Posted on 11/30/2004 10:07:49 PM PST by ETERNAL WARMING
HOLIDAY BLUES Macy's stores boycotted for replacing 'Christmas' Effort punishes 'Miracle on 34th Street' icon, claims chain offending millions of customers
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Posted: December 1, 2004 1:00 a.m. Eastern
© 2004 WorldNetDaily.com
Immortalized in a 1947 Christmas movie classic, Macy's is now the focus of a boycott campaign protesting the department-store chain's replacement of "Merry Christmas" with politically correct greetings.
1947 Christmas classic "Miracle on 34th Street" featured Macy's department store
A group called the Committee to Save Merry Christmas says Macy's and its umbrella Federated Department Stores have ignored several requests that "Merry Christmas" signs be returned and that its advertising acknowledge the time-honored phrase.
"It's the height of hypocrisy for a corporation to make tens of millions of dollars selling Christmas presents, yet coldly refuse to acknowledge Christmas," said the group's chairman, Manuel Zamorano, in a statement. "What's the holiday all about, anyway? Politically correct phases like 'Seasons Greetings' and 'Happy Holidays' are no substitute for the real thing."
Macy's was featured in "Miracle on 34th Street," the Maureen O'Hara and Natalie Wood film set in the department store's celebration of Christmas. The flagship store in New York also is famous for its elaborate Christmas-season window displays.
Zamorano says Macy's and its affiliated stores have been "systematically" removing references to "Merry Christmas" over the past several years.
"This is offensive to the sensibilities of millions of average Americans," he said. "Eliminating 'Merry Christmas' is plain wrong. It’s time to remove Macy's and Federated from the Christmas shopping list."
Federated Department Stores, Inc., operates more than 450 stores in 34 states under names such as Bloomingdale's, Bon-Macy's, Burdines-Macy's, Goldsmiths-Macy's, Lazarus-Macy's and Rich's Macy's.
Zamorano, a Sacramento, Calif., media consultant, expects his campaign to take several years before it gets results.
One year ago, he wrote to Federated's then-chairman, James Zimmerman, saying he hoped a boycott could be avoided.
"We find this to be personally, culturally and traditionally offensive when it is known by everyone your company actively solicits our patronage and purchasing of gifts for the Christmas celebration, and now refuses to acknowledge Christmas in your stores," Zamorano wrote.
The boycott was launched in May when new Chairman Terry Lundgren did not respond to a follow-up letter.
A Macy's spokeswoman did not return WND's call requesting comment, but the company told Citizen magazine earlier this year it believed Zamorano had unfairly singled out Federated, because other stores have the same practice.
Related stories:
Christmas in America becomes battleground
District bans instrumental Christmas carols
ACLU loses Christmas case
Christmas card with 'Jesus' banned
Christmas CD banned for mentioning Jesus
Teacher takes 'Christmas' out of carol
Students threatened by Christmas?
'No Christian symbols at Christmas'
School bans Christmas, but OK with Halloween
School bans saying 'Christmas'
Ban on Christmas leads to court fight
Christmas book banned from class
That was a ROTFL moment for me
So what does Macy's Santa say?
Ho! Ho! Ho! . . . Merry Winter Holiday!!!!
""the group's chairman, Manuel Zamorano, in a statement. "What's the holiday all about, anyway? ""
I think more people need to seriously ask themselves this question.
I'm in. Likewise, corp's that do some good stuff deserve rewards...Chick Fil-A, Delta, etc.
Notice the red star in the logo?
The filthy, unwashed, grungy gum-chewing rude 'mall-rats' are beyond belief.
Then again, I guess I'm just a snob who believes that spitting gum on sidewalks, hawking sneeze on people's car, cannot speak English and basically rude MF's put me off on that type of "shopping experience." I either go to a small store or make my purchases on the internet.
Towanda!
Small shops and online are the way to go.
bmp
Macy's is generally a waste. They stock clothing no one would wear. Some time ago that wasn't the case. The after-Christmas sale was great. You literally couldn't run through even a hundred dollars everything was double-discounted, and more. And it was worth buying. They closed out on the old Grand Slam Performance polo shirts that you can't even find anymore. But in recent years, the selection has been horrible, flimsy overpriced shirts, ugly suits, and so on.
I should add that the specialty stores tend to have the quality, even if it's a bit pricey. Even Mervyn's has some good, serviceable items in their Cambridge Classic shirts and 'work-out' t's. But generally an Eddie Bauer, or other specialty will probably have the higher quality. Port Authority Outdoors windbreakers and jackets are nice, and which you'll find as branded promotional gifts at certain casinos. Land's End jackets can be nice, as well, even if the local Sears doesn't ever have anything from Land's End in stock. Both of the latter would make nice Christmas gifts.
I shop at the thrift stores. You would be surprised at the wonderful clothing items that people buy and never even take the tags off. I pay pennies on the dollar, and the hunt is a lot of fun.
I noticed last year that our local mall, where Macy's bought out the large dept. store, had very sparse Christmas decorations and had stopped the Christmas music during the shopping season. I mentioned it to an employee and they encouraged me to call the store and complain. Our local town isn't much better, decorations there have been cut to a minimum as well.
Next the PC police will be demanding that NBC "loop" over the voice of Jimmy Stewart when they show "It's A Wonderful Life". As he runs through the streets of
Bedford Falls, an impersonator inserts, "Happy Holidays,
movie house! Season's greetings, Emporium! Happy Holidays,
you wonderful ol' building and loan!"
Then clever editing wipes out the Christmas tree in
the Bailey home. You watch.
By "not offending" some who are not Christian or are maybe atheists, they ARE offending millions of Christians. The gift giving stems from the Three Wise Men, IIRC (gold,
frankincense and myrrh), not from Santy Claus. Yes, folks,
the very tradition of gift-giving--the whole notion that
made the holiday "over-commercialized" to begin with--
came from the story of Jesus! How soon they forget.
For those who try to wipe "Christmas" out, like the teachers and school officials who won't allow
religious Christmas carols: Are you willing to go to
work on Dec. 25? "What, you're taking the day off--
how dare you!" C'mon, you don't like the religious
aspects of the holiday so why not practice what you
preach (if you'll pardon the expression, Principals and
Teachers)
and go to work on Dec. 25? Sit in your class and
correct papers. We won't mind.
And no more angels either.
Clarence will be re-cast as an older gay man,
who instead of earning his wings, is issued a marriage license by Potter.
...as you stand in line paying for your purchases at whatever store you go to, if the cashier wishes you,
"Happy holidays", speak up loud: "AND MERRY CHRISTMAS
TO YOU!" so all in line can hear!
I don't see why being offended by "happy holidays" is any less thin skinned and irrational than being offended by "merry Christmas." There is another gift giving holiday at pretty much the same time it would probably be a bit presumptious to assume all their customers celebrate one and not the other.
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