Saying Christmas is under attack, Virginia Rep. Jo Ann Davis sought passage Wednesday night of a resolution expressing support for "the symbols and traditions of Christmas."The largely symbolic resolution, scheduled for a House vote as early as today, triggered a partisan culture clash in the House chamber. Conservative Republicans applauded the measure, but many Democrats criticized it as religiously insensitive.
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."
Her resolution, if adopted, would put the House on record as supporting the use of Christmas symbols and traditions, while opposing "attempts to ban references to Christmas."
First of all, there is no backlash against Christmas in this largely Christian country. It's as strong as ever, and Davis is just fishing for a divisive issue to make her base feel victimized.
Of course, if there are any vicitms, it would be the minority religious groups, who don't have a House bill lauding their holidays:
But many Democrats protested the resolution, saying that Congress has no business praising one religious holiday over others."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.
Lovely. A complete waste of time. A divisive attempt to marginalize minority religions. And during the holiday season, no less. Some Democrats stood their ground and called her out:
"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."
No kidding. Davis must've slept through that day of Sunday School.
UPDATE- It gets better. Look at this doozy of a quote from Davis (hat tip to Corey Hernandez, via the comments):
?The reason for this resolution is that the attack has not been on the menorah or any of the other symbols of the other religions. But the attack has been and is being made on red and green colors, on candy canes??
Good thing we've got a Virginia representative defending those poor candy canes!