Mrs. Fields bans Christmas from their products (AFA email)

American Family Association | 10-12-07

[Still Thinking]

I guess it would have been more appropriate for me to say “Espouse elucidation”.

[kcvl]

Mrs. Fields has since sold her company, which is a market leader among fresh-baked cookie stores.

Remarried and now known as Mrs. Fields Rose, she sold her business and has been writing books in recent years

The truth is, she sold her “name” to Disney

I thought she sold her company to Hershey.

******

Debbi Fields (b. September 18, 1956) is the founder and current spokesperson of Mrs. Fields Cookies. Additionally, she has authored several cookbooks. She currently lives in Memphis, Tennessee with her husband, former Holiday Inn and Harrah’s CEO, Michael Rose.

******

February 27, 2003
FTC Receives Largest COPPA Civil Penalties to Date in Settlements with Mrs. Fields Cookies and Hershey Foods
FTC Alleges Companies’ Web Sites Violated Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act

Mrs. Fields Cookies and Hershey Foods Corporation have each agreed to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that their Web sites violated the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) Rule by collecting personal information from children without first obtaining the proper parental consent. Mrs. Fields will pay civil penalties of $100,000 and Hershey will pay civil penalties of $85,000. The separate settlements bar the companies from violating the Rule in the future and represent the biggest COPPA penalties awarded to date.

“These settlements offer food for thought for anyone who operates a Web site that caters to kids,” said Howard Beales, Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “If your Web site collects personal information from children, comply with the law or face the consequences.”

[pandoraou812]

Good I emailed Mrs Fields & I still don’t plan to buy her cookies. I don’t think the cookies are that great.

[gc4nra]

Maybe you should check out their website!

I did and found the “Holly Berry Christmas Decorated Cookie Cake”, “the Twelve Days of Christmas Bundle”, and the “Twelve Days of Christmas Bundle”, plus the “Peace on Earth Box of Treats”.

What’s the problem?

[MaxMax]

what idiot in their company didn’t think there would be a huge backlash?

The one on vacation.

[pillut48]

Problem is when I posted this earlier today, I DID check the website ahead of time, d’oh! NOTHING was there with the word “CHRISTMAS”...obviously since then they’ve heard from disgruntled customers and corrected the situation. No problem now.

[teacher creature]

Yes! In Mrs. Field’s effort not to insult anyone, she has insulted all those who hold Christmas sacred. I guess it is OK to insult Christians? No more chocolate chips from her, to be sure. I’ll take my dollars to another cookieteer or better yet, make them myself. Hope others agree.

[Still Thinking]

You mean permanent vacation?

[skyemanator]

I complained to Mrs. Fields and received this email today:

Thank you for your recent email. We would like to take this opportunity to ease any concerns you may have about a rumor that Mrs. Fields is banning Christmas items. Please rest assured that we have a complete line of Christmas and other seasonal items that will all be rolled out on November 1st, and we look forward to sharing them with you then.

Here are some facts we would like you to know:

1) We do have Christmas items, we have had them in the past, and we will have them in the future. The rumor that Mrs. Fields does not sell Christmas items is incorrect. A customer received incorrect details from our customer service center on our upcoming Christmas specific products last week, and we apologize for this miscommunication. The communications error has been addressed.

2) We offer our Christmas items in November and December of each year. During other times of the year, these items are not available to purchase as customers normally are not interested in buying them. In the month of October, we focus on our fall line-up.

3) If you wish to preview our upcoming Christmas gifts, we have made these items viewable early this year at www.MrsFields.com. The packaging materials for many of these items, which takes three to four months to manufacture and be transported, will not be at our bakery until November 1st, so you will see that many of the items are not available until that time for shipment.

Again, we apologize for this miscommunication. To express how much your interest in Mrs. Fields means to us, we would like to offer you a 10% discount on your next Mrs. Fields order so you can see the great items we offer firsthand. To receive your discount, simply order by December 1st and enter the code ******** at checkout on our website.

From the Mrs. Fields’ kitchen to yours, we hope to help to make your 2007 celebrations warmer, brighter and tastier.

Sincerely,

Mrs. Fields Customer Service

[MarniePehrson]

While I’m sure boycotting works, it’s not really my style. I believe in taking positive action to promote what we DO want. So, I’ve started a campaign to save Christmas by giving away a Christmas novel “Miss Humbug” at www.MissHumbug.com . The idea is to spread the true meaning of Christmas and give other people a fun way of keeping it alive. Those who tell others about the site will receive it in audio format as well.

The book is about one woman’s quest to understand and implement the time-tested values that Christmas symbolizes - generosity, love, kindness, and peace. The way I see it, we have two choices. We can throw away the symbol because it has become corrupt or we can restore it to its former greatness. Some say we should eliminate Christmas because a few might be offended. Others say to abolish it because it has become corrupt. But what if we could restore it? Would any find offense at the original icon? I’ve never met anyone who’s offended by peace, love, unity, and generosity. I’m sure there are some people out there who live in diametric opposition to these principles. But do we want to cater to them as a society? Do we want to foster the antithesis of these principles? I think not.

Along with the heroine of the story, I hope readers will come away understanding that it’s the small and simple things that bring great things to pass. It’s not the gizmos and gifts or tinsel and trees that make Christmas so influential. It’s those Christ-like values that illuminate a darkening world. We need them now more than ever!

[GeorgiaDawg]

Anyone have a list of companies that send an anti-Christian marketing campaign? Would like to boycott those businesses.

[Rb ver. 2.0]

I see Christmas all over their products at their online catalog:
http://www.mrsfields.com/categories/Holiday_Gift_Preview%20?trkfrom=linkfarm

[pillut48]

When this was first posted a few weeks ago, there were no mentions of Christmas whatsoever. The company has changed its mind since then. :-)

[Coleus]

A year later, Gap continues to censor Christmas

TAKE ACTION

Mrs. Fields bans Christmas from their products
Click here to send an email to Mrs. Fields. Tell the company that since they don't mind offending Christians, you will not be purchasing their products this Christmas. Ask them to please use Christmas in their promotion next year.Participate in our The Plan They Can't Ban Christmas project. Click here for details.  

Nation's top Democrat defends banning God
To read the Cleveland, Ohio, Plain Dealer blog on this, click here. 

Religious words such as God, Lord banned by Architect of the U.S. Capitol
For more information: Capitol flag policy assailed (Washington Times).
Send an e-mail to your representative and two senators.  Ask them to put a stop to this nonsense. A low-level employee should not have the authority to ban the use of religious words.

Big Media Ignores San Francisco Homosexual Event
Click here to read an article by Kelly Boggs, editor of the Louisiana Baptist Message. Click here for disgusting photos from the Folsom Street Fair event.  WARNING!  These photos are EXTREMELY graphic and are provided only for verification purposes only.  http://www.afa.net/sites/bp_10052007.html

Morningstar, One of the Largest Financial Information Companies, Rejects Ad that References "Christian"
http://www.faithfinancialplanners.com/afa/
https://secure.afa.net/afa/activism/TakeAction.asp?id=265

Would you vote for a pro-abortion, pro-homosexual marriage Republican candidate for president?
http://www.afa.net/petitions/primary/takesurvey.asp

Please, do it for the children
Without enforcement of our obscenity laws, our children have a dark future
https://secure.afa.net/afa/activism/signpetition.asp?id=1700
http://www.afa.net/pdfs/petition1700.pdf

There is a new movie coming to theaters December 7. You should be forewarned about The Golden Compass. The target audience for the movie is children, and it is being promoted in some schools. The Golden Compass is based on a book trilogy that promotes atheistic views, likely to be reflected in the movie.

For more information on The Golden Compass, click here to read the column by AFA's Rebecca Grace. You might also want to read an article from Chuck Colson's Prison Fellowship. Click here for the article.

Hotels replace Gideon Bibles with "sex kits"
Now is the time to let the motel chains know that you want them to keep the Gideon Bibles
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Lowe's refuses to call them "Christmas trees," chooses to call them "Family trees"

Click here to see the front cover of the catalog and a page featuring their "Family trees." catalog ad. 

Lowe's apologizes for catalog calling Christmas trees "Family" trees

Lowe's assures us that they refer to trees as Christmas trees in this season's television and magazine ads and in its advertising flyers. The company says it is redoubling its efforts to proof its catalogs in the future to prevent this issue from recurring.

We appreciate Lowe's for listening to its customers and responding appropriately to our concerns.

Federal government tells 85-year-old grandmother not to put an angel on Christmas tree

The Plant City Living Center has told Mrs. Arnold, an 85-year-old grandmother in Florida, that federal law prohibits her from displaying any religious words or items associated with Christmas in the common area of her apartment building.  According to the Center, The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) issued a directive banning "any religious symbols or religious words associated with Christmas." Under the guidelines issued by HUD, the elderly grandmother cannot place a small Christmas tree outside her door (because that area is a "commons area") if it contains any religious symbols or religious words, even an angel!  If the residents want to have a Christmas party in their Community room, they cannot call it a Christmas party. The Center says HUD directs residents not to use the word "Christmas" but to use the word "Holiday."

A Sunday School class from a church near Mrs. Arnold's apartment comes every year to host a Hanging of the Greens and Christmas Party for all the residents. She said the highlight of their Christmas Party comes at the very end of The Hanging of the Greens when someone places the angel on top of their Christmas tree. Their tradition is now banned by the federal government.

The federal government is becoming increasingly active in banning Christianity from the public square. Earlier, the National Park Service removed the wording "Laus Deo" (Latin for "Praise be to God") from a replica of the cap of the Washington Monument in Washington, D.C. and the Veterans Administration banned the script of the flag-folding ceremony mentioning "Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob," and "Father, Son and Holy Ghost" at over 100 national cemeteries. Both of these were rescinded after AFA supporters sent emails to proper authorities.

To listen to the grandmother's conversation telling AFA about the situation, click here. To read about the HUD directive, click here.

Another Victory! Mrs. Arnold gets her Angel. Anti-Christmas policy rescinded

Thanks to your efforts, the Plant City Living Center recognized they were mistaken in not allowing residents to display Christian symbols. HUD says its policy is clear and that discrimination against Mrs. Arnold (and angels) will not be tolerated in HUD approved facilities.

 

Plant City Living Center attorney Steve Edelstein issued this statement today:

"I am pleased to report that the Plant City Living Center's recent newsletter regarding holiday decoration policies has been rescinded. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) guarantees the rights of citizens to display religious symbols in public. We support that guarantee." "I want to take this opportunity to reiterate to you and to inform your readers that Plant City Living Center respects the religious beliefs of all of its residents. In furtherance of that policy, Plant City Living Center allows residents to decorate their apartments and the exterior areas of their apartments in any manner they choose. To use your recent Action Alert as an example, this policy allows any resident to place a small Christmas tree outside their door and to decorate their tree in any way they wish. By the way, Plant City's policy also allows angels to be displayed in common areas."

"Take a stand against those who seek to take away our religious freedom by distributing "Merry Christmas. God's Good News" Christmas buttons to fellow church members, friends and family! Wear your button with pride. If we fail to protect our religious freedom, we will lose it!"Click here to order.

 

	Department of Defense Ignores Law, Pushes Porn Sales
	Urge your congressman to require the Department of Defense to obey the law

The U.S. Department of Defense is ignoring a law which forbids the sale of pornography on military bases. In military exchanges throughout the world, our Department of Defense does a brisk business in the sale of pornography, both magazines and videos. In 1996, Congress passed the Military Honor and Decency Act which forbids the sale of pornography on military bases.

But the Department of Defense is defying the law and ignoring Congress. Congress banned pornography after sexual harassment of women in the military became a major problem and military families complained that children were exposed to pornography in the military stores. Now, 11 years later, the Department of Defense is still selling pornography. Porn is even sold in our nation's military academies.

When contacted about their ignoring the law, Department of Defense responded by saying they planned to continue selling pornography. Incredibly, the Department of Defense does not consider such publications as Penthouse, Playboy, Playboy's Nude Playmates, and Playmates in Bed magazines to be sexually explicit! That would come as a surprise to Hugh Hefner and the thousands of American soldiers who buy these magazines.

	Take Action I urge you to create and send an  e-mail to your U.S. Representative asking him or her to require the Department of Defense to obey the law and stop the sale of pornography on military bases. Send an e-mail to your Representative Please help us get this information into the hands of as many people as possible by forwarding it to your family and friends.