Celebrations of Death and Emptiness

As millions of Americans prepare to reaffirm their faith by celebrating Christmas, the obligatory attacks on the Judeo-Christian traditions of our country are well underway. While millions of Christians celebrate the birth of their Savior, they are met by naked attacks on their beliefs and celebrations of the culture of death. This Christmas season, something stinks in the state of Washington.

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Suffer the Little Children

Parents of local middle-schoolers were outraged recently when they learned of a poem introduced as part of their children's curriculum entitled, The Death of Santa Claus by poet Charles Webb. One student who was interviewed told reporters that another child began crying because he actually still believed in Santa and was devastated by the poem's message of Kringle's untimely demise. The school district's position was that this poem is part of some "respected curriculum" and therefore appropriate. Despite my personal opinion that this material stinks and has little educational value, it was clearly labeled for high school use, yet it was introduced to middle-schoolers. One more example of school districts nationwide usurping parental rights and forcing the nation's children to grow up much faster than their parents would like. If they stuck to educating and ended the social engineering,perhaps American children could once again read at their grade level.

A State of Ignorance

Washington Governor Christine Gregoire is being blasted by the backlash stemming from her decision to allow the placement of a direct attack on Christianity in that state's Legislative building. As well she should. The plaque, placed by the Freedom From Religion Foundation and flanked by a Nativity scene, a Christmas tree and a bust of our nation's founder and the state's namesake - George Washington read:

At this season of the winter solstice may reason prevail. 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.

This is a state-sanctioned attack on Christians, not an expression of Atheism. Gregoire maintains that under the Constitution, she has to treat all requests for religious displays equally because of a lawsuit filed by The Alliance Defense Fund. But Gregoire is not only wrong on the law, she's being less than truthful about the controversy. The lawsuit settlement that Gregoire is referring to is Wesselius v. DeShaw. It mentions equal access but it also mentions that an approved activity cannot disrupt a previously scheduled activity. In this case the Nativity scene was put up first and it was disrupted by the Atheist message of hate. All other religious displays are symbols; a Menorah, Christmas tree or Nativity scene. These religious symbols say or imply nothing about the beliefs of others. This Atheist display is a political statement. It is an attack on Christianity, not an expression of faith. And because of Gregoire's cowardice, the State of Washington has become a nationwide laughing stock. Someone has even applied to have a sign erected in observance of Festivus, the legendary Seinfeld holiday. Why Not? By her logic, anything now goes. If those against gay marriage decide to put up a plaque on Gay Pride Day that says homosexuality causes AIDS; or detractors of Islam erect a sign on the feast of Eid that says Islam is a backwards, violent religion, Gregoire now has to consider those requests.Her refusal to do so would be grounds for a lawsuit by her own admission. Pandora's box is now open in Washington State.

What'll They Think of Next?

Planned Parenthood of Indiana, currently under fire for allegations of covering up statutory rape, is certainly getting into the Christmas spirit.For a limited time only, they're offering the perfect gift for your little teenage trollop; gift certificates good for the recipient's choice of birth control, including abortions. Planned Parenthood says they're for health care, but that does not preclude them from being used for an abortion. Sick...

Bias, Bias..

Finally, editors at a local news station KOIN 6 would be wise to leave their personal bias at home, and out of their editorial process. Recently Jessica Morkert from the Portland, OR station reported on an imaginary local controversy over a billboard depicting a pregnant Virgin Mary.Morkert spent two days covering the story.Her only evidence of a controversy over the sign was because it was within spitting distance of a Planned Parenthood. This poor girl interviewed numerous people over two days attempting to locate someone who objected to the paid advertisement. She finally interviewed a waffling worker at Planned Parenthood, who didn't object to the billboard's message, but that it was near her clinic. As the years go by, leftist attacks on Christians have grown more numerous, more vocal, more obscene and more desperate. Don't they have anything better to do? I guess celebrations of death and emptiness aren't all they're cracked up to be.