Posted on 08/22/2010 5:55:30 PM PDT by Halfmanhalfamazing
Last month, the Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) unveiled a new brand strategy to address America's needs, as well as a name change to "the Y." After surveying "a cross section of Americans to learn more about the most pressing issues and challenges facing their communities today," the Y had found that only 51% of Americans were optimistic about the future while 49% were not.
"This is a very important, exciting time for the Y," said Neil Nicoll, president and CEO of YMCA of the USA. "For 160 years, we've focused on changing lives for the better… . People are concerned about the problems facing their communities. Like the Y, they understand that lasting change will only come about if we work together to improve our health, strengthen our families and support our neighbors. Our hope is that more people will choose to engage with the Y."
Problems? Change? Hope? This "new brand strategy" is a puzzle. While the Y's written mission still declares putting, "Christian principles into practice through programs," the newly rolled-out strategy does not mention the change and hope found in Christ.
So, is this organization still the YMCA? Or is this a new brand under the title of the Y, no longer with an emphasis on the "C"?
The Y's new key areas of focus—youth development, healthy living and social responsibility—are no different from the ones YMCA founder Sir George Williams set out to address when he founded the first chapter in London in 1844. What is missing today is the original mission's answer to these needs: the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
It’s one more reason God is taking his hands off us. Yoga,sexual music, etc., and gays in the steam rooms are common at YMCAs now.
Aside from the Christian angle, it is a bad idea to make an article (”The”) an intrinsic part of the name. This makes it very difficult to use the adjectival form. For instance, you could say “Red Cross Volunteers” or “YMCA Employees” but you cannot really say “The Y Employees,” but must render it “Employees from ‘The Y’.” Ugh!
They can’t do that - it would mess up the song...;-)
Hang on tight to your Christianity folks. Whatever you do, don’t let go.
While they’re being politically (or religiously) correct, why not go all the way and remove any part of the name that might be in any way offensive to anyone at all...
So...
If the “C” for Christian is offensive, then why not remove the “M” for men, since that could be interpreted as discriminatory with preferential treatment towards men...
So, we’d be left with “YA” after the C and M are removed.
But, since in every part of the U.S. we have both young and old and middle age people, the “Y” for young could also be interpreted as discriminatory against people who are not so “young” anymore...
So, we’d be left with just “A”, but...
Since there are people who dislike the idea of “associations” because there are people who prefer to be loners, then the “A” for associations would also have to be dropped.
And then we’d be left with the “____” or “blank” something or other.
So, in the future, we’d just have to get used to saying “let’s go to the blank”.
***Yoga,sexual music, etc., and gays in the steam rooms are common at YMCAs now.***
My wife’s grandfather spent most of his life working for various YMCAs from Denver to Ft Worth-Dallas. He would be shocked to see what it has become.
LOL
If they take the ‘C’ out of YMCA then what are the Village People going to do? They’ll probably fill in the missing ‘C’ with a ‘G’ or an ‘M’ - gay or Muslim.
People are concerned about the problems facing their communities…(we need to work together to) strengthen our families and support our neighbors.
And therefore, we need to deemphasize Christ in order to achieve that?
Seems an ill-advised and counterproductive move for the leader in that market space.
I’ve heard some other organizations have changed names too.
For example, AARP says that the initial no longer stand for American Association of Retired Persons.
Is the “Y” dropping the entire initials of YMCA, or just keeping the Y initial? I wonder if political correctness is the reason to get rid of the “C” word here.
YMGLBTA
YMPBUHA
:-)
King County, Wash. was originally named after Senator William R. King (D-Ala.) who also served as vice president. It's still King County, but now it's named for Martin Luther King.
A lot of the YMCAs are still great places where people go to be fit and healthy. I am a member up here in Rochester, NY and I love the places. Everyone who I have ever met at the Y has been at the very least courteous.
Any chance of the NAACP removing the “C” out of their name?
Why ? They should embrace the “(C)ommunism” proudly and not try to hide it.
In San Francisco, they should change their name to the “KY.”
Just wait. In another 10 years, the Salvation Army will be debating whether to remove “salvation” and whether “army” is too militant. /semi-sarc
Luckily NAMBLA was already taken. Those feisty Marlon Brando Look Alikes are no-one to be messed with.
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