Thanks to Lynne Creech for her Dec. 19 letter about the Christmas Parade, aka "Holiday Parade." I am sick and tired of "Happy Holiday" instead of "Merry Christmas." I grew up as a Christian celebrating the birth of Christ on Dec. 25. It wasn't wrong then, and it isn't wrong now.

I am tired of trying to be politically correct to accommodate everyone who has a different religion or lack thereof, as the case goes.

I have many friends of different beliefs. I respect them, and they respect me -- a little love and mutual respect goes a long way toward peace on Earth.

Starting at home is a good place to begin. Our military is fighting around the world to maintain our freedom here at home.

We don't need the town of Southern Pines, and the powers-that-be, taking away our Christmas and the traditional Christmas Parade.

Christmas is a Christian holiday. You can't change that, so let's not try to be politically correct to accommodate or soothe the feelings of anyone!

I hope that next year we can bring Christmas back to the Southern Pines parade.

Rivan Harter

Aberdeen