Mat Staver of the Liberty Counsel says, as part of the campaign, they launched a naughty and nice list of retailers who recognize Christmas and those that do not.
"So, over the years, people have told the retailers either that they like how they're celebrating Christmas and acknowledging Christmas or how they're not going to patronize them because they profit off of Christmas while they pretending that it does not exist,” said Matt Staver, president of Liberty Counsel.
Censoring Christmas—whether by avoiding the word entirely, removing religious imagery, or directing employees to use holiday-neutral greetings—tends to polarize public reaction due to several interconnected cultural, emotional, and constitutional reasons.
It can be a complex issue.
First and foremost, Christianity remains the largest faith tradition in the United States. Christmas is both a religious holiday and a cultural tradition for Christians and is associated with worship, family traditions, nostalgia, generosity, and seasonal joy. When Christmas language, symbols, and decorations are removed, it can be viewed as society’s hostile push to marginalize the Christian identity and remove faith from public life.
While corporate intentions may invoke political correctness, their displays of holiday neutrality divide rather than unify because it removes the meaningful celebration, community traditions, and joyous expression many religious Americans want at Christmastime.
There are also constitutional considerations. The First Amendment protects religious liberty and primarily restricts what the government – think courthouse lawns and city halls -- can do regarding Christmas expression.
Staver adds the Liberty Counsel will, if necessary, litigate to make sure Christmas is not censored in public schools.
He also notes that it is also helpful to have a conservative like Donald Trump as president.
“He is not ashamed of Christmas and will celebrate it and display Christmas decorations in the White House. That clearly establishes this continual, positive trend that we're seeing."
