I believe in Santa: Australian PM Howard (Howard vs political correctness)

Daily Telegraph ^ | November 29 2002

[knighthawk]

PRIME Minister John Howard says he believes in Santa Claus and any childcare centre planning a Santa boycott is a slave to political correctness.

Some Victorian kindergartens and childcare centres have banned Father Christmas, replacing him with figures such as clowns to avoid offending minority groups.

Mr Howard said the move was ridiculous and believing in Santa was one of the wonderful things about childhood.

"I do believe in Santa," he told Melbourne radio 3AW.

"I'm no longer a child but I believed in Santa when I was a kid ... so therefore I believe in Santa."

"That (the ban) is absolutely ridiculous and can I say that any childcare centre, any kindergarten, that does that is being foolishly slavish to political correctness."

Mr Howard also criticised department stores which skipped traditional nativity scenes in their festive decorations, saying they too had caved in to political correctness.

[knighthawk]

Ping

[Bringbackthedraft]

If one feels Santa is offensive, they should consider going somewhere where he isn't. What is the problem? He's just the spirit of gift giving. He was adopted by Japan too. In Italy he's BOBO. In Russia he goes by another name (Father Winter? or something Frost?) Too many people have too much idle time on their hands if you ask me.

[CFC__VRWC]

Hopefully Mr. Howard stands firm when the inevitable crapstorm from the Pontiffs of PC smacks him full in the face. I'm not hopeful, though.

[Tony in Hawaii]

Grandfather Frost, if memory serves.

[Vast Buffalo Wing Conspiracy]

Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus.

And he is an evil symbol of white male oppression, a veritable icon of imperialism, and an ethnocentric, logocentric, white male Christian (but also white male pagan, which is just as bad!).

Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus, and he must be wiped off the face of the earth. Report to your local reeducation camp at once!

[NewRomeTacitus]

Even Scrooge and the Grinch regained the spirit of Christmas. The Berkley-Ithica Politically-Correct will be taking candy from babies next.

[Miss Marple]

The goal of the left is to suck every bit of joy out of life, make sure that there are NO heroes, and turn everyone against each other. I think this pretty much falls into all three categories.

Especially the sucking the joy out of life part.

[Miss Marple]

Oh, and one other thing: replacing Santa with a CLOWN (which frighten quite a few children) is terrible.

[tessalu]

We let Muslims hang around, so why not Santa Claus? I do not think that he has killed anyone yet! When he starts killing , we will need to get rid of him, too.