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Christ was and still is the reason for season

All I want for Christmas is a return of my freedom of religion and to be able to openly express my religious beliefs as once protected under the Constitution of this great nation, which was founded upon godly principles.

There is a certain faction that steadfastly labors to remove "In God We Trust" from our currency, "One Nation Under God" from our Pledge of Allegiance, prayer from schools and religious displays from public places, and that now endeavors to change the real reason for the season from "Christmas" to "Happy Holidays." This faction is known as the American Civil Liberties Union and all its misguided supporters.

As a Christian, I am standing my ground and sending this message to all those who shudder at the mention of anything to do with God.

If you choose to send me a greeting, please refrain from using "Merry Xmas" or "Happy Holidays" or "Seasons Greetings." Also, any such verbal greeting will be responded to with "No thanks, but if you would like to wish me a merry Christmas, I would be happy to comply."

This time of year was, is and always will be reserved for Christians to celebrate the birth of their Lord and savior Jesus Christ, and no individual or faction will ever stop me from doing so.

With that said, I would like to wish all wise men who still seek him a very merry Christmas.

Way to go, Dunedin, for calling Christmas by name

I want to congratulate Dunedin on a wonderful night. I took my two small children to the Old Fashioned Christmas in downtown Dunedin on Friday. This was a quaint, festive and family-friendly celebration. I was extremely proud to see that the city did not become politically correct and call it a "holiday" celebration. Christmas is about the birth of our savior, Jesus Christ, so it should stand that we are celebrating Christmas, not just any holiday.

Putting official's name on paperwork is costly habit

Re: Tax collector is required to be accountable by name, letter, Dec. 1.

I'm certainly glad the Pinellas County tax collector will still take my check even if I've failed to include her name as the payee.

While the letter writer indicates that any legal action against the tax collector would cite her by name, not just by her office, I don't see the leap to putting her name on all stationery, forms, etc. that originate from the Tax Collector's Office. If someone chose to involve the tax collector in a lawsuit, I don't think the person would have to resort to the discarded auto tag renewal envelope to get the name right.

Some of these forms can be quite expensive, and all must be thrown out with the election of a successor. If the officeholder posted a bond, paid for by herself, to guarantee the cost of reprinting all these forms, then I would be a little more tolerant of this thinly disguised election campaigning.

Diane Nelson isn't the only one with this expensive habit. I remember being exposed to the same thing in Daley's Chicago.

Police better at handling chaos on bus than driver

Re: Bus drivers should not let officers board, letter, Dec. 5.

I laughed out loud at this letter.

A school bus-riding child is "safe" and "in good hands" only if protected from the "intimidating' arrival of a police officer?

A bus driver is better qualified to protect a child than a police officer?

Parents should have confidence in the knowledge that the school bus is off limits to the police?

Can you imagine a fight breaking out on the bus and the responsibility for stopping it falling to a small driver, while the police stand by helpless because they are barred from boarding the bus?

Lunacy!

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[Last modified December 7, 2005, 00:33:18]