It's a War on Christmas, Charlie Brown

[Baron Scicluna]

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.

 

[Dick Whitman]

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?

 

[BitterYoungMatador2]

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

 

[Dick Whitman]

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.

 

[JohnHammond]

Torture is sitting through a school holiday concert or program.

 

[BitterYoungMatador2]

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.

 

[WriteThinking]

What is the point of doing the play, then?

 

[JohnHammond]

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

 

[Ace]

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.

 

[Batman]

But putting on a Charlie Brown Christmas without the 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.

 

[Riptide]

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

 

[dixiehack]

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

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

 

[Dick Whitman]

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

So ... the First Amendment is terrific, unless and until it messes up something you like?

 

[LongTimeListener]

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

Yippie ki-yay, monster lover!

 

[Riptide]

So ... the First Amendment is terrific, unless and until it messes up something you like?

I don't care about the story either way. It's another ****ed-up TV news drama, though. Until the next one.

 

[Ace]

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

It would be quite the statement:

Religion is out, assault rifles are in.

Let's do this!

 

[Baron Scicluna]

It would be quite the statement:

Religion is out, assault rifles are in.

Let's do this!

It can also be used as a history lesson to teach about the Second Amendment. See? Win-win!

 

[SnarkShark]

If you don't want Christmas discussed, don't put on a play with "Christmas" in the title.

 

[Jake_Taylor]

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

That was more or less the plot of a tremendous episode of Bob's Burgers.

 

[Lugnuts]

You guys know I'm liberal....

I also happen to be Christian...

Went to my child's school concert last night....

All mentions of Christmas removed or changed to 'holiday'....

But the kids sang an entire song about Hanukkah.