This is the Christmas Season. If you take "MAS" off the word Christmas, what do you have? You have CHRIST.

I have and know people who are Jewish, and saying "Merry Christmas," does not offend them. Of course, there will always be some who are.

At Hanukkah, I remember to say "Happy Hanukkah," and to those who celebrate Kwanzaa, I wish them a "Happy Kwanzaa", out of respect.

If I, and others like me, can respect other who also have celebrations during the Christmas Season, why can't others show a little of this same respect, why does everything have to be lumped under the title "Happy Holidays."

But today, there are some who want us to be politically correct in what we say. Why?

This country was founded on the basis of freedom…. freedom of speech and freedom of religion.

When did this change? Why is it suddenly un-constitutional for me to say Merry Christmas? Why must I say "Happy Holiday" or "Season's Greetings?" Why is it suddenly a commercial holiday which begins the beginning of October?

I consider myself a Christian, and as such I celebrate Christian traditions and holidays. If I were Jewish or a Muslim or Buddhist, then I would celebrate and defend those holidays.

The diversity and ethnicity of the American population has made us unique. We celebrate our personal religious belief and are taught to tolerate the religious beliefs of others.

Yet, there are others, those who have no faith, which wish to take away my rights to worship and celebrate feasts days based upon my beliefs.

In their zeal to make things "politically correct", they, in my opinion, have begun to erode those very principles upon which this country was built. You do not believe in God…. fine, I can accept that. But, again I ask, why are you trying to take away my rights to believe?

You don't want us to use the words "In God we trust," or "So help me God." All mention of God, or Biblical content is supposed to be taken out our public buildings. When we do not go along with what you or the ACLU feels is correct, we may go to jail, which is taking away my constitutional rights.

Even the countries before the "Christian" Era allowed freedom of religion. Rome incorporated the religions of every country it conquered into their religious pantheon. So, again I ask, why do I have believe the same as everyone else?

Christmas was and is a religious holiday. Not a Wal-mart, or Sears, or Macy's or Kohls or Target holiday, although they would like to make it into one. Is it my imagination or are big commercial companies trying to change what should be a religious holiday into a commercial holiday.

If that is the case, we need to relearn and teach our children that Christmas is not a season of receiving, but a season of giving.

When we learn and teach our children that lesson, we can truly put "CHRIST" back into Christmas and , the majority people will not be offended by saying or hearing the phase "Merry Christmas."

Then, those who do not have a belief system will just have to find something else to complain about.

So to everyone, may I say….."Merry Christmas" or " Happy Hanukkah" or Happy Kwanzaa".

May your season be fill with joy, love and peace on earth.

And to those who have no particular beliefs, have a nice day off!