It's a War on Christmas, Charlie Brown

A school in Kentucky is removing the religious references, such as Linus' speech, from its "Charlie Brown Christmas" school play. Naturally, this has sparked outrage.

UPDATE: Legal group asks Johnson Co. Schools to allow religious references in Christmas plays

I'm kinda torn on it. I understand that there are religious references in the show and I doubt that, if the show had been introduced today, no network would have touched it, unlike 50 years ago. I do understand the tradition behind it, and I don't really find it offensive personally. But at the same time, I could see someone else being offended by it. If Linus started talking about Muhammed, I'd think there would be a lot of people offended.

 

Not if it was the "Charlie Brown Ramadan Special."

It's an interesting case. I think it probably is slightly too supportive of religion, constitutionally, because Linus isn't vouching anything he says as simply background. On the other hand, it's being shown as a slice of pop culture history. It would be OK to teach the Sistine Chapel, right?

 

Do you want the day off? Fine. Then you should probably learn the bullshit story about why you have the day off.

 

And I don't think people are "offended" by it. They just don't think it has a place in public schools, legally. That's quite different.

 

Torture is sitting through a school holiday concert or program.

 

I know people love to pretend otherwise, but Christmas is a religious holiday. So, good luck putting on a Christmas play without addressing religion. It would be like doing a July 4th play without mentioning the United States.

 

What is the point of doing the play, then?

 

Plenty of schools are putting on "Christmas" plays without mentioning Christmas. They just call it a Holiday play and it's all about snow.

 

But putting on a Charlie Brown Christmas without Linus reading about the true meaning of Christmas would be like putting on a Die Hard play and not having Hans Gruber plummet to his death.

 

I would pay good, hard-earned money to see a fourth grade class perform "Die Hard" as its holiday play.

 

In other news, this country is fucked-up. There's your Christmas story.

 

Mommy, I get to be Mr. Falcon in the school play!