Posted on 11/30/2003 5:03:45 AM PST by martin_fierro
Santa's knee off-limits for New Zealand children
Fri Nov 28, 6:23 AM ET
DUNEDIN, New Zealand, (AFP) - A small town in New Zealand has banned children from sitting on Santa's knee because organisers fear liability if anything goes wrong, organisers said.
Instead, children in the South Island village of Mosgiel would be asked to sit next to him, on specially decorated "elf chairs", as they discuss their Christmas wish list.
Organiser Gail Thompson, secretary of the Mosgiel Business Association, which is organising the event, said the precaution was "ridiculous" but necessary. She feared children coming back in at a later date with allegations about Santa's behaviour.
"None of us really want the risk of someone saying in 15 years' time 'When we sat on Santa's knee at market day ...', so they are sitting on elves' chairs."
Graham Glass, who will be Santa, was less than impressed.
"It's bloody ridiculous -- I can't believe we have become so politically correct."
The town has also declared that scrabbling for lollipops in a free-for-all would be too dangerous for the children, who will instead be handed sweets from a basket.
There is no escape. Precautions are never enough.
Best precaution it to prevent political correctness.
You do that by stammping out LIBERALIST-LEFTISM at every voting poll; rejecting their candidate standing for election, and cleaning house of LIBERALIST-LEFTIST Professors at University.
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