holiday from all of us humans.” The other co-president, Annie Laurie Gaylor, said, “We nonbelievers don’t mind sharing the season with Christians, but we think there should be some acknowledgement that Christians really ‘stole’ the trimmings of Christmas, and the sun-god myths, from pagans.”

November 11
Clarksville, TN – The ACLU asked the City of Clarksville to “end the unlawful endorsement of religion,” claiming that the city paid for the animals used in its Nativity scene. The organization had no issue with the menorah erected in Nashville’s Riverfront Park.

November 19
West Chester, PA – New rules were issued for holiday displays in front of the Chester County Courthouse. Under the new rules, four displays were allowed in front of the Courthouse for a limited period of time, provided they were “content-neutral” in terms of their message. But symbols—religious or secular—are by their very nature content-specific, thus making the request positively oxymoronic.

November 23
The American Humanist Association launched an ad campaign to celebrate “a new kind of holiday tradition.” The ads proclaimed, “No God…No Problem!” The group ran the ads on buses in Washington, D.C., New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco.

November 24
Manchester, MA – A woman hoped that her parish could have a live nativity scene on Christmas Eve, but was told by the town’s board of selectmen that it wasn’t an option.

The reason the board gave her was the church sits on the town common and the board was worried about the legal ramifications of allowing a crèche on public property.

November 29
Chambersburg, PA – A nativity scene that had been displayed in Memorial Square for almost 50 years was taken down following a request from Carl Silverman of PA Nonbelievers to put up a sign, saying, “Celebrating Solstice—Honoring Atheist War Veterans,” to accompany the manger.

November 30
Leesburg, VA – The grounds committee at the Loudon County Courthouse decided to ban the traditional display of the crèche, menorah and Christmas tree. A couple of weeks later, the county officials overturned the ban.

November – December
Around Thanksgiving, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) launched a Christmas campaign that exploited Christian symbols. The ads featured Playboystarlet Joanna Krupa: the ad showed a side angle of her naked from the waist up holding a dog and a rosary; she was adorned with angel wings and a halo. The inscription below read, “Be an angel for Animals: ALWAYS ADOPT. NEVER BUY.”

In December, PETA bared Krupa on another billboard in Los Angeles. Only this time, Krupa appeared fully naked as an angel holding a carefully-placed crucifix. Again, the target of the ad was pet stores.

December
For whatever reason, there were more raunchy Christmas plays in 2009 than ever before. Not surprisingly, many were gay-themed, most were confined to the east and west coasts, and all were loved by art critics. The plays ran the gamut from the irreverent to the extremely vulgar.

In New York City, naked performers were seen in “Naked Holidays NYC ‘09” and “Filthy Lucre: A Burlesque Christmas Carol”; the latter is the work of the anti-Catholic homosexual Christopher Durang. Gays also flocked to see “The Gayest Christmas Pageant Ever!” and “Santa Claus is Coming Out.” Those who wished to see Baby Jesus electrocuted went to see “Hot Babes in Toyland,” while those who wanted to see a fetal rabbit morph into Baby Jesus attended “A Very Sandwich Christmas.”

“XMAS!” was hosted by Columbia University; the play depicts the Virgin Mary begging for sex. “The Eight: Reindeer Monologues” was performed in Philadelphia and featured a discussion of Santa raping Vixen.

On the west coast, “How the Drag Queen Stole Christmas” was shown in Oakland, and Seattle was home to “Ham for the Holidays: Lard Potion No. 9,” a play that sparkles with a “teeny-tiny Sequin Gay Men’s Chorus.” Also in Seattle was “It Came from Under the Tree!: A Pickled Puppet Christmas Special” that featured nudity and a Michael Jackson character who envies Santa’s way with children.

Playing on both coasts was Mimi Imfurst’s “Madonna’s Christmas Celebration,” one that featured a sexual deviant dressed as the Blessed Virgin: he/she talks about the difficulty of having sex with God, and that he/she coined the phrase “Oh, my God” while having sex with Him.

December
Springfield, IL – The Freedom From Religion Foundation placed a sign at the State Capitol. Here is what the sign said:

There are no gods,
No devils, no angels,
No heaven or hell.
There is only our natural world.
Religion is but
Myth and superstition
That hardens hearts
And enslaves minds.

The Foundation’s co-president, Annie Laurie Gaylor, said, “This sign is a reminder of the real reason for the season, the Winter Solstice.”

December
There was a Christmas tree inside Cary, North Carolina’s town hall, but the town officials couldn’t bring themselves to call it by its proper name; instead they relabeled it the “Community Tree.”

In Madison, Wisconsin they used to have a “Holiday Tree,” but even that was deemed too improper this year, so they opted for “The State Capitol Tree.”

American Atheists threw a party and decorated what they called their “Solstice Tree.”

December
Just like in years past, we were flooded with reports from across the nation about nativity scenes being vandalized. Here is a sample of the stories that came to our attention:

• In Manchester, New Hampshire a five-foot tall figure of one of the Wise Men was stolen from a nativity scene that had been set up for 40 years.

• In a neighborhood near the University of Central Florida in Orlando, five statues of the Baby Jesus were stolen from residential nativity scenes.

• Two drunk men damaged figures of St. Joseph, one of the Wise Men, a donkey and the Baby Jesus in Pearl River, NY. The estimated damage was between $5,000 and $6,000.

• Vandals armed with machetes damaged a Christmas display in front of a home in Las Vegas, Nevada.

• In Johnston City, Illinois a nativity scene was stolen and $1,000 worth of damage was caused in a residential neighborhood.

• Half of a nativity scene, including the Baby Jesus and manger, was stolen from a Baptist church in Danville, Virginia.

• In Woodland, California a nativity statue of St. Joseph was knocked over and its staff was missing inside Holy Rosary Catholic Church. A week later, the parish priest discovered someone broke off a head of a shepherd from the same nativity scene.

• Figures of St. Joseph and the Baby Jesus were stolen from a $500 nativity set in front of a home in Visalia, California.

• Two women stole the Wise Men from a crèche outside of Town Hall in Stony Point, New York.

• In Sandusky, Ohio, figures of the Baby Jesus and the Virgin Mary were stolen from a church’s nativity scene valued at $35,000.

• A nativity set was stolen from a Chick-Fil-A restaurant in East Point, Georgia.

• A figure of the Baby Jesus was stolen from a home in Beaverton, Oregon. The following day the homeowner discovered that the rest of the figures were missing and only the wooden stable was left.

• A drive-through nativity scene at a Christian church was vandalized in New Bern, North Carolina. The vandals painted satanic symbols and vulgarities on some figures and tore the other ones down.

• A sheep and camel were stolen from a nativity scene worth over $1,000 in Clinton Township, New Jersey. The vandals also damaged or stole Christmas decorations from at least six homes.

• Eleven figures of the Baby Jesus were stolen from front yards in Floresville, Texas.

• In Daytona Beach, Florida a nativity scene was broken and strewn about a yard and street in front of a home.

• A few nativity sets were stolen from a neighborhood in Port Chester, New Jersey.

• Handmade figures of a Wise Man, a lamb and a shepherd were stolen from a home in Farmington, New Mexico.

• At the mayor’s home in Suffern, New York, statues of St. Joseph and the Baby Jesus were stolen.

• The figures of the Baby Jesus, St. Joseph and a small lamb were stolen from the Holy Name Catholic Church’s nativity scene in downtown Steamboat, Colorado.

• Vandals destroyed over $1,000 worth of Christmas decorations, including a nativity scene at the Rockhill Trolley Museum in Rockhill Furnace, Pennsylvania.

• Figures of the Baby Jesus were stolen from homes or churches in Orange, California; Monroe County, Indiana; Chesterton, Indiana; Fairfield, Illinois; Ada, Oklahoma; Palmer, Massachusetts; Gastonia, North Carolina; Chesapeake, Virginia; Surprise, Arizona; Hopkinton, Massachusetts; Duboistown, Pennsylvania; Vineland, New Jersey; Folkston, Georgia; Glenview, Illinois; Ridgewood, New Jersey; Emporia, Kansas; Juneau, Wisconsin; Arkadelphia, Arkansas; Howell, Michigan; and Naperville, Illinois.

December 1-4
Chelmsford, MA – The Byam Elementary School asked parents to donate holiday gifts to the school’s holiday gift shop. Shopping guidelines informed that “Seasonal items such as snowmen, mittens, snowflakes are a big hit.”   But the school also had a list of “Items NOT Permitted.” The school was very specific about which items it considered taboo: “No Christmas, Chanukah, or religious items,” and “No Santa, candy canes or stockings.”

December 3
Waterbury, CT – The staff at Walsh Elementary School was under strict orders from principal Erik Brown not to employ secular, as well as religious, Christian symbols when they enjoyed their “winter celebration” on December 21. Among the symbols forbidden were Santa Claus and Christmas Trees. Yet Christmas carols were sung at the event, as were Hanukkah songs. Although the students were given gifts, Frosty the Snowman replaced Santa as the gift-giver.

Although there is no law banning the display of secular holiday symbols in Connecticut schools, Brown said, “It is state law that a public school can’t knowingly exclude children.” This was not true. If that had been the case, than no Christmas or Hanukkah songs would have been sung in fear that a Buddhist child would be excluded.

December 4-8
Ashland, OR – Belleview Elementary’s principal, Michelle Zundel, said that one family made a complaint about the “Giving Tree” that was displayed in the school lobby, and had it removed. “The decision to remove the tree was a very difficult one because the important constitutional issues for a school are to maintain neutrality.” According to one news report, Ashland Superintendent Juli Di Chiro said that school officials were working on developing district-wide rules to address such issues.

This was all based on ignorance: (a) a Christmas tree—never mind a “Giving Tree”—is not a religious symbol, (b) there are no constitutional issues involved in displaying secular symbols in the schools, and (c) they have had a policy governing such matters since 1989.

Ashland School District 5 school officials ought to have read their own policy, “Teaching about Religion.” Guideline #7 explicitly states: “No public school funds shall be used for an intended devotional display or religious symbols such as a Star of David, cross, crucifix, Christmas nativity scene or a Buddhist statue of sacred monkeys.”

Note that the policy mentioned absolutely nothing about banning secular symbols, such as a Christmas tree.

A few days later, after hearing from angry parents at a school meeting and being pounded with e-mails from Catholic League members and supporters, Zundel decided to restore the tree to the school’s lobby. But there was still one condition: the tree had to be modified to avoid favoring any religion.

December 7
In the New York Times, there was an article about White House social secretary Desirée Rogers. In it, reporter Sheryl Gay Stolberg wrote: “When former social secretaries gave a luncheon to welcome Ms. Rogers earlier this year, one participant said she surprised them by suggesting the Obamas were planning a ‘non-religious Christmas….’”

This same participant said that “the Obamas did not intend to put the manger scene on display” (this was confirmed by the White House). Indeed, as Stolberg wrote, “there had been internal discussions about making Christmas more inclusive and whether to display the crèche.”

In the end, the crèche was displayed.

December 9
Kokomo, IN – Lighted displays of various animals including a whale and the Loch Ness Monster were placed on the lawn of the Howard County Courthouse, rather than the usual holiday fare. Commissioner Tyler Moore defended the decision by offering up this explanation: “If we put the religious or Christmas decorations up, we’d be offending a whole other group of citizens and taxpayers.”

December 10
Vineland, NJ – In an article in the Daily Journal about changing the name of Vineland’s Christmas Parade to the Holiday Parade, a letter to the editor from Vineland officials was referenced. In the letter, Vineland Downtown Improvement District/Main Street officials said they were “precluded from calling it the Christmas parade because the city uses government revenue in the form of Urban Enterprise Zone dollars to fund the parade.”

December 14
Slatington, PA – Santa was banned from his gift-giver role in the Northern Lehigh Valley School District in Pennsylvania; instead the district mascot, the Bulldog, got the job. Superintendent Mike Michaels stated, “We’re trying to make sure it’s every child, no matter what their religion is, that they can feel that this season is for them.”

December 18-19
Benton, AR – In the children’s play “Christmas Hang-Ups,” a character of a hula girl was ridiculed for not being “Christmasy.” The woman in charge of the play announced that the hula girl represented the reason for the season: “The meaning of Christmas is to not judge each other.”

Activist Organizations

November 28
The Anti-Defamation League advised government officials on the placement of religious symbols on public grounds. One of the matters explained by ADL was “Choosing appropriate holiday symbols to decorate school grounds—among them Christmas trees, menorahs, reindeers, and snowmen.” Christian displays did not make the cut.

December
Section, CT – The Connecticut Valley Atheists erected a ten-foot-tall sign of the World Trade Center’s Twin Towers with the words “Imagine No Religion” next to a nativity scene in a public park.

December 
Columbus, OH – The Freedom from Religion Foundation asked for an investigation on Governor Ted Strickland to see whether or not he violated his oath of office to uphold the constitutions of Ohio and the United States by allowing religious displays on public property. Strickland had resisted erecting non-seasonal pagan displays.

December 18
Madison, WI – The Freedom from Religion Foundation objected to the nativity scene on the lawn of the Manitowoc County Courthouse. Because the nativity scene was owned by a Catholic organization, the Foundation argued that the government was endorsing Catholicism.

December 19
Racine, WI – Atheists were upset that a crèche was erected on the city’s Monument Square. They said that the local church groups that sponsored the nativity scene were, “shoving [religion] into the face of the entire population.”

December 19
Webster, MA – Americans United for Separation of Church and State urged the town to remove a nativity scene from the Town Hall lawn. Americans United claimed that the crèche was a government endorsement of religion.

December 24
Green Bay, WI – The Freedom from Religion Foundation filed a lawsuit challenging the city’s display of the crèche on the roof of the City Hall.

The Arts

December 8
Los Angeles, CA – The “Merry Titmas” exhibit opened. The display included sacrilegious artwork such as a large-breasted Blessed Virgin Mary wearing a Hooters tank-top with chicken wings on the blanket where the Baby Jesus should be. The curator commented on the painting saying, “I really feel that if the Virgin Mary found herself knocked up today that she would have to go work at Hooters to support the baby Jesus.”

Business/Workplace

November 13
Lowe’s, the nationwide home improvement chain, apologized for referring to Christmas trees as “family trees” in its holiday catalog. A spokeswoman called the use of the term “family trees” a “plain old error.”

Education

October 9
Oak Lawn, IL – The Oak Lawn School District voted to include Ramadan as well as Christmas on the school calendar. Christmas had previously been removed from the school calendar as had Easter and secular holidays such as Halloween. Christian holidays were removed from the calendar because of complaints made by Muslim parents and students which make up one-third of the district’s enrollment.

December
A public elementary school in the Maryland suburbs of Washington, D.C. held its “Winter Concert” with various secular songs. During the concert a class performed the song “The Twelve Days of Christmas” but the word “Christmas” was replaced throughout the song with the word “winter”.

December 19
Moore, OK – The Moore, Putnam City, and Midwest City-Del School Districts did away with Christmas parties in elementary schools. They replaced the Christmas parties with “Winter” parties. District administrators said that moving away from Christmas parties reflects the changing demographics of the area.

December 20
Weatherford, OK – The word “Christmas” was banned from Southwestern Oklahoma State University. Decorations in the registrar’s office containing the words “Christ” or “Christmas” were covered up and there could be no use of “Merry Christmas” in e-mails.

Government

November 15
Oklahoma City, OK – The City Manager e-mailed a memo to the department and division heads of the city government concerning “Holiday Decorations.” In the memo the City Manager bans nativity scenes, cherubs, crosses, menorahs, etc. The memo also lists acceptable displays such as snowmen, reindeer, and evergreen trees.

November 27
Larimer, CO – A county sheriff was under investigation because he publicly expressed his frustration with the political correctness of Christmas.

December 13
New York City – A press conference was called at City Hall to discuss the topic of religious discrimination in the New York City schools. The schools allow the display of Jewish and Islamic religious symbols, but neglect to display Christian religious symbols. Bill Donohue spoke at the press conference along with Councilman Tony Avella, Rabbi Yehuda Levin of Jews for Morality, and Martin Kelly of the Ancient Order of Hibernians.

The press conference followed months of correspondence between Donohue and the New York City Department of Education (DOE). On June 24, a press conference was called at City Hall to announce Councilman Avella’s resolution to allow the display of nativity scenes in public schools during the Christmas season. In October, Donohue wrote to New York City Schools Chancellor Joel Klein, “There is no constitutional prohibition or court ruling that disallows the display of nativity scenes in the New York City public schools.” The DOE responded that they permit “the display of holiday secular decorations with secular dimensions.”

On November 21 Donohue responded to the DOE stating that the 2nd Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals ruled that it was constitutional for religious symbols to be displayed in the schools, and stated that the federal district court erred by declaring the menorah and the star and crescent secular in nature. So by displaying the menorah and the star and crescent, the DOE is denying Christians parity by not allowing a crèche to be displayed.

The DOE’s General Counsel, Michael Best, replied to Donohue that the courts have upheld the DOE’s policy and that there is nothing wrong with it. On December 4, Donohue responded to Best stating, “It is plain to see that although New York City is not barred from permitting a crèche alongside the menorah and star and crescent, it has elected not to do so. This is not a matter for the courts, but for the legislature.” At the December 13 event, Donohue discussed Councilman Avella’s resolution that would grant parity to Christians.

Vandalism

November 22
Kearney, MO – A large portion of a man’s Christmas display was destroyed Thanksgiving night.

November 28
Schaumburg, IL – Two plastic figures of the Baby Jesus were stolen from two homes in a neighborhood. The homeowners had placed the figures on their front lawns only days before they were stolen.

November 28
Westbury, NY – A 72 year-old man was attacked as he was hanging Christmas lights in his front yard. The attacker, a 21 year-old man, followed the older man and smashed his nativity scene during the attack.

November 28
Lattimore, NC – A life-size Baby Jesus figure was stolen from a daycare. The figure was stolen a day after the children of the daycare, all under the age of 5, assisted the staff in setting up the display.

November 28
Windham, NH – Two 18”x 24” signs were stolen from the Windham Bible Chapel. The signs directed visitors to the chapel’s Journey to Bethlehem presentation, a live play with a cast of 100 telling the birth of Christ.

November 29
Elyria, OH – Vandals destroyed a man’s inflatable Christmas decorations and stole the Baby Jesus from his nativity set.

November 30
Hoffman Estates, IL – A man woke up to find seven or eight boys smashing his decorations and attempted to stop them from leaving. When he stepped in front of their car; he was hit and dragged, running over his foot in the process. The man valued his losses at over $1000.

December 1
Rogers, AR – Figures of St. Joseph and a donkey were stolen from a front yard. A few years prior the homeowner had an angel stolen from the set.

December 3
Marlowe, WV – A complete set of nativity figures was stolen, save the angel, from a nativity scene at a Christian retreat center.

December 3
Bozeman, MT – A full nativity set, except for the stage and hay, was stolen from a yard near Montana State University. Other outdoor decorations including a church, candy-cane lights, and a wreath were not vandalized.

December 4
Bal Harbour, FL – A figure of the Baby Jesus was stolen from a nativity set about an hour after it was displayed. In the park where the figure was stolen, a Christmas tree and menorah were untouched.

December 6
Glastonbury, CT – Figures of the Mother Mary and a sheep were stolen from a church’s nativity scene. The Baby Jesus was stolen last year from the same display. The stolen pieces would take $2000 to replace.

December 8
Tampa, FL – A 13-piece nativity scene was stolen from a front yard only hours after it had been put up.

December 8
Greensboro, NC – A nativity scene at Greensboro College was destroyed. Every figure of the scene was either ripped apart or smashed to the ground. The vice president of the school said that the set was an antique and was very valuable.

December 8
Longwood, FL – Two teenage girls, who were caught on the surveillance camera, vandalized The Walk Through Bethlehem attraction.

December 8
Sylvania Township, OH – A Baby Jesus figure was stolen from a nativity scene outside of a priest’s home. The priest was out of town for the week and returned to find only the Infant Jesus missing from the crèche.

December 8
Marietta, GA – A public school coach drove several middle-schoolers in his pickup truck and damaged Christmas displays with them. The coach and students placed lawn figures in sexual positions as well as trashed Christmas displays.

December 9
Manchester, NH – Figures of a Baby Jesus and a Wiseman were stolen from a nativity scene along with the nativity star.

December 11
Ft. Walton Beach, FL – Figures of Mary, Joseph and the three wise men were stolen from the front yard of a disabled lady’s home. The woman, who is confined to a motorized cart and had a figure of the Baby Jesus stolen in 2006, was only left with a couple of animal figures left in her nativity scene.

December 13
Sulpher, LA – A statue was stolen from a nativity set in front of Our Lady of Prompt Succor. The statue was valued at $1200.

December 14
Middlebury, CT – Vandals broke through a Plexiglas window vandalized the figure of St. Joseph from a nativity scene.

December 17
Antioch, CA – Two men smashed a hand-carved nativity into pieces and destroyed other Christmas decorations in a front yard.

December 18
Ft. Walton Beach, FL – A few figures were stolen from a nativity scene a day after they were erected. A week later the rest of the homeowner’s Christmas decorations were stolen and vandalized.

December 18
Nyack, NY – Figures of the Baby Jesus and a lamb were stolen from a town’s manger scene. It was the third time in four years that the Infant Jesus was stolen from this crèche.

December 18
Santa Clarita Valley, CA – A dozen Baby Jesus figures were found at a Church. A prankster had stolen them from various homes in the area and dropped them off in the grotto.

December 18
Ashton, ID – A life-size statue of the Infant Jesus was stolen from the city’s nativity set. The week before a sheep and shepherd figure were stolen from the scene. The shepherd was found damaged in a residents yard.

December 18
Mason, OH – A figure of the Baby Jesus was stolen from a nativity scene in a family’s front yard. The figure is a forty year-old family heirloom.

December 18
Sagamore Beach, MA – Figures of the Baby Jesus and Mary were stolen from a nativity scene from a deacon’s front yard.

December 18
Green Bay, WI – The mayor placed a moratorium on all religious displays until the City Council could draft new guidelines for displays. This came as a result of a Wiccan wreath that was damaged on top of City Hall.

December 19
Bangor, PA – The figures of the Baby Jesus and a lamb were stolen from a funeral home’s nativity scene. The nativity scene had been displayed for 21 years.

December 19
Eugene, OR – Baby Jesus figures were stolen from two homes and were replaced by pig’s heads.

December 19
Hartford, CT – A nativity scene was destroyed overnight outside of a Baptist church. The figures of Mary, Joseph, and the Wisemen were smashed and the Baby Jesus was knocked from the manger.

December 25
West Springfield, VA – Homemade figures of Baby Jesus, Mary, and Joseph were stolen from an elderly couple on Christmas morning. The figures were over forty years old.

December 25
Concord, NH – The figure of the Baby Jesus was stolen from a church’s nativity scene. The thieves broke into the Plexiglas shield that protected the set.

December 26
Sioux Falls, SD – For the second year in a row, vandals robbed and destroyed Christmas decorations at a home in Sioux Falls. The homeowner stated that none of the secular decorations were destroyed, only the ones with sacred value. This year they stole a Baby Jesus figure from the manger and ripped the lights that spelled “Jesus” from the fence that read, “Happy Birthday Jesus.” The display benefits two charities: Habitat for Humanity of Greater Sioux Falls and the Make-a-Wish Foundation.

December 29
Minneapolis, MN – A Baby Jesus figure was stolen from St. Olaf’s Church. The nativity scene, which was carved from the wood of an olive tree four to six hundred years ago, is valued at around $30,000.

December 29
Queens, NY – The nativity scene that is setup by the Bayside Business Association was stolen.

December 29
East Lampeter Township, PA – A figure of the Baby Jesus was stolen from the front yard of a local homeowner.

The animus against Christmas manifests itself in a myriad of ways, and 2015 was no exception.

 The anti-Christmas bigots from the Freedom From Religion Foundation threatened a lawsuit against a small Minnesota town because it displayed a nativity scene in a public park. For 23 years, no one in Wadena complained about the crèche in Burlington Northern Park, but after the atheist group made public its threat, along came one resident to complain. The town’s lawyer agreed that the display was illegal, and the city council obliged by authorizing its removal.

Bill Donohue wrote an open letter to the city council asking them to reconsider their decision. “There is nothing unconstitutional about putting a nativity scene on public property as long as it is considered a public forum,” he said. He further observed that this park was a public forum because it hosts all kinds of community activities. He offered by way of example the Catholic League’s nativity scene in Central Park: it has never been challenged, and that’s because the park is a public forum. While high court rulings on city-owned crèches are more complicated, they can still pass constitutional muster.

 We are pleased to say that a local resident picked up on this idea and successfully erected a crèche in a park. It was also great to learn that residents of Wadena responded by displaying a record number of manger scenes on private property.

 We played a role in beating back the Christmas foes in several instances, but none was more satisfying than our input in the University of Tennessee (UT) case.

 The Office of Diversity and Inclusion at UT issued guidelines indicating which kinds of “holiday” celebrations would be tolerated, and which would not be. All parties, the multicultural gurus said, should be absent any “emphasis on religion or culture.” They did not say how it was possible to celebrate a holiday without also celebrating that part of the culture from which it springs.

Best of all was their admonition not to hold “a Christmas party in disguise.” They can hold gay pride celebrations all year long, but they cannot tolerate Christmas parties, even if held in a speak-easy.

Bill Donohue pulled the Catholic League staff to work overtime on this issue. We contacted every Tennessee lawmaker who has anything to do with education, as well as other public officials, calling for an investigation into the workings of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion. We also notified all the other legislators—those who do not deal with education. We blanketed the Tennessee media.

 We were pleased to hear of the support we received from some of the lawmakers. We also were happy that the Tennessee media picked up on our work, including newspapers on the UT campus. Most of all we were delighted that our protest led to the guidelines being withdrawn; we were gratified that the person most to blame for this decision was removed from making such rulings again.

UNIV. OF TENNESSEE ABRIDGES CHRISTIAN RIGHTS

Bill Donohue wrote the following letter on December 4 to all members of the Tennessee Legislature whose responsibility it is to monitor education.

Hon. Dolores Gresham
Chair, State Senate Standing Committee on Education
301 6th Avenue North
Suite 308 War Memorial Bldg.
Nashville, TN 37243

Dear Senator Gresham:

As president of the nation’s largest Catholic civil rights organization, it is my responsibility to monitor, and respond to, instances of defamation and discrimination against Catholics. We work closely with many evangelical organizations, as well, so our reach extends to all Christians.

My reason for writing concerns the University of Tennessee’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion’s statement on Christmas celebrations. To say it is obnoxious is an understatement: it expresses an animus to Christianity, and therefore to Christians, that is palpable.

My doctorate is in sociology, and I spent two decades on the board of directors of the National Association of Scholars. So my concerns transcend the interests of religion. I approach this issue as both a civil rights leader and as an educator.

After receiving criticism from public officials for the statement, “Best Practices for Inclusive Holiday Celebrations in the Workplace,” the University is now saying that this is not a policy: it is just a list of suggestions. It does not matter. What matters is that it (a) creates a “chilling effect” on free speech, (b) engages in viewpoint discrimination, and (c) creates a hostile environment for Christians. These conditions are not only offensive, they have grave constitutional implications.

Among the most egregious “suggestions” is the first one: “Holiday parties and celebrations should celebrate and build upon workplace relationships and team morale with no emphasis on religion or culture. Ensure your holiday party is not a Christmas party in disguise.” (My italics.)

Do the people who wrote and approved this statement realize what they are saying? It is positively impossible to celebrate a holiday without also celebrating culture, and in many instances, religion. To wit: All holidays are ineluctably grounded in culture. Moreover, the heart of any culture is religion. Indeed, the word holiday means “holy day.” This is not an issue of constitutional law—it is a matter of competence. Why are taxpayers funding the salaries of employees who are sociologically illiterate, especially given the fact that their charge is to administer cultural events?

Other “suggestions” are equally astonishing. “Holiday parties and celebrations should not play games with religious and cultural themes—for example, ‘Dreidel’ or ‘Secret Santa.'” Since when has it been the business of any university office, especially on a state campus, to discourage students from playing innocent religious and cultural games?

It hardly exaggerates to say that such “suggestions” have a “chilling effect” on the free speech rights of Christians. Unlike other segments of the student population, they cannot be assured that the manner in which they choose to express themselves, especially at Christmastime, will be looked upon with approval by school administrators. The implication is, of course, that the best way to avoid trouble is to muzzle any expression that might be seen as untoward by campus officials.

The holiday “suggestions” are also constitutionally suspect because they do not apply equally to all students. For example, last February, during Black History Month, the University sponsored an event titled, “Black History Month Program: A Century of Black Life, History, and Culture.” From my perspective, such an event should be welcomed. But this raises a serious issue: Why is it acceptable for black students to celebrate their culture, but not Christians? After all, Christians are being told not to have events that emphasize “religion or culture.” (my italics.)

The Office of Diversity and Inclusion has a “Cultural and Religious Holidays Calendar” that lists many religious events, covering many religions, throughout the academic year. Yet when it comes to the application of the draconian holiday “suggestions,” they are not inclusive: they are targeted almost exclusively at Christians (there is a stricture warning Jews not to play “Dreidel” games—it does not say who might be offended, other than the authors of this dictum).

These are examples of viewpoint discrimination, a condition that violates the First Amendment. Quite frankly, it is not legal for a state entity to single out one religion for special consideration, especially when the directive seeks to limit constitutionally protected speech.

In 1984, in the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Lynch v. Donnelly, it was held that the Constitution “affirmatively mandates accommodation, not merely tolerance of all religions, and forbids hostility toward any.” It can be reasonably maintained that the effect, if not the intent, of these “suggestions” is to create a hostile environment for Christians.

I am calling upon all members of the Tennessee legislature that have committee assignments dealing with education to empanel a body that would critically assess the policies of the University of Tennessee’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion that touch on religion and free speech issues. There is obviously something seriously wrong. For a state institution to promote policies that are inimical to Christianity—or any religion—is unacceptable. That these policies are driven by an alleged concern for tolerance makes the need for such an investigation all the more compelling.

Thank you for your consideration.

CONCESSIONS GRANTED

The edict issued by the University of Tennessee’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion effectively banning Christmas celebrations on the campus drew the ire of local and federal public officials, students, faculty, and alumni. From Bill Donohue’s perspective, it was not only offensive to Christians, it was constitutionally suspect.

Following Donohue’s issuance of the above letter, requesting of all members of the Tennessee state legislature who are responsible for education issues that they establish a panel to “critically assess the policies of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion at the University of Tennessee,” Chancellor Jimmy G. Cheek announced that the offensive “suggestions” had been taken down; they no longer appear online. In addition, the person who wrote them, Vice Chancellor for Diversity and Inclusion Rickey Hall, has been “counseled” by his superiors. Furthermore, he will no longer be permitted to write any guidelines for this office.

This announcement makes sense, but it is disingenuous of Chancellor Cheek to maintain that the problem was purely a matter of “poorly worded communications.” It was not. The problem is deeper—it stems from a mentality that is common to all university offices that are charged with advancing diversity and inclusion. To be specific, there is a built-in intolerance for Christianity, in particular, and for Western Civilization, in general.

The steps taken by the University of Tennessee are reassuring, but more needs to be done. Donohue has stood by his call for a probe of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion.

November 19
Washington, DC – The midseason finale of the Shonda Rhimes show, “Scandal,” featured Olivia Pope, played by Kerry Washington, having an abortion. While her child was being aborted, “Silent Night” played in the background; the show ended with a self-satisfied Pope listening to “Ave Maria.”

November 26
Detroit, MI – On Thanksgiving Day, Jex Black-more, the national spokesman for The Satanic Temple, poisoned her child, in utero, and then posted a blog bragging about her abortion. This is the face of Satanism that the media refuses to profile.

December
Tallahassee, FL– This Christmas season, we witnessed a surge in Satanic attacks. Until two years ago, Satanists were never bothered by the presence of a menorah on public property in Tallahassee. But when Christians decided to erect a nativity scene at the Florida state Capitol, they went wild: they succeeded in getting a Satanic display on state grounds. Though neither Christians nor Satanists displayed their symbols in the Capitol rotunda, Satanists warned Christians that if you dared to erect a crèche, they will counter.

Las Vegas, NV – Catholic churches in Las Vegas were stormed by an organized band of crazed evangelicals known as Koosha Las Vegas. They invade churches during Mass, shouting at parishioners to repent. “Pope is Satan!” “Mary is a Satan!” “Stop worshipping the idols!” “Idols are not going to save you!” “You need Jesus Christ!” Police confirmed at least three incidents.

Catholic school students were also being harassed. “If you look at the Catechism of the Catholic Church and you look at the Scriptures,” the bigots screamed, “you know why God hates this religious system.”

The Catholic League asked the Office of The Sheriff at the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department to arrest any person who storms a Catholic church, or any house of worship. They need to be prosecuted with the full force of the law. Swift action followed our intervention. As the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported, a police press conference on the matter “came a day after the New York-based Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights called on supporters to demand increased protection from Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo.” The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department assured the public, in writing, that it was “investigating these incidents” and “taking this matter seriously.”

December 2
Marlborough, NH – The school superintendent in Marlborough, New Hampshire, Robert Malay, banned use of the word “Christmas” from all Christmas events, including celebrations at the local American Legion post. He said he was constitutionally obligated to censor Christmas. This, of course, is a lie.

Instead of pleading with Malay to reconsider his decision, Bill Donohue contacted him and asked him to follow through on his convictions. Donohue suggested that he contact the United States Congress and demand that it rescind Christmas as a national holiday. Not unexpectedly, he did not get back to Donohue.

Following the Catholic League’s intervention, however, Malay apologized to American Legion Post Commander John Fletcher, both privately and on a local radio show. He said he planned to review the policy.

December 11
Harrisonburg, VA – “Mary Did You Know” is a song that could not be tolerated at James Madison University. Lyrics include, “Mary, did you know that your baby boy would save our sons and daughters?” It also contains lyrics which note that when Mary kisses her baby, she has “kissed the face of God.”

This song was to be sung at the annual “Unity Tree” [read: Christmas tree] lighting ceremony. But after the song was banned, the students who were to sing it refused to sing any songs at this event.

Bill Wyatt, associate director of communications at the school, explained the decision to muzzle the free speech of these students. “JMU is a public university, so because it was a school-sponsored event, the song choice needed to be secular.” He is wrong. There is no law banning religious songs from being sung at public schools.

December 13
Detroit, MI – CNN aired a very sympathetic show on Satanism. It even allowed an un-named mother—she is a Satanist—to blame Christianity for her gay son’s suicide, providing no evidence whatsoever. Worse, she was enticed by reporter Lisa Ling to do so. “Do you blame the church?” “Oh, yes, absolutely,” the Satanist said.

December 15
Johnson County, KY – The superintendent in charge of schools in Johnson County, Kentucky censored all references to religion in this year’s Christmas celebrations. Specifically, he banned a presentation of “A Charlie Brown Christmas” at one school, and ordered another not to allow “Silent Night” to be performed. He said he was following the advice of school district attorneys.

In Bill Donohue’s letter to Superintendent Thomas Salyer, he pointed out that the U.S. Supreme Court let stand a 1980 ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, Florey v. Sioux Falls, that conditionally permitted religious themes at Christmas assemblies. Pursuant to this ruling, the Sioux Falls School District allowed Christmas presentations of a religious nature to be performed as long as they were presented “in a prudent and objective manner and as a traditional part of the cultural and religious heritage of the particular holiday.” This is a reasonable, and not very high, bar to clear.

Who’s to blame for this yearly debacle? There is much blame to go around. For example, the U.S. Supreme Court has not definitively ruled on this issue, allowing for some degree of uncertainty. To be sure, school officials such as Superintendent Salyer are neither required nor forbidden from allowing assemblies of a religious nature. But if anything, the ruling in Florey v. Sioux Falls empowers them to permit these annual events.

It’s time school attorneys got up to speed on this issue. There is no legal reason to ban bona fide Christmas performances in the schools.

December 24
Oklahoma City, OK – On Christmas Eve, a Satanist and registered sex offender, Adam Daniels, pledged to pour blood over a Virgin Mary statue in front of a Catholic church in Oklahoma City. He admitted that his display, “Virgin Birth is a Lie,” was aimed at the Catholic Church.

William A. Donohue

John Gibson, who anchors the Fox News Channel’s “The Big Story,” has written a splendid book about the culture wars over Christmas. It is aptly titled, The War on Christmas: How the Liberal Plot to Ban the Sacred Christian Holiday Is Worse Than You Thought.

Gibson recounts a series of anti-Christmas cases that have evolved over the past few years, and provides first-hand responses from the offenders. Friendship trees have replaced Christmas trees; holiday parades are in and Christmas parades are out; winter parties are all the rage and Christmas parties are yesterday’s news; “Happy Holidays” is the preferred greeting and “Merry Christmas” is verboten.

Those who think that this is a blue-state phenomenon where mostly liberals live are wrong: it’s all over. Small towns and big towns, southern cities and northern ones, Christian-dominated neighborhoods and multi-religious communities—all have been hit by the anti-Christian fever. But if, as Gibson’s subtitle indicates, this is the work of liberals, then why is it that the crusade to kill Christmas is ubiquitous?

If it were the product of anti-Christian bigots alone (and they have surely played a big role), then why would Christians not only put up with it, why would some of them actively promote it? After all, there aren’t enough anti-Christian bigots to pull this off by themselves. Christians are 85 percent of the population, so it must be that a fair number of them have joined the war on Christmas.

The problem with these Christians is that too many of them have drunk from the well of multiculturalism, namely, the pernicious idea that all cultures are equally valid. Add to this the invidious effects of what Christina Hoff Summers and Sally Satel call “therapism”—the touchy-feely world where everyone must be made to feel good about himself—and the result is a collapse of nerve.

Here’s how it works. Take the friendship tree. When a parent asked the school principal why the Christmas tree has been renamed, he was told, “Oh, we’re trying to make sure we don’t offend people.” Not really. It’s a sure bet that many Christians were offended by this generic tree, but who cares about them? What makes this all the more bizarre is the fact that 96 percent of Americans celebrate Christmas.

Plano, Texas is home to some of the biggest Christmas censors on earth. “Jesus Is the Reason” pencils and “Legend of the Candy Cane” pens were confiscated because of their “religious” message. Saying “Merry Christmas” and writing “Merry Christmas” on greeting cards were punishable offenses. Red and green were banned at the “winter party” in favor of the “white only” policy: students were ordered to bring white napkins, white paper plates and cups and white cakes and cupcakes. Too bad someone didn’t sue the school for promoting racism.

Gibson correctly notes that, in effect, Christians “were being asked to celebrate something they didn’t celebrate—winter—as if they were pagans in the Roman Empire.” Protesting students were told by their teacher that to allow “Merry Christmas” would “offend someone.” The assumption is that Jews, Muslim and others are all raging bigots who go bonkers every December. But this is nonsense.

To be sure, there are bigots. Consider Florence Roisman, a left-wing professor of law at Indiana University. Roisman, and two students, all of whom are Jewish, objected to a Christmas tree on the campus. And they succeeded in getting it removed. The offense? The tree was labeled “exclusionary” because it didn’t represent them.

What to do about all this? Gibson quotes my response as follows: “If a Catholic is offended by a Star of David, or a crescent and star, wouldn’t the right corrective be to educate the Catholic and get him out of his dim-wittedness and bigotry?” Instead, we reward the bigots.

Too often, school administrators lack the courage to challenge organizations like the ACLU. Gibson gets it right when he says that “the tactics and strategies of the ACLU in its war on Christmas are the very definition of bullying, and to avoid costly and time-consuming litigation from the ACLU, school boards and local governments frequently submit to ACLU demands that far exceed the limitations on religious observance on government property that is actually required by law.”

The Catholic League, I am proud to say, was one of the first organizations to directly confront the Christmas censors. Now we are joined by many other groups, most of whom are Protestant.

You can help, too. Let the censors know what you think, contact us and get your family and friends to do the same. And don’t be afraid to say “Merry Christmas.” Speaking of which, we at the Catholic League wish all of you a Blessed and Merry Christmas.

President Obama made the following remarks in a recent NPR interview:

“I’ve had to live through controversies like the notion that I was trying to kill Christmas. Right? Well, where’d that come from? Well, I bet, you know, well, he said Happy Holidays instead of Merry Christmas. So, that, you know, that must be evidence of him either not being a Christian or not caring about Christmas. It—it sounds funny now, but you’ll have entire debates in conservative circles around that.”

Bill Donohue comments as follows:

Well, you know, there is evidence of Obama not caring about Christmas, and it didn’t emanate from conservative circles. Here it is.

The cover story of the July 23, 2008 edition of People magazine featured a picture of Barack and Michelle Obama, and their two daughters, Malia, 10, and Sasha, 7. People reported that “The kids receive no birthday or Christmas presents from Mom and Dad, who spend ‘hundreds’ on birthday slumber parties and, as Barack puts it, ‘want to teach some limits.'”

On December 7, 2009, weeks before the Obamas celebrated their first Christmas in the White House, I said in a news release, “If the Obamas want to deprive their children of celebrating Christmas, that is their business. It is the business of the public to hold them accountable for the way they celebrate Christmas in the White House.”

What I was referring to was a December 7, 2009 news story in the New York Times by Sheryl Gay Stolberg. She wrote, “When former social secretaries gave a luncheon to welcome Ms. [Desirée] Rogers earlier this year, one participant said, she surprised them by suggesting the Obamas were planning a ‘non-religious Christmas….”

“The lunch conversation inevitably turned to whether the White House would display its crèche, customarily placed in a prominent spot in the East Room,” Stolberg wrote. “Ms. Rogers, this participant said, replied that the Obamas did not intend to put the manger scene on display—a remark that drew an audible gasp from the tight-knit social secretary sisterhood. (A White House official confirmed that there had been internal discussions about making Christmas more inclusive and whether to display the crèche.)”

The person whom the Obamas chose to oversee Christmas decorations in 2009 was Simon Doonan, the head of creative services for Barneys in New York. A website, biggovernment.com, posted pictures of some of the Christmas tree ornaments. They featured such religious figures as Mao Zedong, a genocidal maniac, and various drag queens. Fox News did a story on this issue as well; it aired December 22, 2009.

None of this was a mistake. The Obamas chose Doonan because of his stellar Christmas reputation.

I had a showdown with Doonan in 1994 when I protested the store’s “Hello Kitty Nativity Scene.” It was more than a spoof of the traditional nativity scene—it showed a kitten Virgin Mary posed with her legs spread wearing an undergarment that left six nipples in evidence.

On December 9, 1994, after someone called the Catholic League office to complain, I personally confronted store officials at the 61st Street and Madison Avenue store: I told them they had 45 minutes to remove the offensive crèche. They didn’t budge. Then I hit the air waves. Within hours, it was removed. Doonan called me saying he was surprised by the reaction of New Yorkers. I quickly brought him up to speed, explaining that Catholics were no longer going to tolerate this kind of intolerance.

Obama says conservatives lie when they say he is uncaring about Christmas. Yet he and his wife refuse to give their children Christmas presents; they gave serious consideration to censoring a White House crèche; they hired a man to be in charge of Christmas decorations who is known for trashing Christmas; and they displayed Christmas tree ornaments in the White House featuring pictures of mass murderers and kinky men.

Wonder who fed the idea that Obama is not exactly Christmas-friendly?