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Y.M.C.A. Is Downsizing to a Single Letter
New York Times ^ | Stephanie Strom

Posted on 07/12/2010 9:19:53 AM PDT by clawhammer

Note to the Village People: The lyrics in your biggest hit need an update. The organization previously known as the Y.M.C.A. is henceforth to be called “the Y.”

One of the nation’s most iconic nonprofit organizations, founded 166 years ago in England as the Young Men’s Christian Association, is undergoing a major rebranding, adopting as its name the nickname everyone has used for generations.

“It’s a way of being warmer, more genuine, more welcoming, when you call yourself what everyone else calls you,” said Kate Coleman, the organization’s senior vice president and chief marketing officer.

(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: Current Events; General Discusssion; Religion & Culture
KEYWORDS: christian; culturewar; grinchstolechrist; napl; organization; religion; ymca
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To: clawhammer
Don't know about the YMCA, but I'm pretty sure the YWCA is pretty much a leftist political org now. Actually many of the institutions in this society should be re-branded since they bear little resemblance to the original organizations. The League of Women Voters is another. I think they used to be principally interested in promoting voting and issue awareness. Now, they seem to follow the single agenda.
21 posted on 07/12/2010 9:35:17 AM PDT by throwback ( The object of opening the mind, as of opening the mouth, is to shut it again on something solid)
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To: clawhammer
Now you can just say...


22 posted on 07/12/2010 9:36:19 AM PDT by uglybiker (BACON!!)
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To: righttackle44

Young man, there’s no need to feel down.
I said, young man, pick yourself off the ground.
I said, young man, ‘cause you’re in a new town
There’s no need to be unhappy.

Young man, there’s a place you can go.
I said, young man, when you’re short on your dough.
You can stay there, and I’m sure you will find
Many ways to have a good time.

It’s fun to stay at the Y-M-C-A.
It’s fun to stay at the Y-M-C-A.

They have everything that you need to enjoy,
You can hang out with all the boys ...

It’s fun to stay at the Y-M-C-A.
It’s fun to stay at the Y-M-C-A.

You can get yourself clean, you can have a good meal
You can do whatever you feel ...

Young man, are you listening to me?
I said, young man, what do you want to be?
I said, young man, you can make real your dreams.
But you’ve got to know this one thing!

No man does it all by himself.
I said, young man, put your pride on the shelf,
And just go there, to the Y.M.C.A.
I’m sure they can help you today.

It’s fun to stay at the Y-M-C-A.
It’s fun to stay at the Y-M-C-A.

They have everything that you need to enjoy,
You can hang out with all the boys ...

It’s fun to stay at the Y-M-C-A.
It’s fun to stay at the Y-M-C-A.

You can get yourself clean, you can have a good meal,
You can do whatever you feel ...

Young man, I was once in your shoes.
I said, I was down and out with the blues.
I felt no man cared if I were alive.
I felt the whole world was so jive ...

That’s when someone came up to me,
And said, young man, take a walk up the street.
It’s a place there called the Y.M.C.A.
They can start you back on your way.

It’s fun to stay at the Y-M-C-A.
It’s fun to stay at the Y-M-C-A.

They have everything that you need to enjoy,
You can hang out with all the boys ...

YMCA
It’s fun to stay at the Y-M-C-A
Young man, young man there’s no need to feel down
Young man, young man pick yourself off the ground

Y-M-C-A
then just go to the Y-M-C-A
young man, young man I was once in your shoes
young man, young man I said, I was down and out with the blues.
Y-M-C-A


23 posted on 07/12/2010 9:37:27 AM PDT by nmh (Intelligent people recognize Intelligent Design (God).)
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To: clawhammer

He**, I already thought they just called it the “Y”. That’s is what I have known it as my whole life and I am 68!


24 posted on 07/12/2010 9:38:50 AM PDT by calex59
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To: clawhammer
Mi>“It’s a way of being warmer, more genuine, more welcoming, when you call yourself what everyone else calls you,”

I don't walk around calling myself "a**hole".

25 posted on 07/12/2010 9:39:19 AM PDT by Lurker (The avalanche has begun. The pebbles no longer have a vote.)
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To: clawhammer

Over the years, millions of American boys and men have benefited from the YMCA’s Indian Guides program for young boys and their fathers, which was aimed at building character, strengthening family relationships, teaching about America’s Indian heritage, and even providing charitable assistance to poor American Indian children. Sadly, this wonderful program was discontinued a few years ago because it was—you guessed it—politically incorrect.


26 posted on 07/12/2010 9:40:23 AM PDT by Fiji Hill
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To: gunsequalfreedom
It's fun to stay at The Y ___ ____ ____ !
(a lot of pausing there)

Also means no more singing back to the radio:
"Y R U Gay? Y R U Ga-ay?"

27 posted on 07/12/2010 9:40:25 AM PDT by Tanniker Smith (Obi-Wan Palin: Strike her down and she shall become more powerful than you could possibly imagine.)
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To: buccaneer81

The only time I remember them being called Chevrolets was when Dinah Shore sang her song at the end of her show, “See the USA in your Chevrolet”, I guess they can change that now to “See the USA in your government motors vehicle”.


28 posted on 07/12/2010 9:44:04 AM PDT by calex59
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To: clawhammer

They’ve called it the “Y” ever since I was a kid.


29 posted on 07/12/2010 9:44:11 AM PDT by antiRepublicrat
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To: Lurker

‘warmer, more genuine, more welcoming, when you call yourself what everyone else calls you,’

I can’t wait to be more warmer, more genuine next time I talk to a banker or lawyer.


30 posted on 07/12/2010 9:47:58 AM PDT by Leg Olam (Wise men speak when they have something to say, fools speak just to say something.)
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To: clawhammer

“Y” is ageist.


31 posted on 07/12/2010 9:49:40 AM PDT by Fido969 ("The hardest thing in the world to understand is income tax." - Albert Einstein)
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To: clawhammer

As for the “C”, my local Y displays the text of John 3:16 behind the front desk. Different from most Y’s I think.


32 posted on 07/12/2010 9:51:28 AM PDT by cookcounty ("Today's White House reporters seem one ball short of a ping pong scrimmage.")
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To: uglybiker

LOL!!!


33 posted on 07/12/2010 9:52:41 AM PDT by Constitution Day
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To: Mr. Wright
Wait until you go to church and they sing, “ONWARD A DIVERSE GROUP OF SOLDIERS” Way things are going in this country, nothing would surprise me.

It's already starting to happen. In the Methodist hymnal, "God of Our Fathers" is now "God of the Ages." "Good Christian Men Rejoice" is now "Good Christian Friends Rejoice," and "Eternal Father, Strong to Save," John Dykes' great hymn from 1861 and a perennial favorite of Methodists, is nowhere to be found in the book. Apparently, references to fatherhood are now considered "sexist."

34 posted on 07/12/2010 9:55:36 AM PDT by Fiji Hill
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To: clawhammer
“It’s a way of being warmer, more genuine, more welcoming, when you call yourself what everyone else calls you.”

Don't tell my wife this; no one would be able to call me by my new name in polite society any more.

35 posted on 07/12/2010 9:56:15 AM PDT by Egon (The difference between Theory and Practice: In Theory, there is no difference.)
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To: clawhammer

36 posted on 07/12/2010 9:58:28 AM PDT by Yaelle
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To: nutmeg

bookmark


37 posted on 07/12/2010 10:00:25 AM PDT by nutmeg (Another "smartass" for lower taxes)
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To: clawhammer

Disposing of the YMCAs pretense of being a Christian organization does open the door to a competing organization that is fully Christian.

And even more so, if the new organization is of conservative Christians, as well as being gender specific, it reopens the door to respectability.

To start with, it should be privately funded, and tax exempt as a multi-denominational organization. It must have strict rules that are non-negotiable. It can legally exclude individuals based on their religion, and lack thereof; their sexuality; demonstrably bad character and habits; and other reasons on a case-by case basis.

The emphasis should always be exclusionary, not inviting to those outside of its narrow focus. Membership is a reflection of the referring church—if they are injudicious with their referrals, then future referrals will be turned town.


38 posted on 07/12/2010 10:01:27 AM PDT by yefragetuwrabrumuy
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To: clawhammer

So what do they claim just a “Y” stands for? It is stupid by itself.


39 posted on 07/12/2010 10:01:49 AM PDT by almost done by half
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To: clawhammer

Women have been wrecking marketing for the last 25 years. Show me bias, and I’ll show you a woman marketing professional.


40 posted on 07/12/2010 10:02:21 AM PDT by RinaseaofDs
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