Hilarious. So in Washington state, there’s been conotroversy over the “holiday tree” (by the Association of Washington Business, for 19 years) erected in the state capitol. The wingers hate the name, obviously. As the Seattle Post-Intelligencer tells us:

That prompted a lawmaker from Spokane to stage a protest at the Capitol, demanding the holiday tree be called a “Christmas tree.” It also led a local real estate agent to sue the state to allow the nativity display depicting the birth of Jesus.

So the Capitol now has its nativity scene. This year, it has something else:

An anti-religion billboard in the Washington state Capitol has started a firestorm on national television.

Fox News’ Bill O’Reilly had an eight-minute segment on his show Tuesday night decrying the inclusion of the atheistic billboard along with a holiday tree and a Christian nativity scene.

Conservative TV personality O’Reilly urged viewers to call Gov. Chris Gregoire’s office.

Gregoire spokesman Pearse Edwards says the office has been getting about 200 calls an hour, as well as e-mails.

But why?

Well, sure, the billboard offends Christians. “At this season of the Winter Solstice, let reason prevail,” it reads. It then goes on to state “There are no gods,” among other things that make O’Reilly’s head explode.

But whatever. We’re all entititled to our beliefs, right? Ah, it’s just that O’Reilly’s “normal Americans” are offended by this, see. And want it removed because it’s such an outrage.

But as the governor and his attorney general noted:

“The U.S. Supreme Court has been consistent and clear that, under the Constitution’s First Amendment, once government admits one religious display or viewpoint onto public property, it may not discriminate against the content of other displays, including the viewpoints of nonbelievers.”

In other words, you got a nativity scene? Athiests then have the same right to their own display, their own proseletyzation.

Now, in one respect this is just waving a red flag in front of a bull. I’m sure the Freedom From Religion Foundation was trying to provoke this firestorm - and is trying to provoke Washington State Officials into doing something that, legally, they can’t. Which would be quickly followed by a lawsuit - a successful one, probably, given the SCOTUS precedent.

But as to O’Reilly and his “normal Americans”: You got your nativity scene. So what’s the problem? You got your explicit Christian exhibit; you got your rights.

…unless you’re less interested in rights than you are in privelege.

And that’s it, isn’t it? Those who whine about the war on Christmas - they’re not interested in a level playing field. What they want is the edge. What they want is privelege.

What they want is official governmental endorsement of faith - their faith.

What they want is the government to put them ahead of all other citizens.

What they want is to be running the show. And sure, you know, you’ll be allowed to believe whatever it is you like. But equal time? No. Because we’re in charge.

Freedom of religion? Sure.

But some faiths are more equal than others.