From CNSnews:

The 63-foot Sierra White Fir lighted at the U.S. Capitol Grounds on Dec. 6 as the official 2011 Capitol Christmas Tree includes a prominently displayed ornament paying homage to President Barack Obama, but includes no ornament readily visible to a person standing near the tree’s base that uses the word “Christmas,” or includes an image of the Nativity, or bears the name or image of Jesus Christ.

On the north side of the tree–at a height of about 4 feet and easily visible to people standing near it—there is an ornament that says: “I ♥ President Obama.”

Not surprising.

NPR’s left-wing kook Nina Totenberg apologized for referring to a “Christmas” party she attended. Strangely, she didn’t offer an alternative name for the party. Maybe “Winter Solstice” Party or “Holiday Gathering” of leftist kooks would be appropriate.

The Federal Reserve is forcing a small town bank in Oklahoma to remove buttons that say “Merry Christmas,” crosses on the teller’s counter, and a Bible verse of the day on the bank’s website.

Specifically, the feds believed, the symbols violated the discouragement clause of Regulation B of the bank regulations. According to the clause, "…the use of words, symbols, models and other forms of communication … express, imply or suggest a discriminatory preference or policy of exclusion."

Residents of the community say they had no problem with the symbols and believe the bank should be allowed to decorate as it sees fit.

“This is just ridiculous,” said bank customer Jim Nyles. “This whole thing is just ridiculous. We all have regulatory bodies that govern us. But this is too much.”

“I think that’s absurd,” said Chelsi Holser, a bank customer. “I don’t agree with it at all. They are taking Christ out of Christmas and life.”

Federal Reserve regulators darken the doorways of America’s banks every four years to make sure a long list of regulations is being followed. When it comes to financial regulations I have no problem with that. They should provide vigorous enforcement. But there’s no reason to show up at a small town bank and starting telling them how to decorate. Telling them to remove “Merry Christmas.” It’s outrageous.

This from The Fox Nation:

Attorneys with the Alliance Defense Fund (ADF) called on Arizona state and federal officials on Monday to stop enforcing a requirement prohibiting the state’s schoolchildren from expressing religious viewpoints through Christmas themes while decorating ornaments for the 2009 Capitol Christmas Tree.Arizona was chosen this year to present 4,000 handcrafted ornaments made by elementary, middle-school, and high-school students to decorate Washington, D.C.’s annual Christmas tree.Guidelines for the ornaments include specifications for their size, weight, composition, and the directive that "Ornaments cannot reflect a religious or political theme… Instead share your interpretation of our theme ‘Arizona’s Gift, from the Grand Canyon State.’"

Decades ago no one would have predicted that our society would allow political correctness to do this much damage. It’s absurd to have a “Christmas” tree without being able to acknowledge “Christ”. We are a Judeo-Christian country and have every right to acknowledge Christmas as the important Christian holiday that it is.

Anyone who finds expressions of Christian faith on Christmas to be offensive — should get the hell out of my country.