This "war on Christmas" thing started out much like the Swift Boaters

[CatWoman]

and "Gore created the internet"
and "gay marriage"
and "Clinton wagged the dog"

We no longer have the luxury of ignoring these idiots and their wedge issues and lies. We do so at our own detriment. John Kerry, as well as the rest of us, learned the hard way.

These subjects come up out of nowhere, and develop lives of their own, thanks to Hate Radio, and the deluded dumb asses who listen to it.

Trouble is, how do you combat it?

.

[Horse with no Name]

1. I have no idea

But I live in one of the reddest parts of one of the reddest states and haven't seen a war on Christmas.
It's all hype.

[sasha031]

2. it's so sad when 1/2 of the population

are so stupid and fall for the most ridiculous nonsense.

[Maat]

6. Yes, we got emails regarding "the War on Christmas" ..

from Papa in Oklahoma. There was a defiant one about conservative Christians were going to put the Christmas music on loud in their cars, and say "Merry Christmas" loudly, so that everyone could hear. That just made me laugh, and be greatful I was going down the road having to listen to some idiot's loud music.

I sent him Barry Lynn's response to Falwell (Barry Lynn is a United Church of Christ minister, and the executive director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State):

www.au.org (click on the open letter to Falwell).

[Rhiannon12866]

10. I got an e-mail regarding the "war on Christmas" from a really nice lady,

a friend of my mother's, who I dog-sit for. I didn't pass it on, obviously, but I didn't reply, either. What can I say? Ignore this because it's bullshit? The woman is 70-years-old, and pretty religious. I'd welcome suggestions with how to deal with this, but I recognize it for the bullshit it is and so have just been ignoring it... She always writes back to me, but I know better than to proselytize with her...:-(

I got this piece of drivel from this nice lady. And there were pix. Yikes! I wanted to tell her that this was obviously from Freepers because words were misspelled, but she wouldn't have had the slightest idea what I was talking about. I'm still thinking of how I can explain this to her without offending...:shrug:

SAY, CHRISTMAS!..
This is a Christmas tree. It is NOT a Holiday hedge.
It is a Christmas tree!
Say it...Christmas, Christmas, Christmas



THIS "CAN'T SAY CHRISTMAS"
IS GETTING A LITTLE ANNOYING!..

WE SHOULD ALL PUT MERRY CHRISTMAS
SIGNS ON OUR LAWNS AND

ON OUR BUMPERSTICKERS...
DON'T YA THINK?????????????

WHAT THE HECK'S THE MATTER WITH THE COURTS?????

ARE THEY GOING TO CHANGE THE SONGS TOO???

I"M DREAMING OF A WHITE...HOLIDAY?

WE WISH U A MERRY....HOLIDAY???

I"LL HAVE A BLUE...HOLIDAY WITHOUT U????
THIS IS GETTING RIDICULOUS...

WE ARE LOOSING OUR RIGHTS....

THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE A FREE SPEECH COUNTRY!.......
"MERRY CHRISTMAS" TO All of YOU.....
Say it everywhere u go!
PASS THIS ON...

[Maat]

16. HeeHee.

Yes, Papa is in his 70's (my father-in-law).

I certainly don't expect to change Papa's mind at this point.

I always say, "Happy Holidays!" I'm sticking to it.

[Rhiannon12866]

21. My mother's friend, whom I am very fond of, is also in her 70s

And I don't want to offend her. I have no problem wishing her a Merry Christmas, since I don't think most of us do, and that includes non-religious people like me, but I am offended at this so-called "war on Christmas." If I don't subscribe to it, believing as I do, who does? This was dreamed up by the religious right. And good luck with your Papa. He sounds like a dear, despite his religious beliefs. One of my best friends in my life was an ordained minister. We never had any disagreements, since he was a fellow liberal. My dear friend, Paul, died on Christmas Eve, 1998, at age 101. I still miss him so much.;(

Rhiannon:pals:

[Maat]

23. Thanks. Take care!

Papa has got a good heart; all of my in-laws moved to Oklahoma and became hardright Southern Baptists. It is kind of like having your family be kidnapped by aliens, and having their brains replaced with .. something else.

[Rhiannon12866]

26. Yikes! But I know what you mean...

My cousin moved to Tennessee, to be near her in-laws, and has sent me the most amazing things, like quotes from Dennis Miller and advocates for school prayer. I don't even know what to tell her, since her beliefs boggle my mind and I want to send a de-programmer after her. Yikes! But it's different with older people and I haven't sent that e-mail, just yet. But I will, after reading it over a few more dozen times. *sigh* I really do understand, since you know that these are really good people, but it's hard to see them become someone that you don't know. Thanks for the encouragement and good luck with Papa. I think I'd like him, despite everything.:D

Rhiannon:hi:

[Rhiannon12866]

14. This inspired me to write back to my mother's friend. Here's what I said:

Beanie,
I just wanted to tell you that I'm not going to pass this one on. I know that we all get so many things that we don't think much about, but this one bothered me because I know, for a fact, that there is no "war on Christmas." It's something cooked up by the RW to blame on the leftists, to cause bad feelings and dissension. But the truth is that many liberals, including most of my friends and John Kerry (though he's not really very liberal) and Dennis Kucinich (my candidate) are good Catholics and celebrate and revere Christmas. I've never gotten political with you before, and I hated doing it, but this bothered me. And I won't do it again, but I wanted you to know that this came from the hate-mongers, and misrepresents the liberal population. They're for free speech, and celebrating holidays, including the many Christians among them.

And I sent her a hug...:shrug:

[Maat]

17. That was a very good reply!

I thought it was rather diplomatic.

Congrats! A toast to you!

:toast:

[Rhiannon12866]

27. Thank you so much!

You may have given me the courage to send it, just now, rather than reading it over a few more dozen times. This really is a very nice lady, a long-time friend of my mother's, and kind of serves as a go-between, since my mother is a serious Freeper, very hostile to me, and I don't want to lose her friendship. She has no daughters, only sons, so enjoys having a relationship with me. And I also dog-sit her little sheltie, who I just love. So thank you. I'll let you know her reaction.

Rhiannon:scared:

[Maat]

28. We have to speak up!

:hug:

[Rhiannon12866]

33. I know and I usually do!

This fall, I took on a raving Freeper who challenged me at PetsMart, LOL! And I got accosted, on election day, in their parking lot, for my Kerry buttons and bumper stickers! That seems to be a hotbed of Freeper activity, LOL! Though my vet, who has a second practice there, is one of us, and has even given advice to people who have posted pet health problems on DU, that I've brought him.:shrug:

I usually am not one to back down, since I'm armed with the facts, but I don't want to offend Beanie, since she's my mother's friend and is a very nice lady, and over 70. So was the Freeper who came after me, but she was a stranger, and deserved what she got, LOL! I'll read over what I wrote and decide whether to send it, as is.
:scared:

Thanks!
Rhiannon:hi::hug:

[Maat]

34. Enjoy the holidays and peace (n/t)!

[Rhiannon12866]

37. And peace to you, as well, my friend. I just wish that it were so.

And a Merry Christmas! I refuse to get caught up in the so-called "Christmas wars." Anybody can wish me anything, as long as it's sincere, and I don't have a problem with it. And thanks so much for your advice, since I need all that I can get...:D

Rhiannon:hi:

[junkiebrewster]

35. ? about Rev. Lynn....

I've long admired this man and his organiztion. What demnomination is he?

[havocmom]

3. That's why I was tickled to hear about the school district in TX

that is talking lawsuit against FOX and their idiot Lord Falafel for broadcasting they would not allow kids to wear red & green!

Time for anybody who can to slap the sonsabitches down hard for every untrue utterance! Only way to deal with bullies is to stand up and call 'em out.

Along that line... has Lord Falafel agreed to debate Clooney away from the Factor No Spine Zone?

[NanceGreggs]

4. You don't.

The people who dream up things like 'War on Christmas' are idiots, and you can't argue with an idiot.

[Bridget Burke]

12. Unfortunately, the "War on Christmas" was NOT dreamed up by idiots.

It's part of the Religious Right's lie about Christianity Under Attack. They've been publishing articles for years complaining about how nobody can say "Merry Christmas" any more, etc.

The lies are spammed around & sent to the usual media suspects. Why report on the Iraq debacle, the ruined Gulf Coast & continuing Republican scandals when you can fill up airtime with useless, divisive garbage?

The people who take the bait are none to bright.

[NanceGreggs]

15. You've made my point ...

Religious Right = IDIOTS!

As you said yourself, "The people who take the bait are none too bright."

You'll also note that the so-called 'Christians' who are ranting about this HAVE SAID NOT ONE WORD about keeping 'Christ in Christmas' by donating to the poor, the hungry, the homeless, etc. As long as they hear the word 'Christmas', their wallets are open and they're ready to spend -- that's what the season has come to mean to all of them.

Happy Birthday, Baby Jesus - hope you appreciate how your alleged 'followers' are celebrating your birth!

[Sean C.]

5. How do you combat it?

With facts and mockery. Present the facts that counter their ridiculous arguments, and mock them for presenting them. In the case of the "War on Christmas", obviously, mockery (such as what Sam Seder did on CNN a couple of days ago) should be emphasized more because there's no actual facts to argue against when it comes to the right's claims that liberals are launching some sort of coordinated assault on Christmas.

-My two cents

[G_j]

7. “War on Christmas” conspiracy rhetoric isn’t at all new,

http://thinkprogress.org/2005/12/05/christmas-conspiracy/
Anti-Semitism, U.N.-Bashing Color History of “War on Christmas” Conspiracy The right-wing’s “War on Christmas” conspiracy rhetoric isn’t at all new, though the scapegoats have changed some.

In the 1921 screed “The International Jew: The World’s Foremost Problem,” automaker and notorious anti-Semite Henry Ford observed that “most people had a hard time finding Christmas cards that indicated in any way that Christmas commemorated Someone’s Birth.” He noted menacingly, “Now, all this begins with the designers of the cards.”

Later, the Soviet Union and the United Nations were fingered for plotting to undermine Christmas. A 1959 John Birch Society pamphlet stated, “One of the techniques now being applied by the Reds to weaken the pillar of religion in our country is the drive to take Christ out of Christmas — to denude the event of its religious meaning.” The writer sounded the alarm: “Department stores throughout the country are to utilize UN symbols and emblems as Christmas decorations.”





=

[G_j]

24. kick

[blm]

8. They get to dictate whatever issue is BIG - they bought up the media long

ago to make certain of it.

[CatWoman]

9. as always, nail on the head blm

:hi:

[LSK]

20. i hope AAR is making a dent in this..

Along with KO and Jon Stewart.

But your point is made anytime CNN or MSNBC discusses the "war on christmas".

[underpants]

11. 92 years ago

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=103&topic_id=179328&mesg_id=179328

[Cleita]

13. Here's a war I can get behind...

A WAR AGAINST STUPIDITY!

Maybe this will develop a life of it's own.

[Scout1071]

18. Even my best friend was spouting the War on Xmas stuff yesterday.

And she's no conservative. I just had to roll my eyes and point out that they have the nation talking about this bullshit subject rather than the real war in Iraq and Afghanistan.

[LSK]

19. i dont think so, they bring up this crap every year

I think we cannot continue to let them determine the conversation.

Why cant we "swift boat" them with the truth:

No Bid contracts
War for oil
PNAC
Military Industrial complex
George Bush hates black people


We have so many issues we can smack them around with and we have the truth.

Or in other words

GO ON THE FUCKING OFFENSIVE!

[H2O Man]

22. The only answer:

Is being happy!

[CatWoman]

30. now, that is just plain wrong

:hi:

[Mike Niendorff]

25. why "combat" it at all?

What they are doing is "picking a fight".

By doing so, they get to determine which "issues" you'll spend the next month or two "discussing".

Think about that.

They get to choose your topics of political debate for you. And all just by proclaiming that there is some grand conspiracy afoot, and then demanding that you dedicate your next few months to affirming, denying, or simply "debating" it.

Now, think about this: why would a party facing massive corruption, impending indictments and a horrendously failed war policy want to have you wasting your time debating the secret meaning of "Merry Christmas" instead?

They aren't idiots, folks.

They're "herding" public discourse, and you're playing along.

The correct response is to laugh at their distraction campaigns, point them out for what they are, and then use that to draw the focus back onto the issues that they're distracting from.


MDN

[BurtWorm]

31. Oddly enough, the targets of their wrath are Bush and Wal-Mart.

Those are the "enemies of Christmas" who have made the most news. These swiftboaters are not very swift if their aim is the left.

[stevietheman]

29. I think we need a "War on Xmas Materialism"...

but as far as a "War on the Christmas holiday"? The notion of that is nonsense. And saying "Happy holidays" does nothing whatsoever to denigrate Christianity. It's really all a matter of Christian majoritarianism in action in that those who are most adamantly on the "Christian sports team" howl when their majority privilege is upset the slightest in this society, such as when other religions are considered this time of year in a way that appears equal to how Christianity is considered. These rabid-right Christians consider all other beliefs false and they honestly want them expunged from public expression--that's what they're really after.

As for a war on Christmas Materialism, I think it would be a great thing if the gift exchange aspect of the holiday were ended. It's consumerism at its worst, it's bad for the environment, and it's bad for personal finances. And I don't know about anyone else, but it also makes this time of year frantic and depressing.

[tjwash]

32. What's amazing is...

...how the RW spin machine can take absolutely anything whatsoever and turn it in to an instant wedge issue when they need a distraction from say, torture, republican indictments, our brothers and sisters coming home labeled as freight in body bags, no bid crony contracts, etc, etc, etc....

I swear, in the summer they will take the wording of department store turtle wax ads and turn into "liberals want to take away the right of us real americans to wash our cars". What is even more amazing is that enough people buy into this shit, that they just keep on doing it.

I call it the "these are not the droids you are looking for" syndrome.

[sandnsea]

36. Be unified against it, for one thing

At least nobody is buying into the veracity of their bullshit claims, which is not usually the case with our Dem leaders. Everybody is pretty much on the same page, it's stupid and laughable, which is ALWAYS the tact we should take with this stuff. That Wal-Mart memo should be one that WE mass email, for a change. As soon as you get the country laughing at something, you've won.