Day: November 29, 2010
Tea Baggers are Winning the War on the War on Christmas
The 2010 War on the War on Christmas is looking to be a shattering success for the American Family Association. On the heels of its addition to the list of hate groups published annually by the Southern Poverty Law Center, the Christianist group is spreading its message of holiday — whoops– Christmas joy through an intimidation campaign against prominent retailers.
The AFA has no problem with using Christ’s birthday to sell G-strings and MP3 players and no problem with manipulating their tea bagger base to conflate Jesus with retailing.
Here are the rules, according to the AFA.
Criteria – AFA reviewed up to four areas to determine if a company was “Christmas-friendly” in their advertising: print media (newspaper inserts), broadcast media (radio/television), website and/or personal visits to the store. If a company’s ad has references to items associated with Christmas (trees, wreaths, lights, etc.), it was considered as an attempt to reach “Christmas” shoppers. If a company has items associated with Christmas, but did not use the word “Christmas,” then the company is considered as censoring “Christmas.”
Color Code:
GREEN: Company uses the term “Christmas” on a regular basis, we consider that company Christmas-friendly.
YELLOW: Company refers to Christmas infrequently, or in a single advertising medium, but not in others.
RED: Company may use “Christmas” sparingly in a single or unique product description, but as a company, does not recognize it.
The unfortunately named Dick’s Sporting Goods recently caved to AFA pressure, leading to awkwardly structured pitches. Where before online shoppers could find a selection of “The season’s top scoring gifts,” we wonder if they will now wade through apostrophically-challenged “Christmas’s top gifts?”
We have always found it ironic that the same folks who insist that everyone use the word “Christmas,” in every situation, including on second reference, are the ones who forced such abominations as “Happy Harvest” and “Trunk or Treat” upon us.
But what we find most paradoxical is the AFA’s targeting of Victoria’s Secret. The lingerie retailer predictably made the AFA’s “Naughty” list (we’re not kidding) but not for its depiction of barely dressed, surgically enhanced models such as this:
Final Election Results Give Dems a Clean Sweep in California – Post-Election Polls Suggest GOP Is Walking Wounded, Maybe Walking Dead
Go ahead: Accuse me of shooting the wounded. But it may be that the body already is dead.
I’m referring to the California Republican Party.
How alive could the state GOP be after suffering the pounding it took on Nov. 2, a day of historic party triumph elsewhere across America?
“It’s not just wounded, it’s in a coma,” says Republican Lt. Gov. Abel Maldonado.
Maldonado was one of several Republican victims on election day. He lost the lieutenant governor’s race to Democratic San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom.
Later in the week, just before Thanksgiving, results from the last two close races came in. Democrats won them both. San Francisco D.A. Kamala Harris is now the state’s attorney general, and Rep. Jerry McNerney in the 11th District beat a tea bagger whose single issue is abolishing public education in the United States.
Now it’s official: No California Democrat lost a race on November 2, and Democrats even picked up yet another seat in the already lopsidedly Democratic-controlled state legislature.
Give ‘Em Some Lip
Now Obama’s a competitive fellow,
On the court he bullies and bellows.
Besides the ‘Bipartisan Shove,’
He’s developed a new move —
They’re calling it ‘Kissing the Elbow.’
