Christmas Candy Canes Banned? Who Knew?
By John Ciccone
A column mentioned that the anti-Christmas types were at it again this year, but with new tactics in their efforts to spoil the season for everyone else. As was stated last week, since their efforts to ban Christmas trees and Nativity Scenes are for the most part no longer successful, they have gone on the attack against Christmas SONGS; usually the long time classics and favorites like Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, Baby It’s Cold Outside and even the Charlie Brown Christmas TV Special, which they claim are sexist, racist and all the other ‘ists and ‘isms that they label everything else they don’t like with.
When this silliness first started over a dozen years ago, the reaction by the public was at first outrage. Why, most people wanted to know, can’t these grinches just leave Christmas alone? Don’t like Christmas, don’t celebrate it- pretty simple. But as the years went by and the anti-Christmas Crusaders were losing in court and their actions were often thwarted when people stood up to them, the anger directed at those waging the ‘War on Christmas’ in the form of backlash turned to amusement, as the public realized that these people were crackpots and desperately seeking attention. They became laughingstocks and the targets of ridicule, because what they were doing was so ridiculous. But now, even the laughter is subsiding and the anger that turned to amusement now seems to be turning to pity.
The efforts of the Christmas haters have become so absurd that many people are starting to actually feel sorry for them. They are obviously so consumed and obsessed with hatred and disdain for what to most Americans – Christians and non-Christians alike – look forward to and consider special, that, it is believed, there is clearly something wrong with these people. And this is highlighted by the latest bit of lunacy that just came out of a school in Nebraska.
As the news reported over the weekend, a school principal there decided she would ban candy canes from in-school celebrations. Yes folks, now they are even melting down over candy canes, because the principal says that if you hold a candy cane upside down it looks like the letter ‘J’ and of course, she believes the J stands for Jesus. Yes, this is how crazy they have become. But in addition to banning candy canes, she even added reindeer to the prohibited symbols of the season, but she did agree to allow hot chocolate, snow ‘people’, gingerbread ‘people’ oh, and penguins to be part of the ‘winter season’ decorations.
The good news is that this took place in the State of Nebraska and the parents and state officials there are not the type of folks that look kindly on or put up with Christmas Grinches or anyone else that attacks long standing and cherished traditions. The principal has been put on administrative leave for her actions. But had this taken place in Southern California or say Cambridge, Massachusetts, I just can’t help but believe that this principal would be put on a pedestal and praised as an enlightened progressive hero. A reminder to those who demand that Christmas decorations must by law be banned from public buildings and grounds: Christmas is a federal holiday as officially designated by the government of the United States of America back in 1870 and remains so to this day.
So this year, rather than waste time letting those waging a War on Christmas get to us, why not show them a bit of compassion for they know not what they do. Anyone who is so miserable that they would put so much time and effort into trying to ruin something so beautiful for everyone else must have serious problems and short comings. Oh, don’t get me wrong, we can’t let them get away with it or allow them to ever succeed in their goals, but they apparently have issues and are in need of a ‘Time Out’ and perhaps Safe Spaces of their own.
And as we humor or ignore those whose lives are so shallow that they devote their efforts to spoiling Christmas for others, let us all enjoy this beautiful season has to offer. Merry Christmas to all.
