WND: Scroogelike redemption! Christmas ban dropped. (Update to: Please call Attorney General “Scrooge” Edmondson, and wish him a “Merry Christmas!”)

(Update #4 – 12/21/07 – 9pm CST) Update from WorldNetDaily:

Less than one day after WND reported on the imposition of a ban on references to “Christmas” at a Midwest university, the school’s president has taken steps to fix the problem.

“I am very pleased by the prompt actions of President John Hays to resolve the Christmas controversy,” said Mathew D. Staver, founder and chairman of Liberty Counsel, an advocacy law firm that alleged illegal censorship at Southwestern Oklahoma State University in Weatherford, Okla.

“His leadership in resolving the controversy of Christmas and the general guidelines he has set forth regarding the appropriate way a state school and its employees may acknowledge and celebrate Christmas serves as an example for others to follow,” Staver said. “Christmas is a wonderful time of the year, and it can and should be enjoyed by all.”

Hays insisted the university does not have a policy that bans the word ‘Christmas’ or Christmas decorations.

“However,” he wrote in a statemetn [sic], “some supervisors or department leaders within the university who meant well may have suggested to employees that caution should be taken with respect to Christmas decorations.

So how did Drew Edmondson get mixed up in this mess? WND found the answer to that, as well:

“After Weatherford City Commissioner Warren Goldmann heard from a constituent that the word ‘Christmas’ was banned by the university, Goldmann contacted the provost of the university, Dr. Blake Sonove, who confirmed the ‘Christmas’ ban policy and indicated that the university was relying on an opinion from Attorney General Drew Edmonson (who denies ever giving such an opinion). Commissioner Goldmann then reported the information to Liberty Counsel,” Liberty Counsel said.

In addition, Liberty Counsel said admissions coordinator Connie Phillips reported David Misek, director of human resources, arrived in the registrar’s office with Tom Fagan, vice president of finance, and they ordered the words “Christ” and “Christmas” covered up, and banned the use of “Merry Christmas” in e-mails.

“The same action occurred in the business office where someone asked for the directive in writing and was told that the written policy is still being drafted. Another person provided Misak with written information showing that using ‘Christmas’ is constitutional, but Misak would not change his stance,” Liberty Counsel said.

Such demands “are in direct violation of the United States Constitution and other federal law…(more)

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(Update #3 – 12/21/07) from WorldNetDaily:

University President John M. Hays denied the school “has a policy” that employees cannot say “Merry Christmas,” but admitted that a “supervisor” may have given instructions regarding holiday wording.

He blamed it on “an attempt to be respectful of the diverse religious population at Southwestern Oklahoma State University.”

That effort, he said, “has been misinterpreted as an attempt to ban Christmas on the Weatherford campus. … The university attempted to prevent the appearance as a state agency of endorsing any particular religion.”

He said employees may be “asked in some offices to be careful about what they put up.” And he suggested that a supervisor, for example, may tell employees they could not put a “pornographic material,” or erect a monument to “Wicca.”

But Mathew D. Staver, founder and chief of Liberty Counsel, said the circumstances were documented before the organization raised the issue, sending the school a letter suggesting an immediate abandonment of such a policy.

He also said Liberty Counsel had been told the university issued the policy on the legal advice from Oklahoma Attorney General W.A. Drew Edmonson.

The complaint came through several channels to Liberty Counsel, including from a city commissioner whose daughter works at the school and was given the instructions directly.

“Also other employees, in an employee-wide meeting … were told that,” Staver said.

One college official visited a university office used for registering students, and told workers that “Christ” in the word “Christmas” had to be covered up, he said.

“This censorship specifically includes exchanging greetings of ‘Merry Christmas’ among employees or with non-employees, whether initiated by a university employee or not,” Liberty Counsel said. “Christmas remains a legal holiday for state employees, including those at SWOSU. The directive does not include any other legal holidays such as Thanksgiving or New Year’s.”

Such demands “are in direct violation of the United States Constitution and other federal law. The First Amendment prohibits government from being hostile to religion. Selecting one legal holiday for negative treatment and special restrictions solely because it has religious aspects clearly demonstrates hostility toward religion,” Liberty Counsel said.

“Moreover, the free speech rights of employees at the university are infringed when their speech is censored solely because of a religious viewpoint or perceived religious viewpoint.”

The organization noted the school’s website contained “Happy Holidays” and some Christmas trees….(more)

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(Update #2): From Mark Tapscott,

Well now, this has certainly been an interesting day. Let’s review:

1. LIBERTY COUNSEL issues a news release claiming that:

“Southwestern Oklahoma State University (SWOSU), has issued a disturbing policy which requires all employees to refrain from using the word ‘Christmas’ in oral or written form. This directive was given by the university upon legal advice of the Oklahoma Attorney General, W.A. Drew Edmondson.”

The release quoted Matt Staver, Liberty Counsel’s head honcho and dean of the Liberty University School of Law, and noted that a demand letter had been sent to SWOSU officials.

2. Figuring the head of an accredited law school would not have issued a news release without having confirmed its contents beforehand, I posted on the issue here on Tapscott’s Copy Desk, quoting the release in full and noting that Edmondson is the same guy who charged the “Oklahoma Three” with violating a state law requiring initiative petition circulators to be Oklahoma residents. I called Edmondson the “Okie Napoleon.”

3. A raft of people read that post and started calling Edmondson’s office and Liberty Counsel. It appears nobody expected such an avalanche of reaction.

4. Edmondson then issued a witty statement denying that he ever gave “legal advice” to SWOSU telling the school to “refrain from using the word Christmas in oral or written form.” And in a delightful touch, he also wished Oklahomans a “Merry Christmas.”

5. In the meantime, I started calling folks at SWOSU. In short order, I heard all about how SWOSU managers verbally told employees to not use the words “Christmas” or “Christ” in their official emails or any official correspondence. They were also told to remove the words from decorations in their offices.

6. Oklahoma being justly known as the “Buckle of the Bible Belt,” those orders offended a whole bunch of people at SWOSU. Many of them showed up for work today wearing buttons saying “Merry Christmas.” This is what you call speaking truth to the PC powers-that-be.

6A. It always surprises me when there aren’t more people willing to suggest in vivid terms where the PC Nazis – who can’t tolerate anybody anywhere uttering words like “Christmas” in public – should take their petty tyrannies. When somebody does stand up, as lots of people at SWOSU have, that’s news.

7. Now at the end of the day, where are we? Well, a couple of observations. First, for me, my first call after reading the Liberty news release should have been to Edmondson. After all, I am the guy who has stenciled on his forehead: “If your mother tells you she loves you, check it out.”

Second, it’s clear somebody at SWOSU got the idea that employees there should be told to stop using such terms as “Christmas” and “Christ.” I have no doubt that Edmondson personally didn’t provide SWOSU “legal advice” in a formal advisory opinion. The man isn’t dumb. But AGs and their staff provide informal advice every day, sometimes in person, sometimes in email, sometimes on the telephone. Sometimes even to journalists!

Maybe that somebody mis-understood something that was said to them by the AG or his staff. Or maybe that somebody simply took it upon themselves and informally advised SWOSU managers to spread the word among the troops. That somebody ought to come forward and clear up the confusion.

If they do and it turns out Edmondson had absolutely nothing to do with anything here, I will promptly retract the assertion in my original post that he was “banning Christmas” or had “issued an advisory opinion” to that effect.

But “Okie Napoleon” stays. Even if he’s not the Grinch who banned Christmas, he’s more than earned the sobriquet.

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Update #1): Edmonson’s Office is denying issuing the demand letter to SWOSU. Captain Ed, of Captain’s Quarters did some research of his own, and reports:

UPDATE: I’m putting this at the top because early callers to the AG’s office claims this isn’t true, and they are wishing people a Merry Christmas when greeting callers. So I called there myself, and spoke with Emily Lang, spokesperson for the AG. Ms Lang confirms that they are greeting callers with “Merry Christmas” as a means of refuting this story. AG Edmundson did not issue this order, she insists; they are checking with assistant AGs to see if the advisory ever existed at all. At any rate, the AG does not believe state workers should refrain from Christmas greetings.

Ms. Lang wants people to know that they have a Christmas tree in the office, and hopes everyone has a Merry Christmas….

We will post any further details here, if they become available.

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(Original Post): The Liberty Council has released the following: Southwestern Oklahoma State University Bans The Word “Christmas”

Southwestern Oklahoma State University (SWOSU), has issued a disturbing policy which requires all employees to refrain from using the word ‘Christmas’ in oral or written form. This directive was given by the university upon legal advice of the Oklahoma Attorney General, W.A. Drew Edmondson. Liberty Counsel sent a demand letter to SWOSU following a complaint from a university affiliate.

“John Misak, the Director of Human Resources, recently visited various university departments and employee groups and informed everyone that any decorations featuring the word ‘Christmas’ in any work or public areas of the university must be immediately removed. He also instructed everyone to discontinue the use of the term ‘Christmas’ in their speech while on the job. This censorship specifically includes exchanging greetings of ‘Merry Christmas’ among employees or with non-employees, whether initiated by a non-university employee or not. Christmas remains a legal holiday for state employees, including those at SWOSU. The directive does not include any other legal holidays such as Thanksgiving or New Year’s.

“The announcements made by Misak are in direct violation of the United States Constitution and other federal law. The First Amendment prohibits government from being hostile to religion. Selecting one legal holiday for negative treatment and special restrictions solely because it has religious aspects clearly demonstrates hostility toward religion. Moreover, the free speech rights of employees at the university are infringed when their speech is censored solely because of a religious viewpoint or perceived religious viewpoint. A public employer like SWOSU also violates the Civil Rights Act when it prohibits its employees from saying ‘Merry Christmas.’

“Liberty Counsel’s demand letter requests an immediate reversal of the university’s unconstitutional policy. Liberty Counsel’s Friend or Foe Christmas Campaign educates and, if necessary, litigates to insure that Christmas is not censored.

Mathew D. Staver, Founder and Chairman of Liberty Counsel and Dean of Liberty University School of Law, commented: ‘Of all places, a public university should foster free expression. How can public university officials honestly believe that the state can prohibit its employees from saying ‘Merry Christmas?’ After all, Christmas is a state and federal legal holiday.’”

If the name “Drew Edmondson” sounds familiar, it’s because earlier this year, he made himself infamous in the Oklahoma 3 case.

Also see Tapscott’s Copy Desk: Now the Okie Napoleon is Banning ‘Christmas’

Okie Campaigns: “If you would like to tell the Okie Napoleon what you think of his advisory, you can reach his office via telephone at: 405-521-3921. Don’t forget to wish him a ‘Merry Christmas.’ Please be courteous and be clear that you think Edmondson’s advisory opinion is beyond ridiculous.”

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Also see: HotAir