Every year, political pundits and electronic carnival barkers report on what they like to call, “The War on Christmas”. They report on an isolated incident of a store suggesting that their employees say ‘Happy Holidays’ instead of ‘Merry Christmas’. The talking heads will point to this and wail that the relevance and importance of Christmas is being diminished and that secular humanist atheists are responsible for ruining a great American holiday. They don’t mention that no one is preventing anyone from saying ‘Merry Christmas’ or from observing this holiday in any manner in which they please. A guest is welcomed on the program who tries to explain that the institutions of Christmas and retail capitalism are not in danger because of this story. The carnival barkers turn up the volume and scream over their (usually rational) guest and then pine for a simpler time in America when Christmas was safe and nobody was trying to ruin the holiday season for mainstream America.
Usually the 24 hour news channels have the decency to wait until the Halloween pumpkins are smashed before they start in on this fictional conflict. This year the President of the United States has weighed in early on the War on Christmas declaring on October 13th that “We’re saying Merry Christmas again” this year. (Source) This statement was received by many Americans about as well as a rendition of “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer” at a Fourth of July BBQ. But to some people, this statement was met with loud cheers and a standing ovation. It seems like one side of the country is under the impression that Christmas, the baby Jesus, and the capitalist way of life are under siege and need to be defended by the faithful.
The folks who were enthused by the President’s October surprise certainly seem to think that there is a War on Christmas. They think that they are on the side of the good and the righteous. I wonder, who do these Christmas warriors think is on the other side?
These Christmas Warriors are fighting against THEM. You know THEM, the people who are threatening their way of life. THEM (sometimes known as THOSE PEOPLE) are destroying the fabric of this country with their new rules and ideas. THOSE PEOPLE (sometimes known as THEY) want pedophiles in the girl’s bathroom. THEY want to stop people from saying what is really on their mind by criticizing them as bigoted or racist when all they are doing is expressing themselves. THOSE PEOPLE are destroying the public schools with their common core curriculum. THEY want to give healthcare to immigrants and take it away from real americans. THOSE PEOPLE want to make us feel bad for who we are and ashamed of our american culture. THEY want to have immoral sex with strangers and kill babies in utero just to escape the consequences of their sin. THOSE PEOPLE want to make real americans participate in gay marriages, even if it is against their religion. THEY keep pushing the homosexual agenda down their throat. And just when you thought it could not get any worse, THOSE PEOPLE want to take Christmas as we know it away from ‘real America’.
THEY, THEM, and THOSE PEOPLE have some common characteristics according to Christmas warriors. These groups are faceless, scary, and bent on taking away what these Christmas Warriors hold dear. Their perception and definition of the ‘enemies’ of Christmas and the ‘enemies’ of the American way of life comes from a place of fear. Fear of losing privilege. Fear of losing a way of life that never existed. Fear of the ‘other’. Fear of change. Fear of the unknown.
We are no longer going to allow these fearful ‘culture warriors’ to define us as a menacing ‘other’. We do not want to destroy America or Christmas. We want everyone’s lives to be fuller, more rewarding, and longer using the gifts of science and reason. This effort starts at truth. We stand for truth. Our truth is different from the Christmas warriors’ perception of reality. Our truth is not granted by some unknown entity, it is the truth that comes from reason, logic, and science. Testable facts, repeatable conclusions, and the study of issues define how we approach life and the future we hope to create for our children. We will listen to experts and heed their warnings. We will reject the charlatans that look to line their own pockets at the expense of the ignorant and fearful. We will stand behind two simple words, “Prove It”.
We don’t view this as a “War on Christmas”. Many Christmas warriors will. We will stand up for the proper place of science and reason in our society to define public policy and exist in the debate of ideas. Celebrating Newtonmas and the Season of Reason are part of that effort.
It is in this spirit we will strike out to claim our own celebration. This celebration is not meant to diminish the current slate of holidays that our planet observes. It is a clarion call to all of the world that there is a festival that celebrates community, reason, and progress. For it is through those things that humanity will continue to stave off the darkness of ignorance and superstition and use the fruits of science so that one day ALL people will be safe, fed, and free.
Merry Newtonmas and Reason’s Greetings!
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