Contact: Susan A. Fani, Director of Communications, Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights, 212-371-3191, catalyst@catholicleague.org

WASHINGTON, Nov. 3 /Standard Newswire/ -- Catholic League president Bill Donohue notes that the 2009 war on Christmas has begun:

For almost three decades, there has been a Christmas parade in Amelia, Ohio, a village outside Cincinnati. But this year there will be none. That's because one person complained, village solicitor Laura Abrams. Her complaint: the word "Christmas." In response, the village changed the name to the "Holiday Parade," though it did not say what holiday was being celebrated. Understandably, this dishonest scheme created a furor, the result being--just to play it safe--there will be no parade.

There will be no Christmas tree this year on the Capitol lawn in Frankfort, Kentucky. The word "Christmas" was deemed offensive. Instead, there will be a "Holiday Tree." The official line is that the "Holiday Tree" is inclusive of Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah and New Year's, though no one has ever heard of a "Thanksgiving Tree," "Hanukkah Tree" or "New Year's Tree."

When World War II ended, a local resident from Warren, Michigan decided to erect a nativity scene on a public median; the same family has privately maintained this tradition ever since. But there won't be one this year because a lawsuit argues it is discriminatory.

In Olympia, Washington, religious displays have been banned inside municipal buildings. But outside the buildings, it is okay. Well, not really--atheists are already protesting that decision.

Arizona is supplying this year's Christmas Tree in the nation's Capitol. Attempts to bar students from making religious ornaments were defeated, but only because of a threatened lawsuit.

Make no mistake about it: The declared enemy of these cultural fascists is religious speech, and they will stop at nothing to censor it. Stay tuned--we're only in early November.

http://catholicleague.org/release.php?id=1706