Posted on 11/16/2011 4:47:32 PM PST by radioone
It's not even December, but Santa has already been fired from Charleston's Hollings Cancer Center.
For each of the past two years, hospital volunteer Frank Cloyes spent one day as St. Nick, spreading good cheer and snacks to patients sitting through chemotherapy treatments. The 67-year-old James Island resident, a retired insurance executive who calls himself a "gregarious guy," paid for his own costume rental.
On Tuesday morning, a volunteer coordinator told Cloyes his services no longer were needed.
"Because of our state affiliation, we decided not to have a Santa presence this year," Hollings spokeswoman Vicky Agnew said. Hollings is a part of the Medical University of South Carolina.
Decorations will be "more secular and respectful to all beliefs," Agnew said. "We don't want to offend a volunteer with good intentions, but we need to think of the bigger picture. People who are Muslim or Jewish or have no religious beliefs come here for treatment," she said.
Bah humbug, said Cloyes, a self- described libertarian with no religious affiliation.
"Santa is a tradition and everyone loves him," Cloyes said. "It's just something that makes people happy for a while. Kids liked it, staff liked it. People took pictures."
Santa still will visit the Children's Hospital, which has a different board of directors than Hollings, although both are MUSC facilities, spokeswoman Heather Woolwine said.
The director of the state chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union declined comment but pointed to the association's national website. It said while "some limited governmental celebrations of Christmas are not per se unconstitutional ... the burden for the government to show that its activities do not have the purpose or effect of endorsing a religious message is high."
Hollings still will have wreaths, poinsettias and garlands, Agnew said.
The decision is "not meant to be cold," she said.
Cloyes said he wonders where "political correctness and overregulation will end."
"Let's have a little joy in our lives," he said.
“State affiliation” does that mean welfare families or kids who go to publik skoolz can’t celebrate Christmas either?
"And what would you like for Christmas this year?"
"HER!"
Send an email to Vicky Agnew telling her how totally STUPID she is.
With elves like that, it might be better to end up on the “naughty” list...
They couldn’t take the heat, LOL! As of late this afternoon, Santa is again welcome at the Center.
Hollings is a part of the Medical University of South Carolina.
Ms. Agnew should be the one sent packing.
Mrs Grundy was early PC and as my favorite author once wrote, "Freedom begins when you tell Mrs Grundy to go fly a kite!"
Soon places like this will just ahve a banner that says “HOLIDAY” on it.
And then when some Christian points out that the word holiday is derived from “Holy Days” in reference to Christmastime, and then they won’t even hang that anymore.
This particular medical student was Jewish, as was his wife. They didn't celebrate Christmas, but they also didn't take offense at others' celebrations and didn't mind helping others have a good time, particularly not children.
It’s all those muslim lawyers of course
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.