I know we're still in November at Thanksgiving hasn't even happened yet, but that has not stopped Christian extremist groups such as the American Family Association from whining about the "war on Christmas." It seems that this has been such a great source of fundraising for the far right that it has become an annual tradition. Well, it also happens to be what I like most about Christmas.You and I both know that there is no war on Christmas. This is nothing more than a marketing ploy. But you know what? It is also a showcase for Christian extremist idiocy, and I happen to find it quite entertaining. Why? Because one does not have to venture far into the manufactured controversy before discovering that the "war on Christmas" shines a very bright light on the subject of Christian privilege.
Take the recent example of Gap, Inc., effectively described by Zack Ford Blogs. The company, which owns the Gap, Old Navy, and Banana Republic, has decided to promote inclusivity this holiday. As a result, they are now being boycotted by the American Family Association (AFA).
The AFA's core objection is quite simple - Christmas should be exclusively about their particular gods and nobody else's. It should be their holiday and nobody else's. What they are trying to do here is maintain Christian privilege.
As Zack Ford notes,
All these arguments about Christian symbols are about inclusivity. It’s not about attacking Christianity; it’s about deprivileging Christianity—in other words, taking it down from its pedestal and making sure it doesn’t have an unfair dominance over our culture.That is exactly it. Companies that seek to be inclusive are accused of attacking Christianity because their efforts do undermine Christian privilege.
