On The Front Lines
Reiterating Need for Common Sense About Christmas, Rutherford Institute Issues Guidelines for Celebrating Christmas in Public, at School or Work
Charlottesville, Va. — Responding to a recent spate of cancellations of Christmas celebrations, concerts, parades and displays, The Rutherford Institute has issued its “Twelve Rules of Christmas” guidelines in the hopes of clearing up any confusion arising from political correctness over the do’s and don’ts of celebrating Christmas in schools, workplaces and elsewhere. Over the years, The Rutherford Institute has been contacted by parents and teachers alike complaining about schools changing their Christmas concerts to “winter holiday programs” and renaming Christmas “winter festival” or cancelling holiday celebrations altogether to avoid offending those who do not celebrate the various holidays.
The Rutherford Institute’s “Twelve Rules of Christmas” guidelines are available at www.rutherford.org. Individuals with legal questions or in need of legal assistance should call (434) 978-3888, email staff@rutherford.org, or complete the online legal help form available at www.rutherford.org.
“This year has certainly been plagued with its fair share of Scrooges and Grinches raiding homes, shooting unarmed citizens, illegally seizing citizens’ property, arresting individuals for inane ‘crimes’ such as letting their kids play outside or walk to school alone, listening in on Americans’ phone calls and spying on their emails and text messages. After what feels like endless months of being mired in political gloom and doom, we could all use some of that Christmas spirit of joy, excitement, innocence, magic and hope we had as children,” said John W. Whitehead, president of The Rutherford Institute and author of Battlefield America: The War on the American People. “Unfortunately, in the politically correct quest to avoid anything that might be construed as offensive, government officials, employers and store managers have reduced Christmas to little more than a season for buying. However, there is room for Christmas in our communities, constitutionally and culturally. Frankly, we could all benefit from heeding the Christmas message of love, peace on earth, and goodwill toward all.”
In issuing the guidelines, Rutherford Institute attorneys cited incidents from years past in which, for example, a public school 6th-grade class was asked to make “holiday cards” to send to the troops but were told they could not use the words “Merry Christmas” on their cards. Similarly, nativity displays, Christmas carols, Christmas trees, wreaths, candy canes and even the colors red and green have been banned as part of the effort to avoid any reference to Christmas, Christ or God. Thanksgiving has also come under fire in recent years. In one instance, Institute attorneys were contacted by a concerned parent who remarked that whereas in previous years teachers in their school district had been told not to mention Christmas, Easter or anything relating to God, they could no longer even mention the word “Thanksgiving” because “the pilgrims offended the Indians” and “Thanksgiving was never intended to be thanks to God!” Another parent with children in the public schools was upset and concerned when she received a letter from school officials directing classroom mothers not to use plates and napkins with Thanksgiving printed on them at their children’s fall parties. As she recounted, “It seems like they are worried about offending just one person and are worried about lawsuits. In the past, this school has gone from ‘winter’ parties that banned red and green cupcakes and napkins, to banning any winter party in fear that it may be mistaken for Christmas.”
