The politics of fear

It is seldom worthwhile to hold the feet of true believers to the fire. They'll interpret the move as "persecution" and take it as a omen they must be on sturdy moral ground to merit such ridicule.

As Mark Twain once said of tar and feathering, if it weren't for the honor of it, he'd just as soon pass on the idea.

This brings us to Sen. Chris Buttars, R-West Jordan, and his non-binding resolution to prod retailers into saying "Merry Christmas" instead of "Happy Holidays." We suspect the most effective reaction to such a silly notion would be total indifference. Anything else simply triggers ideas of martyrdom. But since so many have been intent on weighing in on the issue, we feel obliged to respond.

Sen. Buttars, extend your toes. Here's some more fire.

First, besides the obvious conflicts with free speech rights, retailers are going to do what's best for business. And in these belt-tightening times, if saying Merry Christmas is enough to send Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, atheist and agnostic shoppers to some other store, well, maybe it's time to go with something else. If saying Happy Holidays means better commerce, Happy Holidays it will be.

Second, such reactionary resolutions as the one proposed by Sen. Buttars are almost always driven by fear. Sen. Buttars and his champions are apparently afraid that the Christian moorings of the nation will be loosened if people don't make a firm stand. But what the good senator gains in driving home legislation born of fear, he loses in his ability to govern. In short, Sen. Buttars is now less able to do meaningful things to help those who elected him because he insists on passing meaningless resolutions that alienate those around him.

But such practical concerns seldom worry true believers.

It's a lesson that many on the extremes of political activism never seem to learn.

Still, all that said, we realize that Sen. Buttars will continue with his sporadic crusades to try to purge the public square of weak-kneed attitudes. And until he sees that being inclusive doesn't always mean being morally lax, his closed mind will hamper any desire to show an open heart.

Senator, we do wish you a Merry Christmas.

We also wish you a Happy Holidays, Kwanzaa, Muharram, Hanukkah and Boxing Day.