The latest salvo in the War on Christmas was launched by Western Piedmont Community College when a student club was forbidden from using the word "Christmas" in its advertisement for a charity sale of, what became, "holiday trees." Charges of First Amendment infringement have been lobbed back at the college.
For background, read Atheists Knock Christmas Cross Off Illinois Water Tower and also read Atheists Force Ban on Nativity Scenes in Santa Monica as well as Calif. County Strips Christmas Trees of Stars & Angels after Atheists Complain
-- From "College: Students Can’t Sell 'Christmas' Trees" by Todd Starnes, Fox News 11/27/12
The student club, called the BEST Society, was planning to sell the Christmas trees to raise money for Angel Tree, an organization that provides Christmas presents to children.
Club members followed college protocol and submitted forms to promote the sale. The proposed text read, “The BEST Society will be selling Christmas Trees…”
But when the announcement appeared on the college’s website and in other venues – it had been altered. Every reference to “Christmas Trees” had been replaced with “holiday trees.”
The [college's] community relations director allegedly told the students, “We cannot market your trees in association solely with a Christian event.”
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From "College Wants Club to Change 'Christmas' to 'Holiday' for Tree Sale Fundraiser" by Alex Murashko, Christian Post Reporter 11/28/12
Lawyers from ADF [Alliance Defending Freedom] responded [on behalf of the students] by sending a letter to Western Piedmont Community College pointing out that it had violated the constitutional rights of the club.
"It's ridiculous that anyone would have to think twice about using the word 'Christmas' as part of a Christmas tree sale," said Legal Counsel Matt Sharp. "Not only is it perfectly constitutional to use the word 'Christmas,' it is unconstitutional to prohibit use of it. This is another perfect example of the immense misunderstanding that far too many college officials have about what the First Amendment truly requires."
"As a result of this forced changed to their advertisements," the ADF letter explains, "the BEST Society has received complaints from community members, several of whom have indicated that they will not purchase trees from the group because of the change in wording. This has resulted in direct harm to the club's fundraising activity . . .
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