Boycott … Bloomingdales? Sob! [Bryanna Bevens] - 12/06/04I have a tough time encouraging anybody to participate in a boycott. My own experience, a private boycott of French products in protest of well, the French, has been an exercise in futility. For couture reasons alone (not to mention my deep, deep love of Chanel No. 5) I have found it difficult to maintain any consistency. Now, an organization called www.savemerrychristmas.org is calling for a boycott of all Federated Department stores. Side note: It is important to determine the reason for the boycott before you look in to the “what you need to do” part. If you are anything like me, giving up Bloomingdales will test the strength of your convictions and possibly discourage your participation. Here’s the run down: Federated Department Stores, which include among others Bloomingdales and Macys, decided not to use the phrase “Merry Christmas” in their holiday decorations this year…or in their pre-season advertising. The Federated Department Stores corporate website offers this explanation: “Federated has no policy with regard to the use of specific references to Christmas in any of its divisional advertising or promotions. Our divisions are free to advertise in their local markets in any manner they choose. This includes using the phrase Merry Christmas if they believe it is appropriate to do so.” The employees are free to wish a “Merry Christmas” at Christmastime “if it is appropriate to do so”…as opposed to what? What is more appropriate? “Merry Good Will Reflective of the Multi-Cultural Society In Which We Live Today”? Federated fumbles on: “We realize that this is an important issue to some, and we respect their views. There are, however, many diverse cultures represented in American society today whose views we also recognize and respect. Phrases such as ‘season's greetings’ and ‘happy holidays’ embrace all of the various religious, secular and ethnic celebrations that take place in the November/December period. Because these expressions of good will are more reflective of the multi-cultural society in which we live today, they tend to be used more and more frequently across all segments of society.” I must be missing something. If you are not Christian or Jewish, what cultural event are you even celebrating in December that could be insulted by Americans celebrating Christmas? (If anybody says Kwanzaa, it is ON.) Welcome to America where we have “secular advertising” for Judeo-Christian holidays. Welcome to America where we have the freedom to boycott stupid people who pander to multiculturalism by trampling Western civilization. Go to www.savemerrychristmas.org and read the whole story. For me, it is a wrench. But I believe in Christmas . So I bid adieu to Bloomingdales. (Sob!) |
