December 26, 2004

President Washington Would Disapprove ACLU

Bah, humbug on “holiday greetings!”

Instead, “Merry Christmas” to each and every one – except for a lump of coal to the American Civil Liberties Union.

The ACLU -- again this year -- had a disturbing measure of success in taking Christ out of Christmas.

Seventy-two percent of Americans are Christians, but majority rule is becoming a quaint footnote to the U.S. Constitution.

It is verboten among radlibs to bruise the feelings of Jews, Muslims, Hindi, Sikh, Buddhists, Wicca and Native-Americans (aka Indians). ACLU is uncertain about the day-after-Christmas black ethnic celebration of newly created Kwanzaa.

Certainly it is the constitutional right of religionists and ethnics to celebrate whatever holidays they wish.

City halls, courthouses and public schools are proper places to recognize the importance of all God-centered events – discrimination being studiously avoided – or to avoid them all.

Let specific faiths promote their holidays as best they can. Just don’t berate American Christians for their success here.

ACLU says it is politically correct to ban majority Christian displays on public property -- but not minority faiths.

Interestingly, American Jews are not complainers about Christmas.

Hanukkah has gained enough stature in America over the past three centuries to merit its own holiday here and respect by Christians.

This mutual respect is rooted in American history.

Newly elected President George Washington visited Newport, Rhode Island, in August 1790 – a year before the Bill of Rights had been ratified.

Moses Sexias, warden there of the Hebrew Congregation (now known as the Touro Synagogue), shortly thereafter wrote Washington seeking assurance of religious freedom for Jews:

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“Deprived as we heretofore have been of the invaluable rights of free citizens, we now with a deep sense of gratitude to the Almighty, behold a government erected by the majesty of the people -- which to bigotry gives no sanction, to persecution no assistance – but affording every one equal parts to Liberty of conscience and immunities of Citizenship.

“This so ample and extensive Federal Union -- whose basis is philanthropy, mutual confidence and public virtue -- we cannot but acknowledge to be the work of the Great God who ruleth in the armies of Heaven, and among the inhabitants of the Earth, doing whatever seemeth Him good.”

“For all these blessings of civil and religious liberty which we enjoy under the equal benign administration, we desire to send up our thanks to the Ancient of Days, beseeching him that the Angel who conducted our forefathers through the wilderness into the Promised Land, may graciously conduct you through all the difficulties and dangers of this mortal life."

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Washington replied:

“The reflection on the days of difficulty and danger which are past, is rendered the more sweet from a consciousness that they are succeeded by days of uncommon prosperity and security.

”If we have wisdom to make the best use of the advantages with which we are now favored, we cannot fail, under the just administration of a good government, to become a great and happy people.

“Citizens of the United States of America have a right to applaud themselves for having given to mankind examples of an enlarged and liberal policy -- a policy worthy of imitation.

”All possess alike liberty of conscience and immunities of citizenship.

“It is now no more that toleration is spoken of as if it was by the indulgence of one class of people -- that another enjoyed the exercise of their inherent national gifts.

“May the children of the Stock of Abraham, who dwell in this land, continue to merit and enjoy the good will of the other inhabitants -- while every one shall sit in safety under his own vine and fig tree, and there shall be none to make him afraid.”

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Washington’s letter has been read to the Touro Synagogue every August since written – most recently by Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

The First Amendment to the Constitution has it right:

“Congress shall make no law respecting any establishment of religion, (keep going) or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.”

Peace on Earth, good will toward all.

By Lindsey Williams, columnist for Sun Coast Media Group newspapers