Saving Baby Jesus: Having balanced the national budget, developed an exit strategy for the Iraq War, ended poverty in America and fixed the education system, the U.S. House of Representatives has turned its attention to … Christmas.
Rep. Jo Ann Davis, R-Va., sought passage Wednesday night of a resolution expressing support for “the symbols and traditions of Christmas.”
The House could vote on the largely symbolic resolution as early as today, but it has started aheated partisan culture clash in the House. While conservative Republicans predictably applaud the measure, many Democrats are critical of the resolution, claiming it is religiously insensitive.
The Daily Press of Hampton Roads, Va., reported that Davis, an outspoken Christian conservative from Gloucester, said she was spurred to act after seeing news reports of retailers telling their employees to wish customers a “happy holiday,” instead of “Merry Christmas,” and schools forbidding everything from Christmas plays to Santa Claus.
“Christmas has been declared politically incorrect,” Davis told colleagues on the House floor. “Any sign or even mention of Christmas in public can lead to complaints, litigation, protests and threats. America’s favorite holiday is being twisted beyond recognition.”
The resolution, if adopted, would simply put the House on record as supporting the use of Christmas symbols and traditions, and opposing “attempts to ban references to Christmas.”
Apparently the Flaming Spirit of the Lord drove her to do it: “It was just something that was burning inside me. At what point did Christmas become so offensive?”
But Democrats protested that Congress has no business praising one religious holiday over others. The war of words has led to some twisted rhetoric and really funny quotes:
“I’m offended by this,” said Rep. Gary Ackerman, D-N.Y., who’s Jewish. “You’ve drawn me out. Why not protect my symbols?”
Rep. Anthony Weiner, D-N.Y, asked Davis to amend her resolution to include symbols of other holidays, such as Hanukkah and Kwanzaa, but Davis refused.
“The attack has not been on the menorah or any symbols of the other religions,” Davis said, referring to the Jewish candelabrum used to celebrate Hanukkah. “I will leave it as the resolution stands.”
The divisive public battle appeared to surprise Davis, a Republican and member of the Assembly of God church. “I didn’t realize there would be some opposition, but apparently, there is,” she said before the House floor debate.
An amended version of her resolution, which expressed support for Christmas symbols “for those who celebrate Christmas,” did little to dampen the opposition.
“You can always tell when the right wing is in trouble,” said Rep. Lynn Woolsey, D-Calif., who’s Presbyterian. “They invariably cook up some kind of culture war.”
U.S. Rep. Robert C. “Bobby” Scott, D-Newport News, opposed Davis’ resolution as a largely meaningless exercise. He said it masked what he suggested were immoral decisions by Congress to cut food stamps and Medicaid for the poor while cutting taxes for the wealthy. “What really needs to be protected is not the symbols of Christmas but the spirit of Christmas,” Scott said. “We ought to express our passion for Christmas through deeds, not words.”
Conservatives insisted that the measure was needed to combat what they described as a growing assault on religious free speech. “There is a war against Christmas,” said Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite, R-Fla., who’s Catholic. “Our children can’t sing Christmas carols. They can only sing holiday tunes.”
But the Rev. Barry Lynn, executive director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, said, “This is possibly the silliest bill ever presented to the United States Congress. If they honestly think there’s some kind of war against Santa Claus or the baby Jesus, they are just not getting out enough.”
