No Joy in SP-Ville

Bill O'Reilly's December 13th Talking Points Memo

Ah, the Christmas spirit is in the air, and Bill O'Reilly is feeling it so much he's started a crusade to defend it. Personally I was unaware there was a war going on for Christmas. I haven't seen military personnel outside churches trying to keep people from celebrating Christmas. I haven't seen police taking down tree dealers. Oh, this is about someone deciding to call a Christmas tree a "Holiday tree." How dare they? I personally don't have issue with calling a Christmas tree a Christmas tree. I don't consider it the same thing as having the Ten Commandments at a courthouse. It's a celebration time. But it's a decision that different groups have to make on their own. If a department store prefers to have its employees say "Happy Holidays" rather than "Merry Christmas", that's their perogative. They don't want to alienate some of their Jewish, Muslim, or any other religious sect's beliefs. As for the public square, I don't think the issue is even worth debating. The Christmas tree isn't exactly the most religious of symbols anyway. I'd have more of a problem with a government building having a Nativity scene than a Christmas tree. I think that's partly why nobody cares that the mall features Santa.

What's interesting to me is when Carol Towarnicky says that "no religion should be in the public square", Mr. O'Reilly suggests that Mao Tse-Tung, Joseph Stalin, and Fidel Castro salute that. Yes, take some American villains and suggest that they are just like Carol. That's the Christmas spirit, Mr. O'Reilly! Nevermind that a certain Thomas Jefferson would also have supported Carol's views. Then he has the gall to suggest that John Adams, James Madison, and Benjamin Franklin would all object, to the point of moving out of town or cancelling a newspaper subscription. First of all, while I'm not saying some of those people wouldn't object, they were all reasonable people who understood a thing or two about religous freedom. Also, Mr. Madison was on board with Thomas Jefferson regarding keeping religion out of the government. To suggest that all the founding fathers "encouraged spirituality in the public square" is flat wrong.

Now I have to question why reporting on Christmas is one of the most important things "The Factor" has done. I suppose this "war on Christmas" is far more important than say the war in Iraq or the war on terrorism. Much more important than keeping a close eye on our elected officials. Kudos to you Mr. O'Reilly. All the Whos down in Whoville are happy. And I guess all the Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, etc. should just get out.

And that's "The CounterPoints Memo."