In Defense of Christmas

by Mark Angelides

It’s the time of year where people put up their trees, sing carols and get ready for what used to be the most enjoyable holiday on the calendar; yet for some reason, it has become a period when people cry out against the “imposition” of Christian holidays on others. Why would they do this? And more importantly, are their arguments valid?
In a recent article for a college newspaper, The Crimson White, a piece was published by Emily Barron which took aim at President Trump for forcing this Christian celebration “down everyone’s throats.” Her reasoning being that as a “nation of immigrants,” America should not have an overriding religion. She says:
“The United States is a country of immigrants, and as a country of immigrants, our President should not force the Christian religion down everyone’s throat by placing it on the lawn of the White House.”
But how true is this? The USA was founded based on an idea; not a concept of geography, religion, or race. And that idea was Judeo-Christian in its belief.  And to say that America is a country of immigrants shows a very short-sighted perspective. For example, the Native American tribes were formerly the Clovis people who migrated over a land bridge…So by her reasoning, they should not practice their culture or religion? And what about the Australian Aboriginal people? They migrated to Australia between 30 and 50 thousand years ago…But they were still migrants.
And then of course there are the African folk outside of the original Bantu homeland. They spread across Africa displacing all the other African races, some almost to the point of extinction…Should they be allowed to practice their religion and culture?
And then there’s this:
“Religion in America is something that should be practiced within the confines of an individual’s home and place of worship, not the White House. Other countries bring together religion and government, however those countries are not the United States.”  
She clearly says that religion should be kept in the home or places of worship. Do you think she would espouse this view to American Muslims wearing a burka or hijab? They are clearly worn based on their interpretation of their religion, so does Barron think that they should be outlawed from the streets and public spaces? Interesting. And what of the call to morning prayers? The sound goes beyond the walls of the Mosque, so should that also be stopped?
We could talk about Sikhs with their turbans, Jews with their yarmulkes, Native Americans with religious or ceremonial jewelry, Christians with their crosses, the list goes on!
I’ll make a deal with Emily Barron, if she can get ALL religions and religious folk to keep their religion in the home and place of worship, I’ll support her, but it must be done equally across all religions. No cheating and just saying she’ll “Start” with Christianity.