I felt like doing something a little different for this week's Idiot of the Week post. I've decided that this post will honor those who insist that there is a war being waged by atheists against their cherished holiday in spite of all the evidence to the contrary. Yes, those who take this particular form of right-wing fundraising propaganda as truth are idiots.I'm no fan of Christmas, and I have not celebrated it since I had any choice in the matter. The gift-giving out of obligation annoys me, and I find the crass commercialism more than a little sad. I despise the music, and while I don't mind the better manners some exhibit this time of year, I cannot help perceiving it as a bit superficial. It does not bother me one bit that most Americans, including most atheists I have encountered, choose to celebrate the holiday. What I do find tiresome is those who act as if I am a lunatic, a grouch, or a spoilsport simply because I'd rather not celebrate their holiday.
Just because I want nothing to do with this holiday does not mean that I don't want others to celebrate it. I really don't care one way or another. And while I certainly wish people would shut up about it in public rather than assuming that everyone else feels exactly the same way they do about it, I'm generally willing to look the other way. What I will not do, however, is look the other way on violations of separation and church and state simply because it happens to be a particular time of year. Yep, I expect Christians to obey the law even in December.
Nobody is trying to get rid of Christmas, and expecting retailers to use culturally inclusive phrasing when they greet customers certainly makes sense. The "war on Christmas" is nothing more than a way for far-right pundits and politicians to fleece particularly gullible Americans out of their money. For those who are unwilling to accept this, "idiot" is an apt label.