University Administrator vs Holidays

CNSnews reports An administrator at California State University, Sacramento has banned decorations pertaining to Christmas and the 4th of July, among other holidays, from her office because they represent "religious discrimination" and "ethnic insensitivity."

What is there about the 4th of July that could possibly be "religious discrimination" (it is not a religious holiday) or "ethnic insensitivity" (it is a celebration of American Independence from Britain. The term ethnic means of or pertaining to a group of people recognized as a class on the basis of certain distinctive characteristics such as religion, language, ancestry, culture or national origin. Religion is taken care of by our First Amendment. We both speak English (they just spell some words differently), our culture is the same, and as far as ancestry and national origin are concerned, we came from there.

"Time has come to recognize that religious discrimination, as well as ethnic insensitivity to certain holidays, is forbidden," Patricia Sonntag, director of the Office of Services to Students with Disabilities, stated in the directive she e-mailed to members of her staff on Dec. 9.... The memo specifically names Christmas, Thanksgiving, Halloween, Valentine's Day, the 4th of July, St. Patrick's Day and Easter as the most offensive holidays, but Sonntag adds that they are "off the top of the list," implying that there may be others.

Christmas is apparently forbidden because only 80% of Americans are Christians. Thanksgiving is a little harder to understand: Jews, Muslims, Hindus, etc all have someone or something to issue prayers for Thanks to. I guess if we are going to forbid celebrating the birth of Christ, it is good not to celebrate Halloween, because one might say Satan worshipers focus on it as their holiday (although I think that is foolishness). But what is wrong with Valentine's day; what is wrong with love. And what is wrong with the 4th of July? It does a good job keeping the 3rd of July separate from the 5th of July, and I don't see any problem with Americans celebrating American Independence Day. St. Patrick's Day is primarilly Irish in nature, but I dont see a problem with it. And as far as Easter is concerned, I still note that 80% of Americans profess to be Christians, and most of the Easter Decorations (bunnies, eggs, etc) have nothing to do with the religious significance of the day.

Catholic League president Bill Donohue called the policy a violation of free speech rights. "It never occurs to these secular supremacists that it is their aversion to anything religious - or patriotic - that accounts for their desire to muzzle free speech."