The following sort of reminds me of the story about Georgetown University debating the wisdom of removing crucifixes from its classrooms as a sign of that very hip Catholic school's commitment to diversity. In the midst of the mini-media storm, it was the Muslims on campus who said the whole idea was nuts. In fact, a Muslim chaplain threatened to resign if the school took this step.
Now we have this interesting quotation, from a blunt editorial in the Cincinnati Enquirer defending public officials who take the controversial step of calling a Christmas tree a "Christmas tree" in this troubled age:
Let's be clear. Christmas is a holiday for Christians, when believers celebrate the birth of the baby Jesus. Calling it what is, is not meant to slight those who don't believe as Christians do.
Karen Dabdoub, president of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, was right when she told the Enquirer: "Who are we fooling? The Jews don't put up a tree for Hanukah; the Muslims don't put up a tree for Ramadan. It doesn't take away from my celebration of my holiday for other people to celebrate their holiday. I don't want anybody's holidays to be watered-down. I think they're all wonderful."
Oh my. I think this attitude is called "tolerance" -- "civic tolerance" (as opposed to "theological tolerance"), to be precise.