O'Reilly's War on Christmas: Truth Takes a Holiday Again

David Kiley

I'm sorry. I can't help it. But Bill O'Reilly's argument that there is a war on Christmas is so inspid and vacant of facts and truth that I can't help myself. I have to comment here and probably a few more times before the New Year.

I channel surfed onto his rant last night after he was off for a week. He started right in on the Christmas war, and a case the Supreme Court may hear (God help us! They don't have better cases?) about a school in New York City that is barring the display of the nativity scene. What struck me about O'Reilly's nonsensical rant (I may write a book) was his insistence that the Federal government recognizes the Birth of Jesus as a holiday.

You have to be paying attention to recognize the distortion here that is so great, some could classify it as a lie. The exact wording of the Federal law follows.

"Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the following days, to wit: The first day of January, commonly called New Year's day, the fourth day of July, the twenty-fifth day of December, commonly called Christmas day, and any day appointed or recommended by the President of the United States as a day of public fast or thanksgiving, shall be holidays within the District of Columbia, and shall, for all purposes of presenting for payment or acceptance of the maturity and protest, and giving notice of the dishonor of bills of exchange, bank checks and promissory notes or other negotiable or commercial paper, be treated and considered as is the first day of the week, commonly called Sunday, and all notes, drafts, checks, or other commercial or negotiable paper falling due or maturing on either of said holidays shall be deemed as having matured on the day previous."

It's not exactly an endorsement of the Baby Jesus. It was, and is, a recognition by the government that the vast majority of citizens, including Federal employees, celebrate, commemorate and otherwise mark December 25. Some go to church. Many do not. But everybody who follows the traditiona wants the day off. The Federal holiday was not so much a recognition of the Birth of Jesus, but a recognition that a whole lot of people want, expect and should have the day off.

This imaginary war on Christmas of O'Reilly's is a great business model. {We wondered when you were getitng to the business part]. He invents a cause celebre, invents the arguments for and against it, decides whom he will debate on it with him controlling the microphone....and all while he has a new book out that--you guessed it--advances the war on Christmas discussion. It's a brilliant business model for selling books and making lots of money. But it reminds me of the story of the fireman so desperate to appear the hero that he sets his own fires so he can be the first one on the rescue scene.

I have recently read O'Reilly's "Culture Wars." Every page and every word. A review if forthcoming. It takes a long time to write when there is a gross distortion of facts on nearly every page.