Constitutional Law

Utah Lawmaker Wants Retailers To Recognize Christmas, Not Holiday Season

A Utah state senator with a track record of pushing policy that flaunts First Amendment principles is working on a resolution that would urge retailers in the state to wish their customers a “Merry Christmas,” during the holiday season. Sen. Chris Buttars (R-West Jordan), like Fox News’ Bill O’Reilly, is convinced there is a “war on Christmas” in the nation and believes lawmakers need to engage in the battle. “It would encourage the use of ‘Merry Christmas,’” Buttars told The Salt Lake Tribune about his forthcoming resolution. “I’m sick of the Christmas wars – we’re a Christian nation and ought to use the word.”

The newspaper noted that resolutions are not binding. Nonetheless, Salt Lake City attorney Brian Barnard told The Tribune that if Buttars' resolution makes the claim that the nation is a Christian one, it could make it constitutionally suspect. “If [Buttars] wants people to say ‘Merry Christmas’ because it’s a Christian thing to do, then it becomes a violation of the First Amendment,” he said. In 2006, Buttars pushed a bill attacking evolution and promoting other “theories regarding the origins of life….” According to The Tribune Buttars “has a long history of championing the socially conservative agenda of the Utah Eagle Forum.”

Full post as published by ACS Blog on December 03, 2008 (boomark / email).