'Holiday' tree axed in favor of 'Christmas'

'Holiday' tree axed in favor of 'Christmas'
'One man's political correctness is another man's inclusiveness and diversity'

City officials in Milwaukee, Wis., have uprooted a decade-long tradition and have decided to rechange the name of its "holiday tree" to a "Christmas tree."

"Now sanity has prevailed," Fox News host and "Culture Warrior" author Bill O'Reilly said last night, calling city officials "pinheads" for originally exchanging the name of the Christmas tree to holiday tree in 1995.

The 9-5 decision this week came after heated debate over religious tradition and political correctness at the Milwaukee Common Council.

"If we don't have the fortitude to call the city's Christmas tree what it is, then what do we have the fortitude to address as far as city issues?" asked Aldermen Jim Bohl.

He told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel the term "holiday tree" was a product of PC attitudes, since Jews and Muslims don't recognize evergreens as holiday symbols.

"One man's political correctness is another man's inclusiveness and diversity," Ald. Mike D'Amato said.

Their colleague on the council, Michael Murphy, responded evergreens don't have any relation to the Christian faith, since they were pagan symbols that became mixed into early Christianity.

Mayor Tom Barrett indicated he'd approve the change to be rid of the "holiday tree" term, saying through a spokeswoman, "It is what it is – a Christmas tree – but what you call it doesn't exclude anyone from enjoying it."

The decision prompted both praise and scorn from groups monitoring the action.

"There is no reason other than religious hostility to call a Christmas tree anything other than a Christmas tree," said Erik Stanley of the Florida-based Liberty Counsel. "When you try to cleanse Christmas of all religious references, you demonstrate hostility to Christmas."

But Annie Laurie Gaylor, co-president of the Freedom From Religion Foundation, said the resolution "sounds like a very Christian-centered and very backward thing" that is "excluding Jews and other non-Christians." She said officials "just capitulated entirely to [talk-show host Bill] O'Reilly and Fox TV."

Gaylor's group files lawsuits against governments it believes violate the establishment clause of the First Amendment. She told the Journal Sentinel she doesn't sue over Christmas trees, though, as they are not inherently religious symbols, adding, "The Bible tells people not to worship trees."

In December 2002, WND detailed how the U.S. has become the new battleground for Christmas, as communities across the nation grapple with public mention of the federal holiday, while growing numbers of Americans – including fundamentalist Christians – are claiming Jesus Christ had nothing to do with the holiday.

Since then, there have been numerous Christmas-related controversies – not only among governments, but also in the business sector with companies such as Wal-Mart, Target and Lowe's all coming under fire for their practices during the Christmas season.