You’ll likely be curious as to whether this newly introduced resolution is genuinely meant as response to Starbucks not putting reindeer on their coffee cups, or if that's just the only thing the reporter can think of that might remotely pertain.
Rep. Doug Lamborn (R-Colo.) has introduced a resolution expressing the sense of the House that “the symbols and traditions of Christmas should be protected for use by those who celebrate Christmas” amid warnings from the right that religion is being pushed out of the holiday.
The resolution states that the House “strongly disapproves of attempts to ban references to Christmas” and “expresses support for the use of these symbols and traditions by those who celebrate Christmas.” [...]
The measure comes after Starbucks encountered controversy this holiday season for unveiling minimalist red cups.
Who's banning references to Christmas? What things are happening in the various states that require, according to Doug Lamborn and 35 cosponsors, the rhetorical intervention of the United States Congress? We don't know. The rest of The Hill story is about the Starbucks cups, which suggests that they’re as stumped as the rest of us, and if the lack of reindeer and/or snowflake symbols on throwaway drink cups is the go-to example of our religious freedoms being trampled this holiday season, then we may not have as big a crisis on our hands as Doug Lamborn appears to think we do.
This is one of those ongoing conservative freakouts that I refuse to believe is an actual thing, because the principle involved just isn’t very complicated. Celebrate Christmas all you want, everyone! Just don’t demand that other people be required to celebrate it with you and we’re good.