This GOP led US Congress is on track to be "the least productive" session in history. But in the midst of constant obstruction and ongoing attempts to repeal the Affordable Care Act, there is one brave GOP Representative who is doing the Lord's work in trying to reach across the aisle. Teabagging Rep. Doug Lamborn, who once compared our first African-American president to the "Tar Baby" and who loves the First Amendment so much that he has banned public protest outside his Colorado office (cept for teabaggers), is the sponsor of a proposed Congressional resolution which would ensure that Christmas, which is btw, under attack, is protected under the First Amendment - or something like that! And for his efforts on behalf of that very endangered holiday, he was praised and thanked by the Fox & Friends Christmas loving Christmas Eve crew.
Last week, Lamborn appeared on Fox & Friends in order to talk about his awesome bipartisan (34 GOP, 3 Democrats) house resolution to protect Christmas from all the evil secularists who hate the Baby Jesus. Lamborn told the friends, who referred to the resolution as a bill, about his Resolution that will "protect the signs and symbols of Christmas" and fight against any attempts to "ban" them. Naturally, he didn't offer any specific examples of these alleged assaults on Christmas. Ana Kooiman claimed that "the bill" would protect saying Merry Christmas and Nativity scenes- a claim that isn't borne out by the text of the resolution which deals in generalities. The visual also identified the resolution as a "bill."
Koiman asked if this is important because "things have gotten more and more out of hand." Lamborn pushed the patented aggrieved right wing Christian meme in his comment about a "vocal minority that is offended at the rest of us who want to celebrate Christmas." He noted that in addition to being a "cultural" and "historical" celebration, Christmas is "religious." He drifted off into the alternate reality of the Christian right: "Just because someone is offended doesn’t mean that they can shut down the religious celebration or acknowledgement of every other Americans then that tramples on the rights of those Americans."
Wright asked about other "specific points" addressed in the "bill." They chyron reinforced the lie: "Saving Christmas, Bill Would Protect Specific References." Lamborn spoke about how "we" should not "put up with these bans" and that his proposed resolution (NOT A LAW) would allow localities to put up Nativity scenes and allow children to sing Christmas carols in schools - things that are now "under attack." (Yeah, Doug, that First Amendment "establishment" thingie!)
Kooiman then pushed Todd Starnes' lie about how Christian kids weren't allowed to send cards to wounded veterans. Lamborn said that he is "encouraged and inspired by all faith traditions" and that "if someone says to me Happy Hanukkah or something like that, I apply that to my own religion. I’m not offended by that person’s acknowledgement of their religion. And so, we live in a pluralistic society." (Somehow I doubt if Doug gets a lot of "happy Hanukkah's") and that we should "go down to the lowest common denominator where no one can say anything." (cept for the protestors outside your office) A heartwarming Merry Christmas card, showing Doug and his tribe, was shown in the background. He again asserted that we need to be more "tolerant of the diversity and pluralism of our society. These people who are attacking Christmas..." (Lamborn is pushing tolerance for other views while his resolution protects just one religion!) While the resolution is very general, the Fox chyron informed us that it "Is Keeping the Joy Alive" because it is "Aimed at Schools That Ban Carols." Wright thanked Lamborn for his efforts to save Christmas.
One more time - this is a resolution - NOT A Bill - which hasn't been passed the House and if it does, probably won't make it through the Senate. And if it does, there would be legal challenges. Do these idiots on the couch do any preliminary research? And "tolerance" - seriously - the Fox War on Christmas is all about intolerance of those who are trying to be inclusive. "Tolerance of the diversity and pluralism of our society?" On Fox News? Oh, the irony!
“Whereas Christmas is a national holiday celebrated on December 25; and
Whereas the Framers intended that the First Amendment of the Constitution, in prohibiting the establishment of religion, would not prohibit any mention of religion or reference to God in civic dialog: "
Okay. The first part is correct but I’d love to see where the “Framers” expressed ANY such intent to the First Amendment which would support the premise of the second part. Don’t you think the “Framers” would’ve made the First Amendment actually SAY that if they’d “intended” it? (Of course, the “Framers” also CLEARLY stated their intentions about the Second Amendment but that doesn’t keep the gun nuts from saying just the opposite about it. But I digress……)
It’s also a bit funny that the resolution says “be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives . . . That the House of Representatives . . . .” Apparently for the House to “recognize” or “express support” or “strongly disapprove” of something in a House Resolution, the Senate needs to enact the House Resolution.