Posted on 12/10/2005 7:00:21 AM PST by NYer
Washington DC, Dec. 09, 2005 (CNA) - Intervening in the heated debate about the mention of Christmas on the public square, Concerned Women for America (CWA) presented a first Christmas list showing which businesses are honouring the Reason for the Season (the birth of Jesus), which ones are not, and which have mixed records.
It first lists the corporation ‘Nice’ or friendly to the Original Christmas tradition. This year Macy's joins the NICE list because it has returned the explicit mention of Christmas and Merry Christmas to its stores and its ads. L.L. Bean, on the other hand, just barely escapes the Grinch list and gets a middle rating because, while its first seasonal catalogue says Christmas 2005, all subsequent catalogues say Holiday 2005, culminating in the Best of Holiday 2005 (surrounded by Christmas items).
"More and more retailers are realizing, too late, that Christian consumers now understand that the constant use of 'happy holidays' and 'holiday' is grating and insulting," said Robert Knight, director of CWA's Culture & Family Institute. "It's an act of cultural cowardice and even an overt attack on Christmas and ultimately the Christian faith.
"When something is clearly about Christmas itself, it is dishonest to ban the very mention of Christmas on the grounds that it might offend a handful of people. This is a nation where surveys show 96 percent of the population celebrates Christmas. There is no survey showing that people of other faiths are insulted when the majority celebrate Christmas or wish anyone a 'Merry Christmas.'
"The tyranny of a tiny minority of Grinches to veto any mention of Christmas must stop," Knight concluded. "We are very encouraged that some major retailers like Macy's are starting to get it and hope that more will join them."
Following is a highlight of the whole list, set into three categories: ‘Nice’, ‘Somewhat Nice, somewhat naughty’and ‘Scrooges.’
NICE
Macy’s, Chick-fil-A,Kroger, IHOP, Saks Off Fifth Avenue, Kay Jewelers, Capital One, Hobby Lobby, In-N-Out Burger
SOMEWHAT NICE, SOMEWHAT NAUGHTY
Walgreens, Wal-Mart, L.L. Bean, Sears, Lowe’s
SCROOGES
Target, Office Max, Kmart, Staples, Home Depot, Best Buy, Kohlâs, BJ's, SC Johnson, Verizon, Radio Shack, Zales, Outback, Lexus, Old Navy, Cingular, Reckitt Benckiser, Pier 1, Red Lobster, Office Depot, Gillette, Applebee’s, Burlington Coat, Dell, Milton-Bradley, U.S. Postal Service, Costco
Yes master. I have learned my Orwellian lesson -- if I do not say what you tell me I must say at this time of year, then I am persecuting you. (See: Re-Definition of Persecution, New Political Dictionary of the Reactionary Fundamentalists.)
Of course, the Jews and other such worthless whatnots who happen to be running their own private businesses or otherwise celebrating something other than Christmas might not be so compliant. But with sufficient pressure, I'm sure that over time they can be forced to either say Merry Christmas or keep their mouths shut.
Huhh?? Most people who are raising the issue of "Merry Christmas" also welcome the "Happy Hanukka" too. What they object to is the artificial substitute of "Happy Holidays" thats given. Now of course, there being like 10:1 Christians to Jews in the country one would then happen to hear "Merry Christmas" more often than "Happy Hannuka" but reasonable people would agree that that's nobodys fault.
Of course the issue with Christians is much broader than a deletion of "Merry Christmas" in retail chains. There has been for some time now a consistant full frontal assault from the ACLU that we've been dealing with in public and private institutions at many levels. So yeah, sensativities are also running high and for good reason.
Right. I gotcha. Nobody's allowed to say "happy holidays."
So that I'm clear on the new free speech restrictions, and so that I don't get crosswise with a member of the persecuted majority, I've take the liberty of summarizing the new behavioral rules below. Please correct as needed:
(1) Anybody who now wants to extend to another a seasonal greeting must, in advance, ascertain the recipient's preferred celebration and style of greeting.
(2) If the preferred celebration and style of greeting cannot be ascertained, one may extend a greeting only if reference is made to all known seasonal celebrations, and only if all known styles of seasonal greeting are verbally expressed.
(3) If method (2) is employed in the extension of a seasonal greeting, a disclaimer must be included that (a) celebrations listed in the greeting are those currently known to the greeter; (b) celebrations unknown by the greeter should be inferred by the greetee as included by implication in the greeting; and (c) any previously unknown celebrations made known to the greeter by the greetee will be duly incorporated in all of the greeter's future method (2) greetings.
(4) For business entities wishing to attract seasonal customers, permitted signage must include a listing of all seasonal celebrations and methods of seasonal greeting (with the express exception of "happy holidays," which is hereafter forbidden speech). Business entities will be expected to know all such celebrations and styles of greeting, and therefore the personal greeting disclaimer exception contained in paragraph (3) will be inapplicable. Failure to list any seasonal celebration or style of greeting in business signage will be grounds for business forfeiture.
(5) Method (4) business signage must list all seasonal celebrations and styles of greeting in descending order according to percentages of customer base participation, subject to immediate modification to give listing priority to any group of celebrants that complains about its position on the list.
(6) The only exception to the foregoing is the employment of no seasonal greeting whatsoever.
I think that covers it (although I would like to know whether I am also required to physically silence those who disobey the foregoing rules-of-speech, or whether I can just ignore the "happy holidayers"?)
I was at Target last night.
The cashier ended my transaction with a "Come back soon"
I asked her to wish me a Merry Christmas. She giggled and then wished me a Merry Christmas.
Thanks for sharing that.
The Wal Mart I use has no Christmas signs, only Home for the Holidays signs every where. Also, the cashiers and greeters will only say Seasons Greeting, although, once in a while someone will say Merry Christmas. The Wal Mart down the road about 8 miles has forbidden the employees to wish anyone Merry Chrismtas. I guess its goes by location.
Target just had a commercial that ended with Merry Christmas.
Yeah you are probably right. But then again, the people who said "Merry Christmas" to me when I went there were actually the Salvation Army ringing the bell in front of the store and so not Wal-Mart. But hey, at least Wal-Mart lets them ring the bell for their charity, as I understand Target does not do that.....No, instead Target donates to the lib feminist anti-family anti-christian charities. (I don't shop at Target and never will.)
With regard to the retailers and there push to omit mention of Christmas this year, a wise person once said to me, "why be surprised when non-Christians don't act like Christians?"
Wal-Mart had someone whisper Merry Christmas in a commercial. This is getting ridiculous.
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