Defending Christmas by Any Means Necessary

I have to admit that I don't understand this whole "war on Christmas" thing. Nobody's stopping anyone from celebrating Christmas. Why are some on the right so up in arms over the whole thing? Why would I want to wish a Jewish person a "Merry Christmas" any more than they would want to wish me a "Happy Hanukkah"? It makes sense that the White House would send out "Happy Holidays" cards because their card list is not directed specifically toward Christians, Jews, Muslims, or whoever. Should the administration separate their card list based on religion and send out several different cards depending on the recipient's faith?

And what exactly are the conservatives trying to defend? One of the big complaints I keep hearing is that some people are referring to Christmas trees as "holiday trees." Okay, I won't argue that this isn't happening, but how exactly is that denigrating Jesus Christ and his followers? Christmas trees come from a pagan tradition and have been coopted into the Christmas celebration. Doesn't the insistence that they be referred to as "Christmas trees" trivialize the actual reason for the season? And where do they come down on Santa Claus? Although he's sometimes referred to as "St. Nick," he's got nothing to do with Christianity, either. A few years ago there were the complaints (probably from these same people) that Christmas was becoming overly commercial. Now, they're embracing that same commercialism as long as we let them call it "Christmas."

I don't get it, but things are getting serious. The other day on his radio program, Bill O'Reilly laid down an ultimatum:

I am not going to let oppressive, totalitarian, anti-Christian forces in this country diminish and denigrate the holiday and the celebration. I am not going to let it happen. I'm gonna use all the power that I have on radio and television to bring horror into the world of people who are trying to do that. . . . There is no reason on this earth that all of us cannot celebrate a public holiday devoted to generosity, peace, and love together.

Willing to bring horror in the defense of generosity, peace, and love. Keep up the good work, Bill.