Conservatives aim to reclaim Christmas [View All]

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http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/121404dnnatconservative.c6fb838.html


Emboldened by their Election Day successes, some Christian conservatives around the country are trying to put more Christ into Christmas this season.

In California, a group called the Committee to Save Merry Christmas is boycotting Macy's and its corporate parent, Federated Department Stores, accusing them of replacing "Merry Christmas" signs with ones wishing shoppers "Seasons Greetings" or "Happy Holidays." The organization cites "the recent presidential election showing political correctness is offending millions of Americans."

The push from the religious right troubles Barry Lynn, executive director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State. "This mixing of secular and religious symbols ought to be seen as a bad thing, not a good thing, for Christian believers," he says. "Unfortunately, some of the Christian pressure groups seem to have it backwards." He adds: "I think it's fair to say it's a mistaken notion that they have a mandate to put more nativity scenes up because George Bush was elected."

But to many, the threats and demands that stores put up "Merry Christmas" signs are no laughing matter. "Why not simply require stores owned by Jews to put a gold star in their ads and on their storefronts?" the Rev. Jim Melnyk, associate rector of St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Raleigh, wrote in a letter to the editor.