"Religious conservatives have a cause this holiday season: the commercialization of Christmas. They're for it. The American Family Association is leading a boycott of Target for not using the words "Merry Christmas" in its advertising. (Target denies it has an anti-Merry-Christmas policy.) The Catholic League boycotted Wal-Mart in part over the way its Web site treated searches for "Christmas." Bill O'Reilly, the Fox anchor who last year started a "Christmas Under Siege" campaign, has a chart on his Web site of stores that use the phrase "Happy Holidays," along with a poll that asks, "Will you shop at stores that do not say 'Merry Christmas'?"
"This campaign - which is being hyped on Fox and conservative talk radio - is an odd one. Christmas remains ubiquitous, and with its celebrators in control of the White House, Congress, the Supreme Court and every state supreme court and legislature, it hardly lacks for powerful supporters. There is also something perverse, when Christians are being jailed for discussing the Bible in Saudi Arabia and slaughtered in Sudan, about spending so much energy on stores that sell "holiday trees.""
And this last NYT quote proves what a tool Fox News is.
"It does not, however, appear to be catching on with the public. That may be because most Americans do not recognize this commercialized, mean-spirited Christmas as their own. Of course, it's not even clear the campaign's leaders really believe in it. Just a few days ago, Fox News's online store was promoting its "Holiday Collection" for shoppers. Among the items offered to put under a "holiday tree" was "The O'Reilly Factor Holiday Ornament." After bloggers pointed this out, Fox changed the "holidays" to "Christmases."" [NYT]
One reader agrees with Falwell, Dobson, and their ilk:
"This holiday has always been widely acknowledged in America and been happily accepted by retailers and businesses, who have profited greatly as a result. Yet recent malicious attempts by various anti-Christian or so-called civil liberties groups are proposing Christmas as offensive, and want all mention of it removed. With pressure from these organizations, some businesses have given in to these demands and are now refusing to mention Christmas, and have replaced it with other titles and references to a seasonal holiday." [Tribune]
I've never heard ANYONE ever call for the banishment or ending of Christmas. I have to agree: this is a big, phony ruse created by religious conservatives like Jerry Falwell and James Dobson. Media Matters shows Fox News lies and spin on the topic. [MediaMatters]
Hat Tip to Folkbum, who brings us these gems: O'Reilly: Soros is Moneyman behind War on Christmas. Christmas Crusade.
Bottom Line: Stop worrying about this so-called "War on Christmas," and worry about those of us who are less fortunate. I mean, they can't afford to buy into the blatant commercialization of the holiday!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment