Really? You’re really going to go there?

I shite thee not.

Ladies and gentlemen, Pastor Ken Hutcherson:

Many reading this may not understand where I came up with this concept of calling Christians “the new Negro.”

The reason is because there are undeniable similarities. Jim Crow laws were passed to keep me from having my constitutional rights and my rights under the Declaration of Independence of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Even though the Constitution gave me those freedoms, man was smart enough to be able to keep me from living those freedoms by saying I was “separate but equal.”

Today, my constitutional right of freedom of religion is being eroded again by laws such as the Hate Crimes Bill and repeated attacks by the politically correct crowd. Threats that came along as a result of an African American wanting to get out from under Jim Crow laws were formidable and scary and designed to keep African Americans quiet. The same thing is happening to Christians today.

Yeah, really. He went there.

See, the thing is that I’m just not sure how it happens this way. Who am I, after all, to lecture a man of his credentials on civil rights?

But I just feel the need to point out that for the vast majority of people, equality is a step up. When one is of the privileged class, as Christians have been pretty much from the outset in the American endeavor, one sees privilege erode. More often than not, this is what I find at the center of this entire “oppressed Christian” genre in the United States. Yes, when one throws their lot in with fellow oppressed folks like Carrie Prejean and Sarah Palin ….

I mean, this really is that hilarious. Here’s the angry litany:

If you don’t think Christians have become the new Negro, just look at Christmas! We are no longer able to celebrate Christmas in schools. Even though as taxpayers, our tax dollars help pay for our broken educational system, we are forced to celebrate winter break and the fabulous “holiday tree!”

How about the wonderful greeting, “Happy Holidays!”? Department stores are afraid to put up signs with the word “Christmas” on them. Don’t mistakenly think this is anything new. Secular society began taking Christ out of Christmas when they started calling it “Xmas” – and we let it happen.

In my wonderful state of Washington just last year, Gov. Christine Gregoire and the state legislators allowed an Atheist Manifesto to be put up right next to the Nativity scene of our Lord Jesus Christ! I have to say straightforward: the state of Washington is the armpit of the United States, and our lovely legislators are supplying the odoriferous scent to the armpit.

Because 2008 was such a disaster, this year there will be no Christmas or religious displays in the Capitol rotunda, period. Oh, except they will put up a huge holiday tree.

Can anybody tell me where common sense is? Everyone in the world knows it’s a Christmas tree. This nonsense is all in the name of tolerance toward whom? It’s certainly not toward those of us who hold strong Judeo-Christian values. As Christians, it’s an attack on what we hold dear. But just like the Negroes, Christians should understand they are not equal under the Constitution’s right to freedom of religion.

The only difference between Christians and African Americans is that Christians put up with this intolerance while standing behind the false disguise of humility and love. We are obsessed with showing the world our love when our primary job is to tell them the truth. The Bible does not say, “Sensitivity shall set you free.” It says, “The truth shall set you free.” Are we not the truth-tellers?

When are we as believers, like the African Americans that came before us, going to say, enough is enough? No more “separate but equal!” Our battle cry is “We are the salt of the earth, onward Christian soldiers and to God be the glory! For in unity we will stand and we will not be stopped!”

Yes. Really.

O! horrible equality! Give us a break, Ken. We know how it goes: You’re not being treated equally unless you’re superior under the law. Happy Winter Feel Good Time. Get over yourself.