Minority Rules?

I think what’s been bugging me about the whole “Happy Holidays and not - heaven forbid - Merry Christmas” thing is the cowardice of large corporations, Christians and even churches to stick to their guns and stand up for what they believe is right. “Oooh, so and so will be offended if I have a nativity scene in my foyer so I’ll take it out”. “Can’t offend any of my customers by saying Merry Christmas, so I’ll wimp out and say Happy Holidays to appease everyone”. It’s ridiculous and spineless behavior.

The first amendment says Congress shall make no law establishing religion. That doesn’t mean that Target can’t have a Christmas sign up in their stores or that Detroit City Hall can’t have a Nativity scene on the front lawn. Is Target Congress? I sure as heck know Detroit City Hall isn't. And even if they were, putting a nativity scene on their property isn't "establishing" a religion. It's celebrating a religious holiday that the majority of Americans celebrate.

Yes, the majority of Americans celebrate Christmas, believe in God, and go to church. The last figure I heard was somewhere around 90%. So let me get this straight: we the majority are bending to the minority? Why? What’s the worst that can happen if God forbid, we offend one or two of them? What are we afraid of, for Pete’s sake?

What is the absolute worst thing that could happen if we said “No. I am going to have Christmas trees for sale at my store, I am going to say Merry Christmas to you on the street, I am going to put a nativity scene in my front window, and will hang Christmas lights on my home”. Can someone sue you for this? No. Why? Because it’s free speech, people. Free speech, contrary to what liberals want you to believe, applies to everyone. Not just the God-hating, anti-Christian, intolerant minority. (and the libs call US "bigots"??)

And where is the line drawn on what “offends”? I wear a silver cross every day. At what point is that cross going to offend someone to the point where we’re told we can’t wear religious symbols on our person? I also have a W04 sticker on my car. I know it offends people. When’s the PC police going to make me remove it? The answer is, of course, that as of 2005, nobody can make me remove my sticker and nobody can make me not wear my cross. Why? Freedom of expression, speech, and religion.

(And yes, freedom of expression and speech has limits. I don’t think you should be able to stand in a crowded movie theater and scream “FIRE”. Or use the “n” word or other tasteless slang for minority groups. It’s mean and unnecessary.)

That brings me back to cowardice. It is a decidedly liberal trait to obsess about what other people think (and in their beliefs about foreign policy, what other countries – namely the terrorists – think of the US in general) and they twist themselves into pretzels to not offend. Unless you’re a Christian. Christians are fair game for jokes, insensitivity, ridicule and outright hostility. But if you’re gay, black, on death row, a suicide bomber, poor, an athiest, or a Democrat, you had better not say anything bad about them or question them. It’s “tolerance” for all of the above, except Christians. Am I the only one who’s noticed?

And yet we tolerate the ridicule, we tolerate the liberals preaching to us about what we can and can’t say – and we don’t do anything. Most of us just conform without questioning. As an example, when did it become accepted that a “racist”or "homophobe" is also someone who doesn’t accept the concept of homosexuality as "okay"? Is being gay a new race now?

It’s okay to wave a rainbow flag from your house, but it’s offensive to have a “Merry Christmas” flag or a nativity scene on your front yard. What about that which offends Christians? Can't we outlaw that which makes Christians cringe?

The point of this whole post is to get some of us to go out of our way to “offend” people this season. "Offend" them because freedom of expression, speech and religion belong to you too. And I don't mean "offend" by go around hurting people's feelings on purpose. I'm talking about "offending" by referring to "Christmas". Sincerely saying "God bless you". Offering your prayers for someone instead of "good thoughts" whatever the hell that means.

What's the worst that can happen?

Update 11/28:
Speaking of offensive...(safe for work) and I can't say "Merry Christmas", but this guy can do what he does and it's okay and protected free speech? *gag*

Update #2:
Funnies from The Yak - again. Uh...Happy Christmukkah?