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School's inclusive Christmas excludes Christ
Chicago Tribune ^ | December 6, 2004 | Jeff Long

Posted on 12/06/2004 5:50:24 AM PST by Land_of_Lincoln_John

When children who attend the McHenry County school gathered in the gym last week to brighten friends and parents with holiday cheer, they sang of lighting candles for Hanukkah, gave their rendition of a Jamaican folk song and even did their lists for Santa.

But their songs never mentioned Christ or the Christmas story--an omission that drew swift criticism from Christian groups pushing public schools to remember the meaning of Christmas.

"The reason for the season is Christmas," said Dave Smith, senior policy analyst for the Illinois Family Institute, a Christian organization. "At least some equal time would have been nice."

Officials at Spring Grove Elementary School said they were just trying to be more inclusive of all holiday traditions and cultures during concerts Wednesday and Thursday nights. Any overlooking of Christ and Christmas was inadvertent, they said.

"There wasn't anything to slight anybody," Principal John Druszczak said.

But a parent apparently disagreed and contacted the Illinois Family Institute about the holiday programs presented by the McHenry County elementary school, Smith said.

Smith put her in touch with Chicago lawyer Andy Norman, who said Friday that he has been involved in a nationwide fight to "save Christmas from" the American Civil Liberties Union.

(Excerpt) Read more at chicagotribune.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events; US: Illinois
KEYWORDS: aclu; christmas; pc; prrunamok
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To: eccentric

I can see why it seems like a good idea, and in a different time it might have been.

However, it would be viewed as one more concession to the minorities and the ACLU that want things their way.

No concessions any longer!


41 posted on 12/06/2004 6:50:47 AM PST by texasbluebell
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To: kassie

We have become a nation of easily offended whiners,refusing to take resposibilities for our actions, refusing to leave other people alone.

It is interesting that for every atheist, pagan or Muslim that may be offended by
Christmas activiies in a school, a hundred Christians, Jews are even more so when these activities are curtailed.


42 posted on 12/06/2004 6:53:03 AM PST by catonsville
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To: Land_of_Lincoln_John

Multiculturalists are out of touch with reality. And in their ideologically-induced dementia, they are in reality, aiding and abeting in the destruction of the very concepts that built America. If we think of our nation as a club, and which like all clubs, was formed based upon a perceived "need", we can more clearly see and understand that multiculturalism is anathema to the ability of the club to exist.


The perceived 'need' gives rise to purpose and reason. And purpose and reason give rise to principles, law, and culture. Using Free Republic as an example, its' founders peceived a need for this forum to serve as a place in which like-minded but otherwise different, "Constitutionalist" Americans could come together to discuss, receive validation, and to formulate resolutions and resistance {purpose and reason} to the ongoing political and cultural problems here in America. Posting guidelines {laws and principles} were conceived of in order to preserve the "purpose and reason" for the existence of FR. In time, a cohesive culture of sorts was formed by FR's membership.


To make sense of the damage multiculturalists are doing to 'club America," we can visualize what would happen to FR if its owners were forced by PC relativists to 'stand down' on their guidelines, principles, etc., in order to become 'inclusive" so as to allow ideologues who hate FR to post in it, but to do so on their own terms. Anarchy would ensue and FR would self-destruct. It would quickly become a war-zone.....a foul-mouthed, violence and chaos haunted no-man's land. And that's exactly what is already occuring in various, and ever-growing pockets of America as illegals, cultural-Marxists (radical homosexuals, feminists, activist atheists, etc) globalist judges, etc. ignore 'club' America's founding principles, culture, and rule of law in order to do what they want on their own terms.


43 posted on 12/06/2004 6:56:32 AM PST by Lindykim (")
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http://www.sptimes.com/2004/12/04/State/Symbols_of_the_season.shtml


44 posted on 12/06/2004 7:05:21 AM PST by Ellesu
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To: cyncooper
No, they were very careful to say that they didn't ban any mention of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, they merely omitted any mention of His name. After all, it's easy to understand how someone could inadvertently forget to recognize the One for whom the day is named.

However, Santa made their list. I guess it's easy to forget about the Son of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob when you have a headliner like Santa Claus.

45 posted on 12/06/2004 7:05:32 AM PST by O.C. - Old Cracker (When the cracker gets old, you wind up with Old Cracker. - O.C.)
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To: texasbluebell
Would it be a concession to "take over" Christmas with parades, Christmas Carols and nativity plays ON Christmas Day? And then go shopping after Christmas? I see it more as 'sweet revenge.'

Put Christ back into Christ, save the gifts for New Year's Day.

46 posted on 12/06/2004 7:08:08 AM PST by eccentric (aka baldwidow)
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To: Lindykim
Multiculturalists are out of touch with reality.

I disagree -- I think they just have a different reality, to obliterate the American culture that's been here for decades/centuries. The people behind all this diveristy stuff know exactly what they are doing.

Diversity is just another form of communism -- an old fasioned power struggle disguised as a fanatical attempt to make everything "equal" and "fair" by suppressing and wiping out the dominant group.

47 posted on 12/06/2004 7:13:05 AM PST by Old Lady
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To: eccentric

Why?

Why should the majority change?


48 posted on 12/06/2004 7:13:58 AM PST by Adder (Can we bring back stoning again? Please?)
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To: eccentric

Well, in a way it would give the crybabies what they deserve.

We could stretch out Christmas for a whole week.

Maybe a week of celebrations, with the quiet of Christmas Eve and Christmas day, and then Boxing Day the next day, we could figure out names for the rest of the week up to New Year's Eve, so in a way it would make them madder.

But I still say, we leave it alone, and make the minorities and ACLU knuckle under.


49 posted on 12/06/2004 7:14:29 AM PST by texasbluebell
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To: Land_of_Lincoln_John

" they sang of lighting candles for Hanukkah,"



Why the fear of upsetting the Jews, but no fear of upsetting the Christians?


50 posted on 12/06/2004 7:16:58 AM PST by Blzbba (Conservative Republican - Less gov't, less spending, less intrusion.)
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To: Land_of_Lincoln_John

A good way to hit them where it hurts -- treat time off for Christmas the same way it is treated for Hannukah. Eevrybody does not get off for Hannukah, just Jewish people. The same thing should be done for Christmas - treat it as a religious holiday and only Christians get the time off.


51 posted on 12/06/2004 7:16:59 AM PST by Old Lady
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To: Land_of_Lincoln_John

> "The reason for the season is ..."


Axial Tilt.
Merry Nutationmass! Happy Precession Day!


52 posted on 12/06/2004 7:24:45 AM PST by orionblamblam
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To: Blzbba
Absolutely! What is the rule of thumb here?

Do not offend anyone but Christians??? The Christians can be offended by all? Leave the Christians out of the parades, programs and songs?

It leaves me speechless.

53 posted on 12/06/2004 7:27:57 AM PST by kassie ("It's the soldier who allows freedom of speech, not the reporter..")
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To: Old Lady
A good way to hit them where it hurts -- treat time off for Christmas the same way it is treated for Hannukah. Eevrybody does not get off for Hannukah, just Jewish people. The same thing should be done for Christmas - treat it as a religious holiday and only Christians get the time off>/i>

Way too much money involved for that to happen!

54 posted on 12/06/2004 7:29:19 AM PST by Knitting A Conundrum (Act Justly, Love Mercy, and Walk Humbly With God Micah 6:8)
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To: Land_of_Lincoln_John

when you wish someone "Happy Holidays," you're not excluding Christ. You're affirming Him. Holy days are, after all, Holy for a reason, and by the doing of a Holy God. End of story.


55 posted on 12/06/2004 7:31:04 AM PST by the invisib1e hand (if a man lives long enough, he gets to see the same thing over and over.)
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To: the invisib1e hand

You might want to change your pronunciation of the word so that they get your point.


56 posted on 12/06/2004 7:40:56 AM PST by mollynme (cogito, ergo freepum)
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To: Blzbba
Why the fear of upsetting the Jews, but no fear of upsetting the Christians?

Well, I think the Jewish people get enough flack and their traditions shouldn't be brought into the argument - their faith should be protected.

I live in a Anglo/WASP/Christian community, right beside a predominantly Jewish community - the signs posted all up and down our street say, "Merry Christmas and Happy Hannukah."

So all is not completely lost, but I do think both religions are under attack.

57 posted on 12/06/2004 7:41:41 AM PST by Ashamed Canadian
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To: the invisib1e hand

Everytime someone in the shops wishes me happy holidays at the counters, I always respond with a blatant "Merry Christmas". I don't care who it offends, in fact, I think every Christian should be downright blatant with our faith. Because that is something that goes against us - we are not as obvious as alot of Jewish people or many other religious group, short of wearing the crucifix.


58 posted on 12/06/2004 7:44:51 AM PST by Ashamed Canadian
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To: Ashamed Canadian
Everytime someone in the shops wishes me happy holidays at the counters, I always respond with a blatant "Merry Christmas". I don't care who it offends,

I hope you are sure to say it in a hostile and angry manner as your post seems to convey. What a perfect way to display your faith!

59 posted on 12/06/2004 7:58:19 AM PST by cyncooper
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To: L98Fiero

OH COME LET US IGNORE HIM


60 posted on 12/06/2004 8:10:06 AM PST by y2k_free_radical
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