A quick background… in my hometown, there has been a traditional “Breakfast With Santa” sponsored by the local PTA and held at a local elementary school. An anonymous individual raised a stink about Santa being there, and as a result Santa was removed from the event and it was renamed to a Winter Wonderland Breakfast. What ensued was the usual BS with everyone jumping on soapboxes and missing the point of the whole thing. I’ve chimed in with a new letter to the editor of the Warwick Advertiser… Maybe they’ll print it?
The other night I saw an advertisement for a big name jewelry store where Santa bought something extra special for his wife. I could only imagine the outcry if they had used the image of Christ or Mohammed to advertise jewelry.
Santa Claus is not a religious icon. While this season coincides with the Holy days of various world religions, you will not see a Crucifix or Star of David hanging from the rearview of Santa’s sleigh.
Basing an argument for banning Santa on religious grounds is absurd. Referencing the non-existent separation of church and state is ignorant. Shouldn’t arguments which reference educational institutions be made in an educated manner?
Imposing views on others by force is wrong. Children should be taught to be tolerant of different viewpoints, to celebrate our differences. Today we’ve taught them to bully, that disagreement is better resolved by threat than understanding. Good job!
Here’s another letter drafted by a partner in crime, another vile and disgusting individual who ~gasp~ doesn’t have any problem with Santa Claus.
I have been reading this brouhaha over the Santa Breakfast with some amusement. I say amusement because I’m boggled by something.
Can someone please explain to me which religion includes “Santa” in its pantheon?
It’s certainly not Christianity (who it should be pointed out explicitly would forbid such a character under that whole forbidding of images, other gods, etc.) Judaism doesn’t recognize Santa. Santa isn’t mentioned in the Bible, the Torah, or the Koran. In fact, for someone who is being kicked to the curb as a religious figure, he gets pretty short shrift and not a lot of recognition as the deity that he is being made out to be.
“Santa”, ladies and gentlemen, is a fictitious character. Any logic you want to use for removing “Santa” from school premises applies equally to removing “Tom Sawyer” or “Clifford the Big Red Dog”. He’s a fictional character whom children enjoy.
If you want to ban Santa, come up with a better excuse than the “church and state argument”, because Santa simply doesn’t apply there. — Derek’s Rantings and Musings.
