Do I Offend?

"People have to go to public buildings. They shouldn't feel offended.”  So says the marketing director of the “Christmas Village”….er make that “Holiday” Village near Philadelphia. Even though it’s a private enterprise, because it occurs on public property, he says the fact that someone might be bothered by the word “Christmas” means the word must go.

Now compare that to what’s happening at a taxpayer-funded museum in Washington, DC:

The federally funded National Portrait Gallery, one of the museums of the Smithsonian Institution, is currently showing an exhibition that features images of an ant-covered Jesus, male genitals, naked brothers kissing, men in chains, Ellen DeGeneres grabbing her breasts, and a painting the Smithsonian itself describes in the show's catalog as "homoerotic."

The exhibit, “Hide/Seek: Difference and Desire in American Portraiture,” opened on Oct. 30 and will run throughout the Christmas Season, closing on Feb. 13.

So we can’t have a “Christmas” sign during the Christmas season, but we can have an ant-covered Christ. Only, you’re actually PAYING FOR the latter, not the former.

Here’s my question: When does the “I’m Offended” card work?

Obviously there are millions of Americans offended by the tax-funded (ahem) “art” at the National Portrait Gallery. They’ll be even more offended when they find out the gallery is—no joke—hosting “Family Day” visits while showing this display. So doesn’t that mean the pictures should come down?

If not, then why does the “Christmas” sign have to come down? Seriously, other than a handful of activist atheists, is anyone really offended by “Merry Christmas?”  But it must go, to make room for the federally-funded jar of urine with the crucifix in it.

Oh, one more question for those of you who support the taxpayer display above: If I can take my kids to see the federally-funded ant-covered Jesus for Christmas, when do I get to take them to the tax-supported ant-covered MOHAMMED?