Just say Merry Christmas

Advent season is in full swing. This should be a season of celebration as we anticipate Christmas and the birth of the Lord Jesus.

Advent is also a time of preparation and reflection. What does the future hold? These thoughts come to mind as we look past Christmas and into a new year. It is certainly an interesting world in which we are now living. The events of our time as indicated in the news of our nation and world are more and more causing people to reflect upon the meaning of these days. Who can doubt that the happenings across our land are producing a rising level excitement and nervous curiosity? There is also an element of disappointment when one reflects upon the challenges that people of the Christian faith face regarding our traditions and heritage. Everyday there seems to be renewed attempts to remove from the public square those things that are held dear to most during this season.

In 2002, while I was still employed by the Montana State University Extension Service, agents were told that we could no longer wish clientele a Merry Christmas verbally or in any correspondence from our offices. MSU Administration told us this was a federal mandate. Well, I took it upon myself to challenge this notion and with the aid of a conservative-minded legal organization the university was asked to "show us the federal mandate." MSU Administration and their legal services could not produce this mandate and they were forced to back down. I retired in June of 2004 and guess what? Extension offices during Advent of 2004 were told they could not wish clientele a Merry Christmas. The politically correct secular progressives again had their way. The question I must ask, is this truly what the people of Montana want coming out of our tax-funded university system?

Recent occurrences to remove Christmas from the public square have been challenged. Two examples come to mind. Students at a university in Louisiana were told they could not refer to the "Holiday Tree" on their campus as a "Christmas Tree." The students challenged the administration and won. The tree on the campus is a "Christmas Tree." Secondly, the city of Fort Collins, Colo., had a task force of activists who opposed any hint of Christmas in the public square and demanded that the city council allow only white lights and secular winter symbols be seen on the city property. The city caved in, but briefly. Residents of Fort Collins challenged the city council and the council was forced to back down. The streets of the city are decorated again with red and green Christmas lights, along with the traditional trees and wreaths.

Far too often the vast majority of people have been silent regarding these social issues. Organizations, such as the American Civil Liberties Union and other secular progressives, are demanding that we restructure society according to their very much out-of-the-mainstream views. Is it not time to stand up to them? Enough is enough of this craziness coming from the political left. I would love to see a flood of protest go to MSU Administration and the Board of Regents regarding the Merry Christmas issue in extension offices throughout the state. Let them know what you think. Call your local extension office for names and addresses and then wish them a very Merry Christmas.

John J. Maatta

Chester