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Restoring 'Christmas' -- Walgreen's, Kroger Respond (But Target's Silence Results in Boycott)
Agape Press ^ | 12-3-05 | Jody Brown

Posted on 12/02/2005 11:24:53 AM PST by truthandlife

You win some -- and you lose some. That adage seems to apply appropriately to one group's ongoing efforts to keep "Christ" in Christmas, at least on the retail front.

According to the founder of Mississippi-based American Family Association (AFA), it is apparent that at least one retailer -- Walgreen's -- has gotten the message that it is not in their best interest to continue avoiding use of the phrase "Merry Christmas" in its advertising campaigns and in-store promotions. Speaking earlier today (Dec. 1) on American Family Radio, Donald E. Wildmon said an AFA supporter had heard from Walgreen's, indicating that although it is too late to change this season's advertising materials, next year "things will be different."

He says a consumer response representative with Walgreen's is distributing a letter stating that "Next year, you can be assured our advertising will better incorporate 'Christmas' -- and our holiday trees will be called Christmas trees."

According to Wildmon, supporters of his organization continue to be effective in delivering the message that they are offended when retailers choose to promote the Christmas season without acknowledging it as such, choosing instead to remain "politically correct" by marketing such things as "holiday trees" and to be "inclusive" by prohibiting employees from issuing a traditional "Merry Christmas" greeting. Lowe's, a national home improvement outlet, recently got that message and announced it was going to "avoid confusion" and sell "Christmas trees" instead of "holiday trees" (See related story).

But all is not well on AFA's score sheet. Another major retailer that has been the focus of the group's efforts on this topic -- Target -- has now been selected as the object of a boycott. Wildmon says his group had asked Target to make Christmas an "integral part" of its promotions and advertising in next year's Christmas season.

"Knowing that is was too late to make changes this season," he explains, "we told Target that if they would make that change in 2006 we would encourage our supporters to shop at Target. But we also said if Target refused, or did not respond, AFA would call for a boycott."

The retailer did not respond to the offer, says AFA -- and therefore the group has called upon its 2.8-million online supporters and listeners of its nearly 200 radio stations nationwide to avoid shopping at Target stores for the remainder of the Christmas shopping season.

"Target doesn't want to offend a small minority who oppose Christmas," Wildmon adds. "But they don't mind offending Christians who celebrate the birth of Christ, the Reason for the season."

AFA says via an online petition it has gathered nearly 600,000 signatures from individuals who have pledged to boycott Target. The goal, says AFA, is to get upwards of a million signatures.

Meanwhile, in a letter to AFA president Tim Wildmon, the Kroger Company has explained its company policy regarding use of the holiday greeting "Merry Christmas." The letter, signed by group vice president Lynn Marmer, says the stores wish to "reflect the diversity" of customers, employees, and society and to make sure every customer and employee feels "welcomed and appreciated."

For that reason, writes Marmer, Kroger uses a variety of greetings and advertising materials during December -- including Merry Christmas, Feliz Navidad, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, Season's Greetings, and Happy Holidays.

"We have not and do not intend to ban any of these greetings, including Merry Christmas," the letter concludes.


TOPICS: Extended News
KEYWORDS: antichristmas; christmas; kroger; retail; target; walgreens; waronchristmas
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1 posted on 12/02/2005 11:24:54 AM PST by truthandlife
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To: truthandlife

Guess who else is openly using "Christmas" in their advertising:

Hooter's!


2 posted on 12/02/2005 11:26:42 AM PST by rightinthemiddle (#1 Rule in Dealing with the Media, Democrats and Terrorists: Can't Please 'Em, so Don't Appease 'Em.)
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To: rightinthemiddle

Just another reason to love Hooter's.
(As if I needed one).


3 posted on 12/02/2005 11:28:08 AM PST by brownsfan (It's not a war on terror... it's a war with islam.)
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Happy barkin' holiday

4 posted on 12/02/2005 11:28:34 AM PST by evets (God bless president Bush!)
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To: truthandlife

I'm still boycotting Target because of their refusal to allow the Salvation Army on their property.


5 posted on 12/02/2005 11:28:52 AM PST by mlc9852
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Comment #6 Removed by Moderator

To: rightinthemiddle

umm ... can we invoke the ann coulter rule?


7 posted on 12/02/2005 11:31:27 AM PST by lpeterboyd (nemo me impune lacessit)
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To: truthandlife

Let's just come up with a new PC 'Happy HanaKwanSmas' so we can make everyone happy. :o)


8 posted on 12/02/2005 11:32:10 AM PST by GaltMeister (“All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.”)
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To: truthandlife

Time to target Target!

Merry Christmas!!!


9 posted on 12/02/2005 11:32:26 AM PST by icwhatudo (The rino borg...is resistance futile?)
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Comment #10 Removed by Moderator

To: truthandlife
Gosh I remember decades ago when I was a kid how offended my Mom was by the Seven-Up "Uncola Season" commercials that made no mention of Christmas. I guess its a good thing The Lord took her before she had to see the crap out there these days.
11 posted on 12/02/2005 11:38:25 AM PST by ElkGroveDan (California bashers will be called out)
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To: lpeterboyd
umm ... can we invoke the ann coulter rule?

Ann never worked at Hooters.

12 posted on 12/02/2005 11:39:11 AM PST by ElkGroveDan (California bashers will be called out)
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To: truthandlife
"The letter, signed by group vice president Lynn Marmer, says the stores wish to "reflect the diversity" of customers, employees, and society and to make sure every customer and employee feels "welcomed and appreciated."

Yeah....I go to the store to "feel..appreciated." SHEESH.

13 posted on 12/02/2005 11:40:07 AM PST by goodnesswins (I'll fight a war in my time......so my grandchildren have peace in theirs.)
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To: lpeterboyd

14 posted on 12/02/2005 11:40:33 AM PST by ElkGroveDan (California bashers will be called out)
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To: truthandlife
"Target doesn't want to offend a small minority who oppose Christmas," Wildmon adds. "But they don't mind offending Christians who celebrate the birth of Christ, the Reason for the season."

well said

15 posted on 12/02/2005 11:40:59 AM PST by soccer_maniac (www.polipundit.com -- Elections and politics with a Conservative bent.)
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To: jasoncann

LOL! I forgot Ramadan!


16 posted on 12/02/2005 11:42:16 AM PST by GaltMeister (“All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.”)
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To: truthandlife

You know this keeps coming up, and I still don't get it. As a Christian, I'm not offended by "holiday" or "season" in the least? When did conservatives get as thin skinned as liberals? This is lovely, now we have two camps of perpetually offended reactionaries.


17 posted on 12/02/2005 11:43:21 AM PST by Melas (What!? Read or learn something? Why would anyone do that, when they can just go on being stupid)
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To: soccer_maniac

I wonder what will happen when these stores that refuse to acknowledge "Christmas" find out that "holiday" means "Holy day".....what will they do to appease atheists??


18 posted on 12/02/2005 11:52:34 AM PST by Jrabbit (Kaufman County, Texas)
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Comment #19 Removed by Moderator

To: Melas

Because it's not an unintentional oversight. This is about Christian haters who are out to destroy our faith. Sound over the top? Then listen to the signs. But about Christmas. It is NOT just any "holiday." It's about our savior's birth. Plain and simple. Not calling it Christmas is really a refusal to acknowledge it for what it is.


20 posted on 12/02/2005 12:01:23 PM PST by twigs
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