SEMPER ‘FIE’: Julius Spohn, outraged by the gross Santa display...ripped it down, but later apologized. Photo: Rick Dembow
Posted on 12/19/2005 4:32:33 AM PST by Liz
SEMPER ‘FIE’: Julius Spohn, outraged by the gross Santa display...ripped it down, but later apologized. Photo: Rick Dembow
A former Marine took a stab at saving the Christmas spirit yesterday — knocking over a bloody, knife-wielding Santa that was part of a controversial display outside a Manhattan home.
Julius Spohn, 64, of Newark, said he had read about the display in The Post and wanted to see the macabre scene in front of the East 18th Street brownstone belonging to Joel Krupnik and Mildred Castellanos.
Curious after seeing it, he opened the gate, walked into the small front yard and knocked down the "Bad Santa." "I think it's atrocious," said Spohn of the display..............
Krupnik has said he erected the sickening Christmas display in protest against the commercialization of the holiday.
But Spohn called it "an insult to people on this block, to the community in general."
.....Krupnik's 16-year-old daughter, Darla, was inside the tony brownstone — and confronted Spohn. When she demanded to know what he was doing, Spohn said he replied, "I'm ripping this piece of garbage down."
Darla called the police.
"Somebody taking [Santa's head] off and his body down — that's creepy," Darla said later. Darla said the entire display — which she claimed is welcomed by most people — will go back up. The family is even discussing next year's display, she said, which may include one of Santa's elf helpers driving a hammer down on another elf's severed noggin.
On Saturday, the family hung a new doll head on the tree after the original head was stolen last week by a Brooklyn group calling itself The 7th Avenue Boys for a Merry Christmas.
Spohn said.....the display wasn't considered the sort of freedom he was protecting while serving in the military, he added.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
Duh, yup, sure. Alls of us'n really bulieves this Christmas-hating lunatic.
Only deranged minds would engage in this kind of atrocity.
These crackpots demonstrate a visceral hatred of Christians, Christmas, and its sacred meaning to billions of people around the world.
There's a place for sickos like this: a padded cell, in straitjackets.
Better yet, Joel and Mildred, if you don't like the way I celebrate Christmas, then GTH out of my country.
Being outraged does not give one the right to criminal behavior.
The abysmal event described here also serves to underline the cultural undermining going on, which Focus on The Family might address.
Fair enough. As long as you're charged with first-degree pomposity, Bill.
I know which of you two the jury would send to the Big House.
Although Julius Spohn should not have gone on private property to commit such an act (loudly applauding him), the crack pot Krupnik that erected the Santa actually incited the act.
Good man Gary. I hope you work hard to make the realities of life clear to your kids at a very early age, no tooth fairy, no Santa, no Easter Bunny, nothing to smile and laugh about at an early age. Get them going now for the realities of adult life. No break for your kids.
Bravo, Marine, Bravo!
I also have no idea why Santa is a holy part of Christmas..., and yes, I know the history of St. Nicholas. When I see what Christmas has become, I think strangling "Santa Claus" might not be a bad idea myself.
Is it possible to love the idea of Christmas and hate with all your being what it has become?
As an aside, we celebrated Christmas a week early, as my wife is flying out to visit relatives today and yesterday was the last day we would all be together. For various reasons, we had two people join our family for the meal and for presents. One of these kids was Mexican and not very wealthy at all. When the gifts were opened, he pointed to a box and to me and said in his broken English "For you." It turned out that many months ago, I had enlisted him to help me move some stuff, and I complimented him on his Nike sneakers. The kid remembered that, and when we invited him in to share Chistmas meal with us, he went out an bought me an identical pair for Christmas! I have seldom been so moved by an expression of simple love and generosity, as his budget was not one that made such a purchase "easy." If there is a reason to keep St Nicholas in Christmas, that kind of stuff it is. I would be more in favor of Santa displays if there were some way to get that kind of stuff in there, rather than "BUY BUY BUY!!!!"
Funny how this piece of crap is tolerated and protected as "free speech" but when it's about Jesus, all of a sudden it's "forcing your beliefs on someone else" and "offensive". Glad these folks aren't my neighbors. I'd be really concerned about living near someone who would even THINK UP something like that, much less have the nerve to be so in-your-face as to actually put up something that they know would be so offensive to everyone else.
While we don't have to like the display, the guy was in the wrong. He did tresspass and tear up the owners' property.
'Nuf said. Too bad he apologized, because he had nothing to apologize for. The ghouls who set this up should have been apologizing!
"The abysmal event described here also serves to underline the cultural undermining going on, which Focus on The Family might address."
...
The faux Santa display used to insult the "fun" spirited side of Christmas was an obvious trap set to provoke. The neighbors knew who Mildred and her significant other were the moment they put that immature display of antagonism in their yard.
When evil tells you who he, she, they are, believe them.
Just don't allow them to trick or sucker you into their games.
And I'll bet you were sure to tell their little friends who did believe in Santa.......that it was all a lie!
You bought the little boy a pair of sneakers and he bought you a pair as a way to say thank you. If that isn't the Christmas spirit I don't know what it!
Bravo , Bravo , Semper Fi and a Merry Christmas to him and his whole family . . .
There is plenty to smile and laugh about at an early age without Santa and the Tooth Fairy. The world is full of real miracles, should we choose to see them, and our faith teaches us that the ultimate joy awaits beyond.
The ex-marine, well intentioned though he might have been, picked the wrong battle. If you are going to break the law to destroy an evil symbol, do it for Christ, not for Santa.
Now, if anyone put a photo of "Piss-Christ" in their front yard...
While I sympathize with his actions, I agree with you. Unlike liberals, he's taking responsibility for his actions.
Guy should be given a medal for bravery in the face of the "savage Christmas-hating enemy."
The man has no impulse control.
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.