Burning Crosses - a Symbol of Christmas?

It turns out that the American Family Association (AFA) thinks so. To help you get into theholiday spirit, the AFA has released a "Christmas Cross" - what appears to be the shape of a tall cross on a stand covered in strings of white Christmas lights so that it gives the appearance of burning - so you can "Let Your "Light" Shine For Christ This Christmas Season!" The AFA store website reads "Looking for an effective way to express your Christian faith this Christmas season to honor our Lord Jesus?... Decorate this holiday season with the Original Christmas Cross to remind your friends, family, neighbors, and all who drive by your home, office, or church of the real meaning of Christmas."

Apparently the fact that their "Christmas Cross" is reminiscent of the Ku Klux Klan's (KKK) infamous cross burning, long used as a method of warning to anyone who stands against the Klan, has escaped someone's notice, but not the notice of irate bloggers in cyberspace. There has been a huge outcry from hundreds, maybe thousands, of people who are incensed at the lawn ornament's unfortunate design, and that outrage is spilling out on forums and blogs across the Internet. H. Lukas Green of PrideDepot.com says "What better way to send a message to gays and people of color than to ignite a "burning cross" with the simple flick of a switch." And John Cole of Balloon Juice had this to say on his blog, "Yes, thanks to the AFA, Christians everywhere can have their very own burning cross in their front yard for a mere $81.85, plus shipping and handling. Oddly enough, this does not seem to be a big seller in African American communities."

According to Wikipedia's article on cross burning, the KKK began burning crosses in 1915 as a way to intimidate their victims and as a reminder of faith. The article on Wikipedia also states "Many Christians consider it sacrilege to burn or otherwise destroy a cross. The Klan, however, states that it is not destroying the cross, but "lighting" it, as a symbol of the members' faith." Maybe someone should let the AFA know that "The United States Department of Justice believes that 'cross burning remains a vicious symbol of hatred'" and that most people in the country feel the same way - that a burning cross is racially derogatory and promotes hate. Not the type of good will towards your fellow man, joy, and peaceful feelings that Christmas usually promotes.

The mere fact that the AFA uses a cross to get their message on faith across is an eyebrow raiser. The cross has long been associated with the death of Jesus and is seen as a symbol of the Easter holiday, while Christmas is a celebration of Christ's birth and typically is associated with a lit star or angel, to symbolize the star over Bethlehem or the angel who appeared to the shepherds. In light of those traditions, and considering the severe stigma a lit cross carries, it is odd that the AFA would choose a lit cross as a symbol of Christmas and as a testament to faith.

It is also interesting to note that, according to Wikipedia's article on the American Family Association, in the past the AFA has made a name for itself in its militant anti-homosexual stance, and has gone on record as opposed to equal rights and hate-crime legislation. All factors that make one wonder if the "Christmas Cross" was really just the mistake of an unfortunately designed product, or if there is some deeper meaning there. And let's face it, it does seem strangely coincidental that the AFA would release something so very questionable in the same year America elects its first black president. At a time when racial and other hate crimes are at a high, one has to wonder about the message the AFA is offering in marketing such a controversial Christmas decoration.

Emails to the American Family Association asking for comment about the cross's design and the publics adamant feelings that it is a message of hateful intolerance and a racially motivated symbol were not returned.