A "Christmas tree bill" used to refer to everything-but-the-kitchen-sink legislation designed to provide something for everyone. This Christmas tree bill offers something for Christians alone: acknowledgment of the "international religious and historical importance of Christmas and the Christian faith" and "support for Christians in the United States and worldwide." Whew! That's a relief! And here I thought our government hated Christians around the world!

I intended to dismiss this ridiculous resolution with a few lines, something to the effect that it's gratifying to know that even though Congress seems unable to do anything about ending the Iraq war, or ameliorating the mortgage crisis, or providing health care to all Americans, our distinguished legislators can still do something of great importance by passing a law expressing approval of Christmas. What courage!

But it isn't funny that an overwhelming majority of legislators are so cowed by the power of the Christian right that they are willing to vote for a law that is clearly unconstitutional. Yes, yes, I know that this law will have absolutely no practical effect. But what could be a clearer violation of the First Amendment, which prohibits Congress from passing any law "respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof," than a resolution that directly expresses its respect for Christianity alone? Eighteenth-century Baptists, who joined with deists and freethinkers to ratify our secular Constitution, would have been scandalized by this resolution. Their faith needed no artificial propping-up from cowardly lawmakers. It is utterly unconscionable that our elected officials have so little respect for the Constitution that they are afraid to vote against such a proposal, clearly designed to pander to the Christian Right. There is something genuinely disgusting--as grave an insult to our best religious traditions as well as to our best secular traditions--about politicians having the chutzpah to instruct us that Christians celebrate Christmas as "a recognition of God's redemption, mercy, and Grace." "Grace" with a capital "G," no less. What business do politicians have making pronouncements on such matters?

Only nine representatives voted against this meretricious resolution. They are all Democrats, and they deserve gold stars. They are Representatives Gary Ackerman of New York, Yvette Clark of New York, Diana DeGette of California, Alcee Hastings of Florida, Barbara Lee of California, Jim McDermott of Washington, Robert C. Scott of Virginia, Lynn Woolsey of California, and Fortney Pete Stark of Virginia. Several of these representatives are African-American, as it happens, and that's interesting because African-Americans, as a group, are among the most devout Christians in the nation. Apparently these few lawmakers understand that the separation of church and state has helped religion flourish in this country. Merry Christmas, mazel tov, and happy holidays to them.

I suppose that Congress will now be obliged to waste its time considering resolutions expressing respect for Jews, Hindus, Muslims (oh no, that would create a problem because we don't respect every form of Islam), Pagans, Buddhists.... It should have occurred to these legislative geniuses that other people--the 25 percent of Americans and two-thirds of the planet's inhabitants who are so foolish as not to believe in Christianity--might want some expressions of respect, too. If this catches on, how will Congress ever have time to do anything other than figure out which holidays, religions, and factions of religions are deserving of their Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval? That is one of the reasons why the founders wanted government to keep its mitts off religion and religion to keep its mitts off government.