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Garrison Keillor rages from the battlements of the War on Christmas in his column this week, telling Unitarians and Jews and other heathens that “Christmas is a Christian holiday — if you’re not in the club, then buzz off.”
Unitarians (who Keillor regularly but good-naturedly ribs on his radio show) seem to have set him off with a modified Christmas carol:
If you don’t believe Jesus was God, OK, go write your own damn “Silent Night” and leave ours alone. This is spiritual piracy and cultural elitism and we Christians have stood for it long enough. And all those lousy holiday songs by Jewish guys that trash up the malls every year, Rudolph and the chestnuts and the rest of that dreck. Did one of our guys write “Grab your loafers, come along if you wanna, and we’ll blow that shofar for Rosh Hashanah”? No, we didn’t.
There must be something in the water in Anoka, a hometown Keillor shares with U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann, (who the other day called him a “genius“). In her first Christmas in Congress, Bachmann co-sponsored a ”Christmas Bill” (it passed), which read in part:
[T]he House of Representatives recognizes the Christian faith as one of the great religions of the world; expresses continued support for Christians in the United States and worldwide; acknowledges the international religious and historical importance of Christmas and the Christian faith; acknowledges and supports the role played by Christians and Christianity in the founding of the United States and in the formation of the western civilization; rejects bigotry and persecution directed against Christians, both in the United States and worldwide; and expresses its deepest respect to American Christians and Christians throughout the world.
Update: Bachmann has a new Christmas Bill this year.
And another Anokan, “Fox and Friends” co-host Gretchen Carlson, who Bachmann once babysat, made the point more succinctly last Christmas season:
What’s changed is the whole politically correct environment that we live in. I’m all for people to have their rights of free speech. Just don’t choose December 25th to do it.
[Via The Daily Glean]
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19 Comments »
Comment posted December 18, 2009 @ 1:16 pm
I support for Keillor and Bachmann on this issue, and I am athiest.
It’s freedom OF religion, nor freedom FROM religion.
Happy hanaramaquanzmas, or as you like it.
I laugh that Kiellor and Bachmann are in line on this issue. Must rub you guys raw in a tender spot for your liberal to support your conservative…hahaha I laugh at you “independent” news hacks.
Comment posted December 18, 2009 @ 2:05 pm
I think the universalization of Christmas is about commercial ends, not inclusiveness or PC. If it wasn’t for the huge $$ to be made around that holiday, no one would bother to co-opt or sanitize it.
That we all (“real” Christians included) treat Christmas as a giant orgy of consumerism is what desecrates it. “Rudolph” is just a symptom.
Comment posted December 18, 2009 @ 2:18 pm
I thought Christmas was actually a pagan holiday that Christians stole.
Comment posted December 18, 2009 @ 4:33 pm
I will take advantage of my freedom of speech any freeekin day I breathe, Gretchen.
“I’m all for people to have their rights of free speech. Just don’t choose December 25th to do it.”
Maybe she spent a little too much time near MB.
Comment posted December 18, 2009 @ 11:50 pm
How weird ZNOFOB, I thought atheists were all about reason, yet there’s you spouting invective at the writers based on nothing at all.
Comment posted December 19, 2009 @ 10:27 am
There is a basic error in Constitutional intent running through the article and replies. It is neither freedom of religion or freedom from religion.
Amendment 1 of the Bill of Rights is not ambiguous: “Congress shall make no law respecting the establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof…”
Since Congress may make no law respecting the establishment of religion, what does the Honorable Ms. Bachmann base her views on?
Comment posted December 19, 2009 @ 2:24 pm
I find it interesting that the christian right always manage to declare war on christmas every year then accuse us non christians of continuing it. When some one says, “merry christmas” I always answer back with the same salutation and go on about my business.
The continued christian war on christmas is getting so yesterday.
Comment posted December 19, 2009 @ 5:04 pm
Ok, what are they trying to distract us from? This is definitely a diversion. It has to be, it’s ridiculous.
Have we solved poverty and world hunger? Have we made sure that nobody is homeless during our cold winters? Have we achieved equal rights for all people?
Oh good, then I suppose we should dedicate our time to dictating laws regarding Christmas.
Comment posted December 19, 2009 @ 10:38 pm
In Keillors defense, he did just have a stroke.
Comment posted December 19, 2009 @ 10:39 pm
Oh, BTW, Jesus stole the holiday from the pagans.
Comment posted December 20, 2009 @ 12:33 pm
The Old Scout takes on the church of Run What Ya Brung…priceless!
Comment posted December 20, 2009 @ 2:34 pm
“It’s freedom OF religion, nor freedom FROM religion.”
That’s not quite right. I am free to exercise no religion. So I’m free from religion. Of course, others have their 1st Amendment rights to express religion or not as they see fit.
It’s just when people insist on their expression in our commonly-held public squares that the tug of war gets dicey.
Sorry that Garrison didn’t like the Unitarian song. I feel that way about a lot of songs people reorchestrate.
But his religious freedom has not been impinged, just his taste. It would have been more polite to say he didn’t like it, rather than “buzz off.” Too much like the “love it or leave it” cr-p concerning patriotism in America
Comment posted December 20, 2009 @ 10:00 pm
co-written or performed by verifiably Jewish artists. Here’s a rundown on the songs with Jewish connections.
The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)
Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer
Do They Know It’s Christmas? (Feed the World)
Santa Baby
Holly Jolly Christmas
Santa Claus is Coming to Town
I’ll Be Home for Christmas
Silver Bells
It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year
Sleigh Ride
Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!
There’s No Place Like Home for the Holidays
Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree
White Christmas
I guess without these it would be a silent night.
Comment posted December 21, 2009 @ 8:01 am
My Continuing war on Christmas haters.
A Methodist dad wants to get into the Christmas mood. He plays a record of “The Christmas Song” and sings along to the familiar “chestnuts roasting on an open fire” refrain. Then he feels like a movie, and watches “White Christmas” with his family. Before bed, he reads his daughter the Caldecott-winning children’s Christmas book, “The Polar Express.”
Not many people know it, but Jews have a long history of orchestrating Christmas, back to the early 1800s when French composer Adolphe Adam wrote the music for “O Holy Night.”
http://100777.com/node/642
Comment posted December 21, 2009 @ 11:51 am
“rejects bigotry and persecution directed against Christians”
Why did she add “against Christans”? Is bigotry acceptable otherwise?
pft
Comment posted December 21, 2009 @ 3:57 pm
I suggest that GK and MB just stay away from the Unitarians we
really do not like them hanging around and leaving bad smells.
And give X-mas back to the Druids but keep the fake 60watt lightbulb baby and the rest of the dreck.
Comment posted December 21, 2009 @ 10:49 pm
MB and a whole lotta other folks don’t seem to recognize satire. It’s funny when Bachmann misses it.
Comment posted December 23, 2009 @ 10:52 am
I also think it’s the stroke.
Comment posted December 26, 2009 @ 8:22 pm
What do you mean “heathens”?
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