OK, I did get myself worked up about it, after all

You know, YHB noted Falwell fighting for holy holiday, by Joe Garofoli in this morning’s Chronicle, and decided to blog about it. But really, I’d just get myself worked up over this whole stupid business. And you know, Mr. Falwell, if you divide the world into friends and foes, well, I’m a foe. I don’t particularly want to be a foe, but it’s your worldview.

And you know? I’m a nutball hard-line Madisonian when it comes to separation of church and state. I prefer not to have any government support—any support—of churches, synagogues, mosques or dark satanic caves. I would prefer that there be no Christmas (or Hanukkah) decorations on any publicly owned land.

And you know what? In my little New England town, like most little New England towns, there’s a big church at one end of Main Street and one church at the other end of Main Street, and I have no objection whatsoever to them both putting crèches on the lawn. No objection. Should they do so, and I imagine they will, a drive through the town will begin and end with blatant religious propaganda, and non-Christians will of necessity pass it every day. And that’s fine. Nobody—nobody—wants to ban that. My unqualified support for your right to your own religion, says I, means that I pass a daily gantlet of that religion, reminding me constantly of my minority status, and I couldn’t be happier about it.

And you know what again? Nobody is attacking Christmas, and if anybody was, Christmas is in no danger from them. OK? Elmo does not need to save Christmas. Ernest does not need to save Christmas. Sally does not need to save Christmas. Felix the god-damned Cat does not need to save Christmas. Rover does not need to save Christmas. Noddy does not need to save Christmas. Inspector Gadget does not need to save Christmas. Dumpy does not need to save Christmas. KISS does not need to save Christmas. The little mouse behind the clock does not need to save Christmas. The Veggie Tales toy is not required to save Christmas. Christmas will be fine without the reindeer, or the Sneeze that saved Christmas, or the Bears who saved Christmas, or the Dogs who saved Christmas, or the Erector Set Maker who saved Christmas, or the Flintstones, or Murray, or the Elf, or even Olive (the other reindeer).

In fact the whole point of the best Christmas television special is that even after the Grinch stole Christmas, there was Christmas. It’s cool. Really. Christmas isn’t even banned in Boston anymore.

Look, Michaelmas is in trouble. Tu B’Shvat, yes, needs a little help. It’s likely that the Eid is a little rough in places (and is no longer during Teh Holidays, so if you are wishing our Muslim brethren Happy Holidays, you’ll be talking about that other Eid, which isn’t until after Epiphany). Patriot’s Day is pretty much shot outside of Greater Boston. Bunny Day could use your help. Even Talk Like a Pirate Dentist day could conceivably go under. But Christmas? Not so much.

chazak, chazak, v’nitchazek,
-Vardibidian.