What's wrong with "Merry Christmas"?

[dumbledore11214]

Carol responds:

The problem with "Happy Holidays" is that it really refers to
Christmas, the holiday that most Americans celebrate but are suddenly
afraid to name.
<SNIP>

Alla:

Where is the proof that americans are afraid to name it? I see quite 
the contrary so far. If respecting other people holidays is being 
equaled to being afraid to name Christmas?

Carol:
 Christmas trees have become holiday trees; Christmas
stamps have become holiday stamps (even though Hanukkah and other
holidays have their own stamps); Christmas cards have become holiday
cards. It started with the supposed separation of church and state
preventing kids from singing true Christmas carols (but not "Jingle
Bells" or "Santa Claus is Coming to Town") in schools. Now some
schools are afraid to put up Christmas trees for fear of offending 
the
four to six percent of children who don't celebrate Christmas.

Alla:

Supposed separation of church and state?

But in any event I do not know what are you talking about. Super 
intendent in my building and in many buildings in NY put up 
Christmas tree, Chanukia, put up Merry Christmas, Happy New year 
greetings, etc. What fear? What opression of Christians? As I said I 
am very well aware of oppression of christians in other countries, 
but in the USA? I would like to see some links.



Carol:
I don't know anything about cemeteries objecting to pentacles (could
someone possibly be mistaking them for pentagrams and mistakenly
associating Wicca with Satanism?), but it's the same sort of thing.
Your right to your religious symbols is being threatened, but so is
the Christian majority's right to put up Nativity scenes, which have
long been banned in public places (since the 1970s, I think?), but 
now
are vandalized if they appear on someone's lawn.
<SNIP>

Alla:

Links please about vandalizing nativity scenes? I mean, I am sure it 
could have happened somewhere sometimes even in the US, but are you 
saying it is happening on the regular basis?

I mean I can provide links about swasticas on jewish cemeteries as 
well, but by no means I can say that this is a regular occasion. 

I went to see the lights yesterday with a friend. People put up 
BEATIFUL christmas decorations on the blocks of streets of Brooklyn. 
They are EVERYWHERE and some of them are quite famous here. 
Oppression of Christmas? What oppresion of Christmas? I am again 
only talking about USA.

Alla