Toll-free FReep 1-800-872-2879: AZ Atty General's Office Bans Santa Claus

Arizona Attorney General via www.CatholicLeague.org ^ | 12-17-01 | William Donohue

[Notwithstanding]

Select Quote: "In the general work area, “Unacceptable decorations would include nativity scenes, crosses, Stars of David, Christmas trees, Santa Clauses, Santa Claus related items, and other similar items that may be offensive to some of our employees or the public.”

.

.

December 17, 2001

ARIZONA ATTORNEY GENERAL’S OFFICE BANS SANTA CLAUS

Gale Garriott, chief counsel of the Agency Counsel Division of the Arizona Attorney General’s office, has issued a memo banning the display of Santa Claus from areas open to the general public. In his memo of November 28, Garriott banned any items “that have a religious significance attached to them.” He personally listed Santa Claus as an example. When workers complained, he issued a memo on December 6 that left in place all the banned items save that he excised the words “religious significance.”

In an employee’s own work area, “reasonable decorations that are respectful of the views of others and that are consistent with the mission and professionalism [sic] standards of the Office are permissible.” In the general work area, “Unacceptable decorations would include nativity scenes, crosses, Stars of David, Christmas trees, Santa Clauses, Santa Claus related items, and other similar items that may be offensive to some of our employees or the public.”

As a result of Garriott’s decision, workers have now sarcastically displayed Holiday Greetings from the Loch Ness monster and Bigfoot.

Catholic League president William Donohue commented as follows:

“Gale Garriott, Arizona’s Commissar of the Commonweal, needs to explain more fully what he means by decorations that are ‘respectful of the views of others.’ For example, snowflakes may be innocuous to him, but not to others. Therefore, why should he imply a tolerance for snowflakes when he could simply have added them to his censorial bag? After all, it makes no sense to ban Santa and allow snowflakes.

“We are contacting Garriott’s boss, Attorney General Janet Napolitano, as well as Arizona Governor, Jane Hull, to inform them of their commissar’s edict. We trust they will share our fascination with his mind.”

[Notwithstanding]

FREEPERS TAKE ACTION:
===============================================================================

.

1. Call and email the AZ AG Janet Napolitano at ag.inquiries@ag.state.az.us or phone 602-542-5025.
======================================================
2. Call Governor Jane Hull at Telephone 602-542-4331/ Fax 602-542-1381.
==========================================================================
3. Call (toll-free) and email the official State of Arizona Ombudsman:

.

How do I contact the Ombudsman?

---

Give us a call . . . . . . .

(602) 277-7292
or
1-800-872-2879

Mail us a letter or stop by . . . . . . .

Arizona Ombudsman-Citizens' Aide

3737 N. 7th Street, Suite 209

Phoenix AZ 85014

Fax us . . . . . . .

(602) 277-7312

Or send us an e-mail to our NEW address. . . . . . .

ombuds@azoca.org

with your comments, suggestions or complaints. If you would like a response, please include a return e-mail address or phone number.

Click here to return to Ombudsman Home Page

---

Click here to return to the A.L.I.S. Home Page.

[Notwithstanding]

Click here to send E-mail to Governor Hull.

Due to the research required to answer your e-mail, please include your full name and regular mailing address, and a reply will be sent to you by regular mail

[Libertarian_4_eva]

(Bump)

[Notwithstanding]

please ping hither and yon

[patent]

I don't understand why the Catholic league is so worked up about Santa Claus. I thought they were supposed to fight anit-Catholic bigotry. I banned Santa from my house, and I didn't think it a particularly anti-catholic action, given that I did it to focus on real religious symbols and meaning. Santa is a secular symbol these days, there seem to be better targets for the leagues ire.

patent

[thefactor]

I have sent an email to the Governor voiceing my concerns about this action. I asked whether or not people could wear crosses or Jewish star necklaces around the office. Also, if someone who had a Nazi death camp tattoo on their arm if they would be asked to cover it up or remove it because it implied a religious significance. I admitted this was taking it to the extreme, but it would qualify under his guidelines, technically.

[Notwithstanding]

Read the article. He was banned because he is a religious symbol, as crosses and nativity scenes or anything "that may be offensive" to the public or other employees. If you work in a private cubicle and do not interact with customers you cant have a cross at your desk because it might offend others.

If anything, Saint Nicholas' religious origins might be making a comeback due to hyper PC antics.

[JMJ333]

Photos by Robert Maplethorpe wouldn't get banned I bet.

[VA Advogado]

bump

[VA Advogado]

How can they ban the Star of David? Its completely unrelated to the holiday.

[JMJ333]

Bumping for great justice....

[TLBSHOW]

I can't wait to call Mom and Dad tonight about this one. Why not ban the Democrats and lefties. In fact why not keep it up against these scumbags and NUTS.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

We will maintain a constant barrage of criticism against the Left. We will attack the very legitimacy of the Left. We will not give them a moment's rest. We will endeavor to prove that the Left does not deserve to hold sway over the heart and mind of a single American. We will offer constant reminders that there is an alternative, there is a better way. When people have had enough of the sickness and decay of today's American culture, they will be embraced by and welcomed into the New Traditionalist movement. The rejection of the existing society by the people will thus be accomplished by pushing them and pulling them simultaneously.

http://www.freecongress.org/centers/conservatism/traditionalist.htm

[patent]

>>>>>Read the article.

LOL. I did read the article.

>>>>> He was banned because he is a religious symbol, as crosses and nativity scenes or anything "that may be offensive" to the public or other employees. If you work in a private cubicle and do not interact with customers you cant have a cross at your desk because it might offend others.

IMHO a cross is a religious symbol. A nativity scene is a religious symbol. A menorah is a religious symbol. Object to their banning. In this country, though, Santa Claus is as secular as it can get. I don't know anyone who thinks he is a religious thing, though of course my subjective knowledge doesn't change much. He may have religious origins, but they have long since left. I should think the Catholic league has better targets, like the same AG for his refusal to allow a simple nativity scene.

>>>>>If anything, Saint Nicholas' religious origins might be making a comeback due to hyper PC antics.

That would be nice.

[apackof2]

Garriott banned any items “that have a religious significance attached to them.” He personally listed Santa Claus as an example.

How does a fairy tale have any religious significance?
My calendar(so far) says Christ-mas, not Santa-mas

[JMJ333]

For great justice...

[alnick]

I wrote to them and told them that PC zealots offend a significantly higher number of people by violating their employees' Constitutional rights to freedom of speech and freedom of religion than people who will be offended by being in the same room with a nativity scene.

I also reminded them that the Constitution doesn't guarantee freedom from being offended, but that it does guarantee freedom of speech and freedom of religion.

[Vladiator]

Here's an idea: Keep your religion (and Santa) at home AND GET THE HECK BACK TO WORK!!!!

Merry Christmas! (from home!)

[Dr. Good Will Hunting]

Please add me to you ping hither and yon list...

According to another article I just read on Free Republic, Santa tends to get banned because he is associated with the Christ-child... A link to that article: The PC War On Christmas

[breakem]

The goal of "not offending people" has taken over the country like the plague. I can see the scenario. Boss the Santa display offends me. Okay, let me get that out of your way so you can feel good again.