Bah! Humbug!: Town outlaws Merry Christmas sign

Lawrence Eagle Tribune ^ | December 2, 2009 | Crystal Bozek

[ConservativeStatement]

NORTH ANDOVER — First it was the menorah on the town common. Now it's the Merry Christmas sign on the fire station.

The town has put an end to a longtime holiday tradition ordering firefighters to take down their homemade Merry Christmas sign from outside the fire station after people complained. The sign had been up for a week before it was taken down Friday.

Fire Chief William Martineau said the sign was made by firefighters some 50 years ago and was never an issue before.

"I think Christmas is officially a religious holiday. But to all of us, it has always been a holiday for the kids," Martineau said. "It just seems sad."

[ConservativeStatement]

It's beyond sad, it is hateful.

[RobbyS]

A kind of insanity afflicts New England officialdom.

[napscoordinator]

The minorah first??? Wow! I will never step foot in that town....lol. I have never even heard of the town before. This is so stupid to complain about...just put it on the house next door. Why do people fight this crap. People are all over the place complaining about the manger scene, but when asked about moving it to a private house...people always say “Oh no, not on my lawn”...what is wrong with a ton of people all putting Marry Christmas signs along their homes and minorahs and manger scenes. I think that would be better anyway because you would have many more. People today don’t know how to think and win the end game!!!

[ryan71]

“Fire Chief William Martineau said the sign was made by firefighters some 50 years ago and was never an issue before.”

“I think Christmas is officially a religious holiday. But to all of us, it has always been a holiday for the kids,” Martineau said. “It just seems sad.”

Sad they have to take the sign down.

More sad that the fire chief wants the sign for the wrong reason. I bet the fire chief 50 years ago knew what Christmas was about.

[Cindy]

ON THE INTERNET:

http://www.truthusa.com/CHRISTmas.html

[Publius6961]

This story was posted earlier today. I've been thinking about it all afternoon. The more I thought about it the angrier I got.

Representative government in meaningless today. Rights have been perverted to the point that It actually makes sense to some people, that the "right" of one person, NOT to be offended, actually outranks the rights of thousands, or millions of others to the pursuit of happiness. And the offense is defined entirely by the offendee.

How is that tenable?

The best way to do something about this increasing senseless trend, is to nip it in the bud.
Ask the town council, or whatever they call themselves in North Andover, that it's an arrogant, arbitrary and capricious act on their part to nullify 50 years of a tradition that has never demonstrably harmed anyone!

Megalomanic neurotics need not apply.

Tell us who are the people who complained. "Some people complained" is unacceptable. Names, please.

You may count this note as a complaint about the complainer(s). Yes, I allow the possibility that a single complaint may have triggered this storm.

How does a hundred lawsuits strike your fancy?

[Berlin_Freeper]

There are two ways to reach a fire.

You can take the short route.

Or you can take the long route.

All right three ways...

You can take the long route after first taking the wrong route.

[Pontiac]

The sign is now sitting in the basement and there's only one decoration hanging from the station — a Happy New Year sign

I would not expect that to be politically correct either in a few years.

Other cultures have new years days at other times of year and those are religious holidays.

If those people can not put up a new years sign on the Fire Station then nobody can.

[paul51]

If these people think it’s so sad or whatever, why do they go along with it like spineless sheep. Stand up like free men dammit. What is wrong with you? Stop your whining and stand up. for what you believe in before they take everything from you. If you let it happen, you deserve it.

[Berlin_Freeper]

alright

(I am still having my coffee and German nut cake)

[AmericanInTokyo]

Rather than complain and be passive and let them win, let's draw a line in the sand this year, dare them to cross it, push them and their culture war agenda back and reverse course, and have FUN in the process!

Calling Massachusetts/New Hampshire community activists over there, or some Young Republicans from a nearby campus looking for some December action:

Write the BIG, HUGE, IN YOUR FACE, wonderful sign "FELIZ NAVIDAD!" (literally: "Happy Nativity of Jesus!") and say it is to appeal to the community's Latino residents in a spirit of diversity--and ask they place it on city property as a private-government cooperative effort.

Then call them RACIST! (preferably at 110 decibels) right back in their faces when they attempt to deny it for forestall it or hem and haw for ANY REASON.

In another words, turn their own twisted logic right back on them squarely, so that it bites, and bites them fastidiously, right back in their own asses.

Point out that "Latinos and immigrants are a critical part of the state’s population and workforce. The Latino population in Massachusetts tripled from 141,380 in 1980 to 427,340 in 2000. From 2000 to 2008, Latinos grew another 20 percent, and now account for 8 percent of the state’s residents. All immigrants make up more than 14 percent of the state’s residents. The U.S. Census Bureau projects that the Massachusetts workforce will be completely dependent on immigrants for all of its growth over the next decade. In fact, if not for new immigrants, the state’s population would have shrunk between 2000 and 2004. This population has a significant need for education, skills training, immigration, and support services. The Navidad is the top holiday of their culture, shared by all in the families. "

Also pepper them with factoid buckshot with the fact that the Latino population of North Andover is now up to 1.9% and still growing.

Finally, enlist the support of such groups as Centro Latino de Chelsea and Concilio Hispano and expose the hell out of them for hypocrisy if they don't support this effort for diversity in North Andover, MA during this Christmas Season.

YouTube, Talk Show and FOXNEWS-it. You guys know the drill.

[The Wizard]

I say don’t take it down

[TXnMA]

The Andover Fire Department should post this sign near the Christmas sign:

NOTICE TO ALL "OFFENDED" PARTIES:

Come forward to be identified and counted.

The total of your numbers will be denoted as, "X".

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The population of Andover is 31,247.

The Andover Fire Department agrees to cover our "offensive" sign:

for exactly

X
________
31,247

of the time you are willing to

stand in the snow in front of the station
...and act "offended".

[Zionist Conspirator]

The sign is now sitting in the basement and there's only one decoration hanging from the station — a Happy New Year sign.

As one who doesn't recognize the first day of the Roman month named for the two-faced "gxd" of doors as the "new year," I am very offended. Whom do I sue?

[Ebenezer]

Here are the six Grinches from the North Andover Board of Selectmen:

Contact information is available at http://www.townofnorthandover.com/Pages/NAndoverMA_BOS/index

[RobbyS]

Goods ideas, But I am in Texas and just reading the internet. But driving through a few years ago, I noticed how many nice old New England Churches were no longer in use. The place is no longer Christian.

[AmericanInTokyo]

I realize that, I should have put “All” after your handle. It was just a general open idea to everyone, particularly those up near that fire station in New England.

[AmericanInTokyo]

People should simply start calling town hand (and they can call from around the nation and just give a street name in North Andover), and tell them you are VERY OFFENDED and HURT that the sign is being taken down this year and that you want “majority rule” on the issue.