Greeting Cards from the White House

Note: This is a letter written to Chris Core of WMAL, host of the Chris Core Show.

Dear Chris:

I am writing to you because I have been listening the last few weeks over all the contraversaries people have been making up concerning the holidays. It's bad enough people our fighting over what to call a Christmas tree (come on, only people who celebrate Christmas plus maybe a few old-time pagans decorate a tree for a holiday). It's bad enough that we have to walk around on tippy toes on how to address people during the holidays (I've settled on saying Merry Christmas only if I know they're Christians or they are wearing a cross or Christmas related appearal and say "Happy Holidays" if I'm not sure.) All this to accomodate a few extremists on the left who want to wipe out any public practices of Christianity even though it is the religion of the vast majority of Americans. However, on the extreme right, there are also problems which has prompted to me to write you.

Last Saturday, I was honored to recieved a holiday greeting card from the White House, signed by President Bush and the First Lady. I suspect because of how it was addressed, it was sent to me because of my participation in my local Republicsn Committee. I'm not mover or shaker, just an average member, contributing some of my time and money. I appreciated the nice gesture from the Bushes. This morning, I was surprised to see in the Washington Post that some Christian groups have seen fit to make issue over the same greeting card, because it did not specifically state "Christmas" or make reference to Jesus' birth. Come on! The cards were sent to over 1.2 million supporters of the President. How is the White House suppose to know the religious preferences of each one of them and what would be offensive or not? I knew the card was to me because I'm an active Republican and it was addressed to me and not my wife, who doesn't get involved in the party. She is not listed in any party database, so she wasn't addressed. If the White House didn't know enough that I was married, who is it going to know if I'm a Christian (which I am) or Jewish or Muslim or another religion? There is no legal registry of your religious faith in America outside of the military. The military only does it so they can stamp your dog tags and send the right Chaplain if the need arises. So I do not think it is fair to slam the White House over this issue. There is no way the White House staff is going to be able to know the religion of each person who gets a card, so it was right for the staff to send cards which has a common holiday greeeting which should offend no one. However, there are always people who want to fight over anything.

I thought this would be a good topic and I would be happy to discuss it on your show.

No Offense But Merry Christmas!

Dear Everyone:

Under the First Admendment of the US Constitution, I am permitted free excercise of speech and religion as an American citizen. As a Christian and an American who has traveled throughout many parts of the world, I have respected the customs and practices of all kinds of other people, including those who practice other faiths. I expect the same from everyone else. I don't expect you to practice my faith, but I do expect you to respect my free to practice it. I do not believe I need to hide the fact that I am a Christian from the public just as I would force you to hide your beliefs.

This is why I was offended this morning when I heard a discussion on a radio station this morning about selling housing during the holiday season. One of the radio hosts seriously asked the business reporter if decorating your house for Christmas when you have it for sale would be considered offensive. I was aghasted. You mean in order to sell my house during the holiday period, I'm supposed to hide the fact that I celebrate Christmas, one of my religious holidays? If a potential customer is offended, so be it because I would not not want money from such a prejudiced person. Would you expect a Jewish family to hide the Menorah and decorations if non-Jewish lookers came to their house?

I understand if someone may be made to feel uncomfortable if I said "Merry Christmas" to them if they were not a Christian and I have the maners to say "Happy Holidays" unless I knew they were Christians. However, those who want to force out all public displays of the word "Christmas" need to get a grip on reality. You can't force Christmas away, no matter how hard you try. The Romans, Soviets, and other opressors of freedom have tried and failed. We should celebrate or at least respect everyone's holiday unless it somehow it intentionally designed to hurt someone (e.g. Marching down the a street in a Jewish neighborhood to celebrate Hitler's birthday.) I rather live in a country where all good people of faith are allowed to express themselves as long as they respect others. Schoolchildren should know what Christmas, Hanukkah, and Ramadan and all other major holidays are all about. This way, when the kids grow up, they can be more knowledgeable about the world and other peoples, thus knowing how to live with them in respect, perhaps even love. Isn't that what the "holiday" season is all about anyways?

Sincerely,

John Dittmer