‘War on Christmas’: House Republicans introduce bill to protect holiday
U.S. Rep. Doug Lamborn, R-Colo., introduced House Resolution 564 late last week. (Photo: Julia Moss, Colorado Springs Gazette/AP)
It’s the most uncomfortable time of the year.
A group of conservatives in Congress do not want Christmas traditions and symbols to recede from public life. They have banded together in their fight to keep nativity scenes on display in town squares and the words “Merry Christmas” in our conversations this season.
Colorado Rep. Doug Lamborn introduced a resolution in the House of Representatives on Friday that would affirm the body’s “sense” that Christmas should be protected.
House Resolution 564, which invokes the First Amendment, posits that references to religion or God should not be prohibited in civic dialogue:
“Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the House of Representatives — (1) recognizes the importance of the symbols and traditions of Christmas; (2) strongly disapproves of attempts to ban references to Christmas; and (3) expresses support for the use of these symbols and traditions by those who celebrate Christmas.”
The resolution has been referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
According to Lamborn, seasonal religious expression must be protected for all Americans, and efforts to remove religious aspects of Christmas from the public space are not merely misguided — they are unconstitutional.
“Christmas is a wonderful time of year when a majority of Americans take time to remember the humble birth of Jesus Christ on a holy night more than 2,000 years ago. The message of Christmas is one of love, hope, and peace,” Lamborn said in a statement. “It is a message that our country and this world needs more than ever in the midst of ever increasing conflict and chaos.”
He takes issue with the “troubling effort by some in America” to eliminate “any and all Christmas celebrations and traditions from the public arena.”
First lady Michelle Obama, accompanied by first dog Bo, reads “Twas the Night Before Christmas” to children at the Children’s National Health System in Washington on Dec. 14. (Photo: Susan Walsh/AP)
Lamborn sent a letter to his colleagues in the House encouraging them to co-sponsor the resolution.
The proposed resolution is only the latest volley in the annual so-called “War on Christmas.” Every year, social conservatives lament what they consider secular attempts to suppress the Christian holiday. Many others, however, contend that there is no such “war” and that Americans have simply become more culturally inclusive.
Earlier this month, the University of Tennessee, Knoxville’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion released a statement urging students not to throw Christmas parties because they might offend some students.
“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,” read the message, which has since been altered, according to the Daily Beast.
University Chancellor Jimmy G. Cheek apologized for the statement after it was roundly criticized in the media as tone deaf and an affront to free speech.
“As an educational institution, it’s our job to listen and to learn,” he said in a news release. “We are sorry that we did not communicate very well. We’ve learned a lesson from this. We want to move forward and to focus on the big picture and our goals for creating and sustaining a learning environment where all community members and all points of view are valued and respected.”
Perhaps this year’s biggest Christmas controversy revolved around Starbucks’ minimalist red winter cups; previous years’ designs incorporated symbols of wintertime, such as snowflakes, ornaments and reindeer.
Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump even suggested boycotting the coffee giant. “If I become president, we’re all going to be saying ‘Merry Christmas’ again. That I can tell you,” he told his supporters during a rally last month.
A Starbucks spokesperson, however, said the minimal cups are the company’s way of inviting customers to doodle their own designs on the cup this year around.
“Since 1997, we have served our holiday beverages in a unique red cup, each year and each design telling a different story,” a Starbucks spokesperson said. “Starbucks is inviting our customers to tell their Christmas stories in their own way, with a red cup that mimics a blank canvas.”
