Liberty Counsel
NEWS RELEASE
Contact: PUBLIC RELATIONS DEPARTMENT - 800-671-1776
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 9, 2006
An Important Battle is Won in the War on Christmas
Wal-Mart Will Stop Censorship of Ads and Greetings
Orlando, FL - Wal-Mart has finally admitted that censoring Christmas is not a good idea. After experiencing a backlash last Christmas season from unhappy customers and facing frustrated employees, some of whom turned to Liberty Counsel for help, Wal-Mart retreated from its use of "Happy Holidays" and will let employees greet shoppers with "Merry Christmas."
"We, quite frankly, have learned a lesson from last year," said spokeswoman Linda Blakely of Wal-Mart in an interview with USA Today news. Blakely claims Wal-Mart will say "Merry Christmas" early and often. Wal-Mart will be playing Christmas carols now through the end of the year.
The world's largest retailer told its associates at a recent conference that it will bring back the Christmas pitch in an attempt to be the leader in this year's sales. Wal-Mart's advertising will announce "Christmas" and its decorations department will change from "The Holiday Shop" to "The Christmas Shop."
Liberty Counsel, a nationwide, public interest civil liberties law firm, launched its fourth annual "Friend or Foe Christmas Campaign" this year and is already receiving many consumer complaints about stores refusing to recognize the Christmas holiday. On its web site, www.LC.org, Liberty Counsel offers a Help Save Christmas™ action pack, which includes educational legal memoranda to educate government officials, teachers, parents, students, private businesses, employees and others that it is legal to celebrate Christmas. The action pack also includes a very popular "I LOVE CHRISTmas™" button.
Anita Staver, President of Liberty Counsel, commented: "We are glad that Wal-Mart stopped censoring Christmas. Wal-Mart should have realized it cannot censor Christmas and would have avoided the wrath of the public. To those that claim there is no war against Christmas in America, Wal-Mart is 'Exhibit A' in our 'Friend or Foe Christmas Campaign'. We are having a tremendous response when we ask the public to report a 'grinch' in their community. Wal-Mart has been removed from our 'grinch' list."
Mathew Staver, Founder and Chairman of Liberty Counsel, noted: "Last year our 'Friend or Foe Christmas Campaign' ignited a movement to restore Christmas. Retailers that attempt to profit from Christmas while pretending it does not exist will no longer be patronized. The tsunami of voices fed up with the secularization of Christmas was heard loud and clear, from city hall to the world's largest retailer. I am pleased that Wal-Mart will recognize Christmas this year. Now that the number one retailer has abandoned its generic 'Happy Holidays' greeting in favor of 'Merry Christmas,' other retailers no longer have an excuse to run from Christmas."
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2006-11-09 11:00:48 · 13 answers · asked by Anonymous in Politics & Government ➔ Military
It's time. All the PC campaigns in the world can't make Christmas politically incorrect.
2006-11-09 11:04:20 · answer #1 · answered by sci55 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Neither phrase offends me. Dec 25 is Christmas regardless whether I believe in Christ, so I don't feel that anyone is forcing their religion on me by saying "Merry Christmas." (My December 25 can, in fact, be merry regardless of my personal beliefs, and thank you for hoping I do!) But there's a lot of other holidays that happen around the same time, so I understand "Happy Holidays" to mean "Hope your holiday season is good, whatever it means to you." Both are generally said with only good intentions, so why take offense? Although I'm Wiccan, I avoid "Happy Yule" or "Merry Yule" in public, for two reasons. One, Yule is a private thing to me. It has only religious meaning. Second, (and the much bigger issue for me) I've known several NeoPagans who have flat out stated that they say Merry Yule in public just to tell other people that they aren't Christian. That's just attention-seeking and I want no part of it. It's also being deliberately confrontational, announcing "I'm different than you. You want to make something of it?"
2016-03-28 00:48:44 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hey that sounds like a real good plan. Personally I dont care if somebody says Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, or Happy Hanuka. But if it is that big of a deal, alrighty then! Besides, even non-Christain people say Merry Christmas, and what-not.
2006-11-09 11:11:40 · answer #3 · answered by jangapuppyluv 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
And where Wal-mart goes, so goes the rest of the lower end retailers.
It is refreshing, for them to realize that Christmas is a Christian holiday, and it does not hurt to cater to that, that it is a good, profitable business policy. Their choice to cater to the rest of the religious holidays, or not. If it is found to be profitable, they will.
2006-11-09 11:10:58 · answer #4 · answered by riversconfluence 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Good news! It is about time that Wal Mart woke up and smelled the coffee.
2006-11-09 12:09:30 · answer #5 · answered by ironchain15 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
People are happy buying cheap stuff made in China and somebody saying "Merry Christmas". That speaks volumes about greed, selfishness, commercialism, and intolerance. But hey, it's all good, because they said "Merry Christmas"
2006-11-09 11:12:38 · answer #6 · answered by Marti M 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
GOOD. MAYBE THOSE OWNERS GOT A HERAT AFTER ALL?
ARE THEY STILL GOING TO BAN SALVATION ARMY ECT FROM RASING FUNDS?
GUESS WAL-MART SALES ARE DOWN SO MUCH THEY NEED TO HYPE SOME TYPE OF "WE ARE REALLY HUMAN" BEHIND ALL THESE 450 BILLION DOLLARS WE GOT AS OWNERS..
SLAVE WORKER OWNERS....
2006-11-09 11:06:54 · answer #7 · answered by cork 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It's about time .Maybe some of the others stores will fall in line.
2006-11-09 11:16:57 · answer #8 · answered by Sugar 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Not everyone celebrates Christmas.
2006-11-09 17:17:58 · answer #9 · answered by rainy32 4 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Maybe there is hope for this world!!
2006-11-09 11:05:28 · answer #10 · answered by habibe's mom 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋