Being from the Left Coast and Southern California to boot, I was not surprised to find Christmas under attack when I read Michelle Malkin’s blog. Apparently, “Operation Santa Clause” and the Christmas tree that represented the toy drive for poor children, was offensive to someone. According to the Orange County Register, the Christmas tree at the Orange County Superior Courthouse has been a twenty year tradition and the focal point for the toy drive. The public could come and take a tag off the tree and purchase a toy for a needy child. However, because of some intolerant, easily offended individual, the tree had to come down.
Court house employees started a petition to get the tree set back up. “That tree holds the cards that contain the wishes and needs of those less fortunate than we are and shame on those who want to take that away from those of us who wish to give …” the petition says. “Now at the court’s darkest hour, our symbol of hope has been taken away from us.”
The public outcry did the trick and the court restored the tree.
“After assessing the situation, including case law on similar circumstances, and giving serious weight to the concerns expressed by staff, Judge (Kim) Dunning has concluded these trees are permissible for display in our lobbies,” the court’s chief executive officer, Alan Carlson, said in a statement. Dunning is the court’s presiding judge.
As a certified Christmas Tree hugger, I am grateful that the tree was restored. It is a timely reminder that the good fight will never end. There will always be Scrooges ready to kill “Christ”mas. Herod tried to kill baby Jesus over two thousand years ago, and today many still have that murderous desire. They will kill the traditions, the creches, the trees, the Holiday music, just as Herod tried to do so many years ago. There are those who hate Jesus Christ and Christmas reminds them for Whom the Christmas bell tolls.
I am afraid that we will always need to make a stand for the Christmas Tree and for the Christ of Christmas. Yet be encouraged, no one has ever been able to silence the message of the Angels, “For unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a Savior, which is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11-14).