Video: Christmas tree or “holiday tree?”
posted at 6:00 pm on November 27, 2007 by Bryan
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Well, here’s how to get a story entirely wrong. And the producer is the Wall Street Journal.
Every year we get bombarded with news stories about towns, counties, schools, corporations and retailers that mess with Christmas. They call it “Winter Festival,” they ban mangers and angels and swap in Santas and snowflakes and take the Christ entirely out of the holiday. I was following one of those stories a week or so ago, in Ft. Collins, Colorado, but they happen all over the country. And don’t get me started on the Christmas madness in Europe.
So the American Family Association wants to take a look-see whether retailers in New York are doing the “holiday” for Christmas swap in their marketing. The WSJ sent out a reporter to inquire, but the reporter doesn’t ask any retailers about their marketing, which is what the AFA is interested in. He asks average folks on the streets whether the tree he’s holding is a Christmas tree or a “holiday” tree, apparently thinking that if the Christmas marketing has been sufficiently secular, everyone he asks will already zombie out and answer “holiday” tree. The only thing he ends up demonstrating is that the annual controversies over Christmas don’t come from regular folk. They all seem to think the question is silly, which it is.
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You mean that’s not supposed to be called a “Family Tree”? I’ve been lied to? The horror; the horror!
Frozen Tex on November 27, 2007 at 6:04 PM
Well dang! If everybody agrees that it’s a Christmas tree why not call it that?
Oldnuke on November 27, 2007 at 6:07 PM
“A very small one…” LOL…that’s pretty funny.
SouthernGent on November 27, 2007 at 6:08 PM
As HA’s second most notorious Atheist, I just want to go on record as saying that Christmas is a great holiday and is part of the American culturul tradition. Regardless of the status of the nonexistent diety and his nonexistent son, this holiday should be respected for it’s place in America’s culture and history.
JayHaw Phrenzie on November 27, 2007 at 6:09 PM
I think the people’s responses demonstrate exactly the opposite of what the reporter thinks. The holiday IS Christmas, and the responses of the people show that very clearly–there’s no point in pretending otherwise, which is what secularizing Christmas tries to do. Stores might as well keep calling it Christmas because that’s what people know it is anyway, right?
Bob's Kid on November 27, 2007 at 6:10 PM
A couple weeks back, Lowe’s was calling it a Family Tree.
JammieWearingFool on November 27, 2007 at 6:17 PM
Festivus For The Rest Of Us!
EdGruberman on November 27, 2007 at 6:17 PM
I think I’m 101st :-D
SouthernGent on November 27, 2007 at 6:19 PM
I know! The filthy liars!
Frozen Tex on November 27, 2007 at 6:21 PM
“Hey Mamma, you set my yule log on fiya!!”
Don’t any Americans live in NYC anymore?
Hening on November 27, 2007 at 6:26 PM
Where did this guy find such a concentration of people with accents? I know, I know, cities are more diverse… but there seemed to be a majority of foreigners in this clip, no?
Anyway, Bryan, you’re exactly right… that video was incredibly stupid and dishonest about what it’s aiming to prove.
RightWinged on November 27, 2007 at 6:27 PM
I know, I know….
It’s a Hannukah Bush!!
CurtZHP on November 27, 2007 at 6:33 PM
Spiritual Sapling?
Frozen Tex on November 27, 2007 at 6:37 PM
What an obnoxious tool.
mesablue on November 27, 2007 at 6:53 PM
Naw, they exist…I know ‘em quite well, actually.
But I guess I can prove that about as easily as you can prove that you love your ol’ Granny, eh?
Bob's Kid on November 27, 2007 at 7:04 PM
When I used to work in retail I got chewed out a few times by customers for wishing them “happy holidays.” Which always got me thinking, “lighten up, it’s Christmas.”
RightOFLeft on November 27, 2007 at 7:06 PM
Congrats. I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone engage in that level of ironic self-contradiction in such a single short sentence.
If you actually respect the beliefs of others, act like it. The above sentence is as far from respect as its possible to get it; its another smarmy, self-righteous declaration that YOU and only YOU are the ultimate arbiter of truth.
A respectful atheist – an atheist who wasn’t painfully immature and bleakly insecure in his own beliefs – would feel no need to declare the non-existence of the object of another’s faith (while simultaneously winning the Irony Olympics by claiming to support “respect” of the same tradition you just unilaterally mocked).
Try this when you grow up: “Although I’m not Christian personally, I think Christmas is a great holiday deserving of respect.”
That’s how it’s done, son. Try it sometime. It is actually possible to sincerely respect the beliefs of others.
You ought to apologize to our local Christians. But you won’t. That would take self-awareness and integrity.
JesusMadalyn Murray O’Hair wept.And for the record, Allahpundit would never – ever – utter a sentence like that one.
Professor Blather on November 27, 2007 at 7:21 PM
I do not respect the beliefs of others, when those beliefs have no grounding in evidence whatsoever.
In fact, automatically respecting something, simply because people believe in it is incredibly dangerous and is a big part of why the world is heading towards chaos right now.
Millions of people are willing to kill and die for these beliefs. These beliefs are dangerous and have no place inmodern society.
I am certain that your playing to the masses with your religious populism will heighten your popularity among the posters here, but just because someone believes something does not make it worthy of respect.
Charles Manson believed he was god and therefore had power over life and death. Should his belief be respected? Where do you draw the line?
So, spare me your self righteous populism, I have a right to fearlessly promote my opinion and that is what I will do.
You might want to educate yourself further with a little reading:
http://books.google.com/books?id=Lr8ytqlY9NgC&dq=end+of+faith&pg=PP1&ots=GptnzOskR3&sig=_T18Y2AOdBx-9oaANUID6Oiwjzc&prev=http://www.google.com/search%3Fq%3Dend%2Bof%2Bfaith%26rls%3Dcom.microsoft:en-us%26ie%3DUTF-8%26oe%3DUTF-8%26startIndex%3D%26startPage%3D1&sa=X&oi=print&ct=title&cad=one-book-with-thumbnail
Sam Harris does a great job of explaining how “respecting others beliefs” is a suicidal proposition in the modern world.
JayHaw Phrenzie on November 27, 2007 at 7:29 PM
Here in Pittsburgh, Pa they call the tree downtown a “Unity Tree”
flyboy777 on November 27, 2007 at 7:39 PM
Since this my first year back as a Jew-I was a Christian for 11 years-my Calvinist husband and I are celebrating “Christmakkah”…and it’s still a Christmas tree.
annoyinglittletwerp on November 27, 2007 at 8:15 PM
I’m a Christian, but I really don’t like the AFA. They’re no better than the ACLU. They go way over the line.
Ortzinator on November 27, 2007 at 8:27 PM
Anyone notice the accent on the guy in the fuzzy ear-flap hat?
It’s Smeato! Yes, Smeato, strange visitior from another land, with powers and abilities far beyond those of mortal men. Smeato! Who, disguised as John Smeaton, mild-mannered baggage handler for the Glasgow Airport, fights a never-ending battle for Truth, Justice, and the Anti-jihadist Way!
(Sniff. What a hero.)
Captain Scarlet on November 27, 2007 at 9:06 PM
No self-esteem issues here.
Awesome – Christ is endorsed by an Atheist!
Have you ever seen a Quark? Antimatter? Of course not. But you know they exist.
I’m all wobbly and weak-kneed at your compassion.
Ugly on November 27, 2007 at 9:08 PM
Nothing dishonest about it…., it’s typical New Yorkers.
Where I live, Christmas comes with the Thanksgiving!
Nothing but Christmas carols on the radio till January!
I’m loving it man, loving it!
Kini on November 27, 2007 at 9:25 PM
Yer a good man, JayHaw. I’m with you.
petefrt on November 27, 2007 at 9:48 PM
bones47 on November 27, 2007 at 9:49 PM
To clarify, I don’t need to be a Christian to detest Christian bashing and cultural Marxists who would purge Christian influence and tradition from our country.
petefrt on November 27, 2007 at 9:52 PM
I vote for Chanukah Bush! Where is Hannakah Harry? Almost time to take out Adam Sandler from the closet.
StuLongIsland on November 27, 2007 at 10:15 PM
I claim number 3.
Nonfactor on November 27, 2007 at 11:56 PM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPAC_cGVnUg
Nonfactor on November 27, 2007 at 11:59 PM
Hell, we put up a Christmas tree, throw presents underneath it and gorge ourselves on all kinds of food. Yay, Christmas! My kids know it as Christmas, I know it as Christmas, it’s freakin’ Christmas.
We are a family of Atheists, but we loves us some holiday cheer.
Krydor on November 28, 2007 at 9:03 AM
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