Wednesday, December 18, 2002

This past weekend I performed at a large corporate Christmas party in Atlanta for 1,500 people. Before taking the stage, the event coordinator took me aside and instructed me not to play Christmas music. He told me that "Silver Bells" and "Winter Wonderland" were appropriate but I was not to play any secular Christmas melodies or any songs that contained the word Christmas.

"Isn't this a Christmas party?" I asked inquisitively.

"It's referred to as that but we don't want to refer to Christmas in any direct way as it may offend someone," he said.

Just a few days before this incident I found out that my dad's neighbor was forced by his homeowners' association to take down the nativity scene in his front yard, as there had been several complaints from residents in the development. Remarkably, the man took it down without a fight.

It is a sad testament to where we are today as a society. It started with abolishing Jesus in the manger from the town square and has progressed to a citizen's front yard. It is a witch hunt that has no reason, nor conclusion. This crusade against Christmas is rallied by only a few. Unfortunately, however, we live in a world today in which the needs of the one silences the desires of the millions; the smaller the minority, the louder the roar.

People should be able to celebrate Christmas without the fear of upsetting the dreaded Christmas police. The apostles were not afraid of publicizing the birth of Jesus after his death, nor should we, just as those of the Jewish faith ought not to feel uncomfortable celebrating Hanukkah.

We can do this by verbalizing our appreciation to those who display nativities on their property. We can do so by returning a smile and warm salutation to those who wish us a Merry Christmas on the street.

The message of Christmas is universal. It is a message of peace, love and tranquility. If all of those who celebrate Christmas will openly communicate those ideas, our roar for the love of Christmas will dwarf the complaints of the squeaky wheel that doesn't know what Christmas is all about.

Brad Rudisail

Peachtree City