Posted on 12/03/2010 8:04:56 AM PST by SeekAndFind
SOUTHLAKE -- Chase Bank told a businessman to remove the Christmas tree he donated to a local branch because it could offend people.
Antonio Morales, owner of Bellagio Day Spa in Southlake, had assembled and decorated a 9-foot-tall tree in the lobby of the Chase Bank branch at 1700 E. Southlake Boulevard as a favor to the branch manager, who is one of his clients.
The tree remained in the lobby from the Monday before Thanksgiving until Tuesday. Morales said his friend called him Wednesday to tell him the tree had to go. She later showed him an e-mail from JPMorgan Chase saying that the tree had to be removed because some people were offended by it.
The bank referred questions to corporate offices.
Greg Hassell, a JPMorgan Chase spokesman, said that the company's policy isn't anti-Christmas. "People wish their customers merry Christmas when it's appropriate," he said.
However, to ensure that everyone who visits Chase branches feels welcome and comfortable, the bank's policy is to use only decorations supplied by the company.
"We appreciate the thoughtful gesture from Mr. Morales," Hassell said. "Unfortunately, we're unable to keep it [the tree] on display for the remainder of the holiday season." JPMorgan Chase ensures that decorations are "something everyone is comfortable with, regardless of how they celebrate the season," Hassell said.
But others see the tree as a symbol of the season.
A spokeswoman at Trinity Bank in Fort Worth said it has had a tree in its lobby since the Friday after Thanksgiving.
"I've been in this business more than 30 years, and every place I've worked we've put up a Christmas tree the day after Thanksgiving," said Linda Robertson, assistant vice president.
Bryan Fischer, director of issue analysis for the American Family Association, called Chase's decision absurd.
(Excerpt) Read more at star-telegram.com ...
It is offensive that someone in that corporation considers my beliefs must be hidden because they are potentially offensive
When we tell Christian kids their displays must be removed because someone may be offended by them, what does that tell them about their beliefs?
has anyone ever ordered a menorah or kwanzaa or eid display removed because someone considers it offensive?
Time to start testing the waters
WE are ‘someones’ too and we are OFFENDED by the LACK of Christmas symbols at Christmas -
It offends me that they took it down. Put it back up!
There will come a time when someone WILL BE OFFENDED by the mere celebration of Christmas as a Holiday.
Inch by inch, centimeter by centimeter, the liberal/atheist camel is sticking its nose in the tent, until it takes over the entire tent ( if we allow it to ).
Chase has offended this Christian.
RE: they could have replaced it with a festivus pole.
For those who don’t watch Seinfeld....
Festivus is a secular holiday celebrated on December 23. It was created by writer Dan O’Keefe and introduced into popular culture by his son Daniel, a screenwriter for the TV show Seinfeld as part of a comical storyline on the show.
The holiday’s celebration, as shown on Seinfeld, includes an unadorned aluminum “Festivus pole,” practices such as the “Airing of Grievances” and “Feats of Strength,” and the labelling of easily explainable events as “Festivus miracles.”
Celebrants of the holiday sometimes refer to it as “Festivus for the rest of us,” a saying taken from the O’Keefe family traditions and popularized in the Seinfeld episode to describe Festivus as “another way” to celebrate the holiday season without participating in its pressures and commercialism.
Create your own Holiday without taking offense at others.
What a crock of horsesh*t. Until people stand up to this crap there is no hope for this country. I deliberately put a nativity scene out in front of our business this year. I dare someone to complain. I DARE THEM.
he minority always gets their way in this country tp the detriment of the majority.
_______________
Gee I wonder why. That’s a no brainer. The minority has balls, the majority caves like wimps. Disgusting. I’m out of here for a while before I say things I will regret.
What are the appropriate decorations that are supplied by the “Company”?
It’s Christmas you heathens. Leave us alone & wallow in your own misery.
>> However, to ensure that everyone who visits Chase branches feels welcome and comfortable,
That’s really a BS excuse. The tree, which is effectively a holiday tree, and not exactly a Nativity scene, could have had a sign displayed along side showing the donation. WAMU used to do things like this which was welcome by the community. Once Chase took over, needless to say the warmth had cooled off.
From a business perspective, I imagine Chase garners more contempt than gratitude on this issue. It concedes to the imaginary demands a few, ignoring the festive joy shared by the many. Lame PC crap.
Expect corporate policy that bans any reference to Christianity to follow. Chase wouldn’t want to risk another PR flop like this in the future.
Mark Steyn had a beautiful/appropriate term for such attitudes - he called ir "pre-emptive cringing". Love that guy!
They should have said “the tree was an air freshener”.
Call Chase and pull your accounts.
Those international bankers in New York don’t understand doing business in the South. Chase has been going downhill since they pulled down the Texas Commerce signs.
Any suggestions on where to put the money. This appeasement to the secularists really bothers me and I may very well pull my account.
They share a lot in common.
I’d love to see the Salvation Army kettle, and the Salvation Army rep ringing the bell, with a display of a small Christmas tree, in front of a Chase facility.
I would email and call that Chase employee, or your local Chase facility, and let him know you are taking your business elsewhere...even if you have no business with them. Give them some grief and second thoughts.
Merry Christmas, and God bless us, everyone!
JP Morgan Chase is a member of the Ruling Class. New World Order and New Age
http://banktracker.investigativereportingworkshop.org/banks/
http://www.ncua.gov/DataServices/FindCU.aspx
Here are two sources that I used when our bank got sucked up by the old Indymac.
Just understand that the banks that got TARP money use accounting rules that makes them look good, hiding all their bad debts. I did not consider them as a standard in my search because their numbers are bogus.
We still have the right to display in front of our houses and our churches and any businesses with people of conviction.
Spread Christmas everywhere = and whenever we go into a business, if they are playing Christmas music, speak to the manager and tell how appreciative you are - and that you will spread the word that this is where our Christmas $$ should be spent.
If NO Christmas music, speak to management. First ask: WHY?
If it's because ‘someone might be offended” - let know YOU are offended and say, WE don't spend Christmas money where Christmas is ignored.
I've done this, successfully - First, if I hear there is no Christmas music, I FIRST fill up a cart with expensive goods - and THEN talk to a manager and THEN - push the cart towards them - gently now! - and say,”Well, obviously, you aren't celebrating Christmas. I'll find a place that is to spend my Christmas money.”
Then smile and say, as you are leaving: “Merry Christmas”
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