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    Obama Marginalizes Christmas, Christians

    Merry Taxmas!

    By Patricia Campion | Yahoo! Contributor Network – Wed, Nov 9, 2011
    This story comes from the Yahoo! Contributor Network, where individuals publish their unique perspectives on some of the world’s most popular websites.
    Do you have a story to tell? Become a Yahoo! contributor

    COMMENTARY | According to the Heritage Foundation, President Barack Obama's Agriculture Department announced that it will "impose a new 15-cent charge on all fresh Christmas trees." I wonder if the purpose "to support a new federal program to improve the image and marketing of Christmas trees" is anything like Obama's effort to re-brand the hallowed national day of remembrance of 9/11 as an ambiguous national day of service.

    In 2009, speaking in Ankara Turkey, President Obama said, "We do not consider ourselves a Christian nation or a Jewish nation or a Muslim nation" anymore. Despite all the "In God We Trust" and the "one nation under God" stuff -- with the intimidation of the atheist left and the president's efforts to eliminate observance of anything spiritual, we Americans are well on our way to becoming nothing more than another vague collective of religiously oppressed "nation of citizens."

    Still, while Obama hasn't observed the National Day of Prayer once since he became president, he did take time to host his third White House Iftar dinner in 2010 to celebrate the Muslim holy month of Ramadan and pay homage to Muslim Americans lost on 9/11.

    "In this season of remembrance," the president said. "We must be the America they lived for and the America they died for, the America they sacrificed for."

    Here are other instances that underscore Obama's unwillingness to back Christians:

    * On the 10th anniversary of the attacks of September 11, prayer was banned at the official ceremony to honor the rest of America's dead.

    * In Egypt, the army opened fire and armored vehicles plowed through crowds of Coptic Christians who filled the streets in protest of recent attacks on their churches. Dozens were killed. Obama said nothing.

    * In northern Nigeria, 150 people were killed in a series of gun and bomb attacks on Saturday. The Islamist Boko Haram sect claimed responsibility. Obama said nothing.

    * In 2009 and in 2010, Obama celebrated Hanukkah at the White House.

    * This past April, Obama didn't even bother to send out the White House Easter proclamation to the nation, the liberal-loathed Fox News reported. But he did release an eight-paragraph statement heralding Earth Day and statements recognizing the observance of major Muslim holidays on Ramadan, Eid-ul-Fitr, Hajj, and Eid-ul-Adha.

    Now granted, such presidential holiday traditions are largely perfunctory gestures that only those celebrating that particular holiday really care about. But, hey, just as little kids like having their parents hang their latest macaroni artwork on the refrigerator with a magnet, Christians like having their president recognize their special moments too.

    But judging by his own track record, Obama evidently hates Christians -- and their holy days.
     
    • Cartigan
      Cartigan  •  4 mths ago
      I stop reading anything when I get to "Heritage Foundation."
      • Cartigan
        Cartigan 4 mths ago
        Especially when the words preceding it are "according to"
    • Ray
      Ray  •  6 mths ago
      It was an INDUSTRY ENDORSED FEE from 2008 BEFORE Obama!
      • TheHunt4RedNovember
        TheHunt4RedNovember 6 mths ago
        It was an INDUSTRY ENDORSED FEE requested in 2008 BEFORE Obama and approved (temporarily) BY Obama!....

        It's like the Solyndra application to get a federal loan guarantee during the Bush administration that Bush shelved and Obama granted.

        Are you liberals really this thick-headed?
      • Barry
        Barry 6 mths ago
        No, but your post obviously prove you right wingers are idiots...
      • TheHunt4RedNovember
        TheHunt4RedNovember 6 mths ago
        "No, but your post obviously prove you right wingers are idiots...

        ... and your post proves you lack basic grammar skills.
    • Saint Nick
      Saint Nick  •  Dallas, United States  •  6 mths ago
      Apparently any fool can be a Yahoo commentator.
      • TheHunt4RedNovember
        TheHunt4RedNovember 6 mths ago
        "Apparently any fool can be a Yahoo commentator."

        Actually, "any fool" can write comments.

        Patricia Campion is a Featured Political Contributor. That means - just like with any other paying job - she had to fill out an application, meet the standards and pass a submission assignment test before being permitted to submit content for syndicated publication. All articles published thereafter must pass an editor's scrutiny and a link-to-factual source test.

        You, on the other hand, are confined to writing inane comments.
      • Frederick
        Frederick 6 mths ago
        A fool is a tool like Saint Sick!!!
      • Missy
        Missy 6 mths ago
        Hunts' point just serves to drag Yahoo down w/ Ms. Campion! If she passed a submissions requirement and an editorial process, then Yahoo's standard is so low she tripped on it!
    • PiaJr
      PiaJr  •  Bloomington, United States  •  6 mths ago
      I don't often comment on articles, especially commentaries, but there is so much misinformation I couldn't resist.
      -Obama has observed the National Day of Prayer through a proclamation every year that he was president. True, he hasn't held an official ceremony. But neither did Clinton all 8 years he was president. George HW Bush only held one official ceremony in his four years as president. And Ronald Regan only held one ceremonial observence of the National Day of Prayer in his 8 years as president. George W Bush is the only president in history who actually held a ceremony every year he was in office.
      -Prayer was not banned from the 9/11 ceremony. They did not invite any religious leaders to speak but anyone was free to pray during the ceremony. The article on the other side of the link listed here doesn't even mention Obama in any capacity except as a speaker. Mayor Bloomberg was responsible for planning the event.
      -Horrible things happen to Chrisitans across the world all the time. I cannot confirm it as true, but I would say it's a safe bet that no president has commented on every atrocity committed against them.
      -Celebrating Hanukka is not anti-Christian. Christmas was also celebrated in the White House. The entire house was decorated for Christmas. There were at least two television specials I can readily think of (Barbara Walters and Oprah) about Christmas at the White House.
      -I'll give you the Easter Proclamation - one was not issued. However, the president held the Annual Easter Egg Roll, attended an Easter church service, held an Easter brunch leading up to the holiday and mentioned the importance of Easter in his weekly radio address the Saturday before. Don't actions speak louder than words?
      Everything I listed here was easily found in a one minute Google search and verified across several different news sources. But let's say I'm completely wrong and the author was completely right. How is that evidence that Obama hates Christians? The author admits the actions he lists hardly matter to anyone. So, his conclusion that Obama "hates Christians and their holy days" is irresponsible, completely unfounded and dangerous.
      • M
        M 6 mths ago
        Excellent post.
      • Donkey Ho-Tay
        Donkey Ho-Tay 6 mths ago
        Pia, I don't think they allow facts on here. They kinda go against the whole point of a propaganda piece like this.
        But I won't report you. ;)
        Thumbs up.
      • alanm
        alanm 6 mths ago
        Are you trying to say that Christians and Catholics aren't the most religously oppressed people in America? Is this just the republicans trying to make us paranoid? See you at my ultra-liberal cities [New York City] Christmas [not holiday] tree lighting. This years Christmas tree comes from the family of a career Air Force member, and it will be put in place on Veteran's day as the Veteran's day parade passes by in our ultra-liberal city. If you live in a red state and they call it a holiday tree, tell them we call it a Christmas tree in NYC. Watch the lighting on TV. I think we still use the term Christmas tree because we are tollerent of all religons in NYC. Brooklyn has the most Christian and Catholic churches of any city in the world.
    • William Fewox
      William Fewox  •  6 mths ago
      Is anyone else just... very, very confused as to why this was necessary? I'm not so much mad, as... perplexed. Why do Christmas trees need a PR boost, and how does RAISING THE PRICE fix that image?
      • Jinxt'ya!
        Jinxt'ya! 6 mths ago
        yeah, i was like, 'huuuuh?" too. lol
      • Mike
        Mike 6 mths ago
        15 cents?
      • Kos
        Kos 6 mths ago
        Hey, only the rich can afford a real Christmas tree, amazed they didn't tax it at 35%.
        Merry Ho-Ho (sarcasm for the lefty's out there)
    • Steve
      Steve  •  Surfside, United States  •  6 mths ago
      "Americans are well on our way to becoming nothing more than another vague collective of religiously oppressed "nation of citizens.""

      I can't believe the trash that passes for "journalism" now.
    • don r
      don r  •  6 mths ago
      Can I please have the last two minutes of my life back?
    • alex
      alex  •  6 mths ago
      George W Bush is the only President in history to host regular public celebrations of the National Day of Prayer. Of course, if the writer pointed that out it wouldn't sound so scandalous.
    • Kid Icarus
      Kid Icarus  •  San Diego, United States  •  6 mths ago
      Christmas trees have nothing to do with Christians or Christianity.
    • Suzanne Solomon
      Suzanne Solomon  •  Knoxville, United States  •  6 mths ago
      It's not a tax, and the price would not be raised. The industry requested to be allowed to put 15 cents from every cut tree sale into a fund FOR THEIR OWN PR campaign, and to cover the cost, they would cut each tree's cost by 15 cents so the consumer would know no difference. It is akin to the Got Milk? campaign. Obama has said NO for three years in a row. How in the world is this "marginalizing" his religion (which is in fact Christianity)?
    • David Koch
      David Koch  •  6 mths ago
      How many kids do you have?
    • Not again
      Not again  •  St. Cloud, United States  •  6 mths ago
      Look up ((Treaty of Tripoli))
      Go to article 11. It states: As the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion…

      This is a legal document signed by the founding fathers.

      ((((or a recognition of powers that be))))
    • John
      John  •  6 mths ago
      TheHunt4RedNovember, who has replies on almost everyone's comments, is the dumbest person yet I've come across on Yahoo!....and that's saying something!
    • GRANNYGG
      GRANNYGG  •  Fair Oaks, United States  •  6 mths ago
      Just the type of rhetoric one would expect of the Heritage Foundation!!!!!!!
    • robert
      robert  •  6 mths ago
      Leave the whole God thing to preachers and such. Politicians have no place discussing religion except at their church. They are public employees who should not be spending public time and money on spiritual matters. There are real problems to solve.
    • frank
      frank  •  6 mths ago
      He aslo said nothing about islamic violence in his childhood country...indonesia
    • dave and ann
      dave and ann  •  6 mths ago
      Let's see on where to begin? Ok, first of all there is an Anti-Christian movement that is growing in this country. You can see as we no longer hear "Merry Christmas" it's "Happy Holidays". Now, yes, this is minor, but if for the first 200+ years of the country Merry Christmas is ok, why not now? Also, people have fits about crosses on hills that have been there for years.
      Obama being anti-Christian? I don't think so, I do believe he is an elitist Liberal who really believes that "we must not push forth our beliefs lest we offend others". People talked major crap about GW Bush, who openly stated he was Christian and that he sometimes prayed for guidance. That is different than telling you that you HAVE to be Christian to live here. The first Amendment reads "Congress shall pass no law barring freedom of religion". That swings both ways, I cannot force you to believe as I do, BUT you cannot belittle me for believing as I do.,
    • plectocomia
      plectocomia  •  Bakersfield, United States  •  6 mths ago
      The best Christmas gift would be an Obama exit from the white house.
    • usafirst
      usafirst  •  6 mths ago
      oops, try again on every site, or you already rated when I did not, or cannot thumbs up or down...tired of yahoo or whoever is stopping freedom of speech to each other in these comments.
    • Why Not
      Why Not  •  Nashville, United States  •  6 mths ago
      Total #$%$ article! Mindless propaganda at it's best.
     Post a comment
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