Some things never change. Along with the omnipresent schmaltzy Christmas musak and tacky Christmas tchotchkes that assault our auditory and visual senses, these same senses are annually assaulted by Fox News patented "war on Christmas." As Fox is also at war with atheists, tis the season for Fox to showcase how those atheistic forces of evil are assaulting Christian Christmas traditions so beloved to those Fox fans whose idea of Christian/Christmas cheer is to assault those whose beliefs are different from Jesus' BFF's. As I reported earlier, Fox alleged "news" person, Megyn Kelly is none to happy about this. And on Thursday, she did a little more whining about those who are making her Christmas a little less bright.
As part of "Kelly's Court," Megyn Kelly interviewed two lawyers about the recent complaint about a banner, that says "Keep Christ in Christmas," that overhangs a city street in Pitman, NJ and which was sponsored by the Catholic Knights of Columbus and put up by the town's fire department. The Freedom From Religion Foundation, a group that monitors First Amendment church/state issues, is urging the town to take the banner down because it's religious nature violates the First Amendment. This Wisconsin based group has been, along with other groups that specialize in church/state violations, the target of Fox "News" wrath on a number of occasions when they have challenged municipalities over "establishment clause" issues. In this case, they are acting on a complaint by a local resident.
Kelly, looking quite fetching in "winter white," reported the backstory as the chyron noted that an "atheist group" is asking the town to take down the banner. She emphasized the part of the story about how this has been a tradition for 60 years and stated, in an exagerrated voice, that "some folks think that this blurs the line between church and states." (Ya think!) She made sure that the viewers knew who was behind this by noting that the complaint came from a "national atheist organization." (Oh, those nasty atheists) who "demanded" that the banner be taken down. (So "fair & balanced" Kelly is using the more incendiary "demand" when the group, according to the Fox News website, is "urging" action.)
Mark Eiglarsh, who defended the request from the FFRF, noted that, "in order to minimize the hate mail," the group is not his client. (Was he just joking?) He argued that this does appear to be a religious sign and if the town is not taking it down, the atheists should have equal access. The other attorney, David Wohl, "joked" about how this is a "tough time for atheists" because "while we're around friends and family in good cheer," the atheists are "looking for things to complain about." (Ka-ching - a comment could be straight from the Fox playbook as it smears those baaaad ass atheists). He claimed that the town is being "tolerant of religion." As the camera zoomed out to show an expanse of Megyn's legs, she cited the complaint and said that it's "possible" that the person felt excluded. When Eiglarsh said that most people would support the message on the sign, she asked if it mattered that they might feel excluded if the sign is removed. After he referenced the Supreme Court, she responded by citing how the SCOTUS upheld a 10 Commandment display on public property.
Wohl mentioned that the 10 Commandments are in the Supreme Court building and God is on our money. (Didn't mention that Hammurabi's Code is also in the building and that "God" wasn't put on the money until the mid 20th century.) Megyn zoomed in for the Fox Christian kill. Knowing what his answer would be, she asked Eiglarsh would would happen if the banner didn't come down. He responded that the atheists would put up their banner that said God didn't exist. With her patented boy-do-I-hate-these-f'ng-atheists look, she snarked "that's nice, children going down the street, just in time for Christmas, ten days before Christmas, reading keep the Christ in Christmas and then reading your banner, Mark." (Keep that hate mail coming, right Megs!) She joked "hypothetical banner."
Poor Megyn. I hope that these atheists stealing Christmas stories aren't stressing her out during this holiday (ewww, I said a a dirty word) season. But she's doing her job as a "fair & balanced" Fox host who works hard for the money....
The original title of “Christ” was the sarcastic placing of a sign on Jesus’ cross. The whole concept of a King-monarchy based religion is antithetical to Jesus and his teachings. It is a fiction begun in the early church, and perpetuated by the stupidity and evil of the fundamentalist right. His name was Jesus. Christ is a title, not a name.
Happy (secular) Jesus the teacher’s birthday everyone!