By Cameron Macko
managing copy

Well, it’s that time of the year again. It’s the time for atheists and agnostics to gather around the Christmas, sorry, holiday tree and give each other presents for no apparent reason in celebration of… December the 25th? Christians, however, must sit back and bite their tongues, since sticking up, defending their holiday and publically celebrating the birth of their Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, is considered intolerant and discriminating.

In society, there are those who have attempted over the last few decades to filter it. They are trying to filter out terms and ideas they find “offensive” and replace them with “politically correct” ones. They have almost declared full-on war on Christmas in recent years.

Christmas break renamed winter break, “Merry Christmas” restated as “happy holidays” or “season’s greetings”. Christmas is becoming, if not already is, a secularized holiday. But it’s okay, as long as no one (except Christians) is offended.

Junior Kera Metz does not agree with the increasing attack on the Christian holiday.

“The basis of our country is on Christianity,” Metz said. “[And] since the basis of our country is on Christianity, you can respect that but still have your own beliefs.”

Notice how on the official DHS calendar the dates between Dec. 23 and Jan. 2 are listed as “Winter Break”. It used to be Christmas break, because that’s what it is. It’s not Hanukkah break or as for Atheists “let’s give each other presents for no apparent reason” break.

It’s Christmas break. It’s all a part of not offending anyone. Even a lot of atheists will say they celebrate Christmas and in modern culture some Jews even celebrate Christmas.

Is there anything wrong with Jews and atheists celebrating Christmas? No. But while they celebrate their secular and materialistic view of the holiday, Christians can celebrate the true and legitimate version and others can at least respect it. It’s only intolerant if a Christian wants to innocently celebrate their holiday, while it’s okay for atheists to outright disrespect a legitimate one. It’s okay though, as long as no one (except Christians) is offended.

Atheists, having already given up religion, apparently don’t want to give up the perks of being religious and they are militant if they’re asked about it. Some atheists say that Christians don’t even deserve to celebrate Christmas because they claim Catholic Church “stole” the holiday from the Pagans. They are mistaken when they argue this, since the theory was Jesus died on the same day he was conceived.

That date was March 25th and nine months later was December. But they are taking a religious holiday, rubbing atheism all over it, and then demonize Christians for being intolerant under the transparent sheet of “political correctness”. But it’s okay, as long as no one (except Christians) is offended.

Many Christians, including sophomore John Stibitz, are becoming increasingly annoyed by this secular attack on their holiday, especially when the politically correct term is now “winter break”.

“I find it quite annoying,” Stibitz said. ”I don’t think it should be called winter break because the reason we are getting it off is for Christmas. And I don’t like it because it’s taking away the real meaning of Christmas.”

The real meaning he refers to is, of course, the birth of the Christian messiah, Jesus Christ, not presents and Santa.

The war against Christmas has been waged across the entire nation.The governor of Rhode Island, Gov. Lincoln Chafee, has renamed the state Christmas tree to the holiday tree. Signs across the country read “Happy Holidays”. There’s even a huge red, white and green sign on the main entrance by the office with the big red words “Happy Holidays” slapping Christians in the face. It’s all good if no one (except Christians) is offended. This sign is surrounded by hundreds of little signs, one reading “Spread Some Holiday Cheer…” as an advertisement for a Member’s First Credit Union candy cane gram. There are many signs advertising a Christmas Spirit week. Across this entire half-sheet of paper the man who put the Christ in Christmas is not mentioned even once.

The only sign with religious implications was an advertisement for an event at First Congregational Church.

The best part of political correctness is just how lopsided it is. It’s socially unacceptable for most teachers to mention God in a classroom because they don’t want to offend anyone, but they are allowed and even ordered to teach “evidence” for evolution already proven false, and refuse to even address valid scientific criticisms of the theory, treating it like a fact rather than what it is, a theory.

But it’s okay though, as long as no one (except Christians) is offended.