Liberty Counsel
NEWS RELEASE
Contact: PUBLIC RELATIONS
DEPARTMENT - 800-671-1776
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
November 9, 2006
An Important
Battle is Won in the War on Christmas
Wal-Mart Will Stop Censorship of Ads and Greetings
Orlando,
FL - Wal-Mart has finally admitted that censoring Christmas
is not a good idea. After experiencing a backlash last Christmas
season from unhappy customers and facing frustrated employees, some
of whom turned to Liberty Counsel for help, Wal-Mart retreated from
its use of "Happy Holidays" and will let employees greet
shoppers with "Merry Christmas."
"We,
quite frankly, have learned a lesson from last year," said spokeswoman
Linda Blakely of Wal-Mart in an interview with USA Today news. Blakely
claims Wal-Mart will say "Merry Christmas" early and often.
Wal-Mart will be playing Christmas carols now through the end of the
year.
The
world's largest retailer told its associates at a recent conference
that it will bring back the Christmas pitch in an attempt to be the
leader in this year's sales. Wal-Mart's advertising will
announce "Christmas" and its decorations department will
change from "The Holiday Shop" to "The Christmas
Shop."
Liberty
Counsel, a nationwide, public interest civil liberties law firm, launched
its fourth annual "Friend or Foe Christmas Campaign" this year
and is already receiving many consumer complaints about stores refusing
to recognize the Christmas holiday. On its web site, www.LC.org, Liberty
Counsel offers a Help Save Christmas™ action pack, which includes
educational legal memoranda to educate government officials, teachers,
parents, students, private businesses, employees and others that it
is legal to celebrate Christmas. The action pack also includes a very
popular "I LOVE CHRISTmas™" button.
Anita
Staver, President of Liberty Counsel, commented: "We are glad
that Wal-Mart stopped censoring Christmas. Wal-Mart should have realized
it cannot censor Christmas and would have avoided the wrath of the
public. To those that claim there is no war against Christmas in America,
Wal-Mart is 'Exhibit A' in our 'Friend or Foe Christmas
Campaign'. We are having a tremendous response when we ask the
public to report a 'grinch' in their community. Wal-Mart
has been removed from our 'grinch' list."
Mathew
Staver, Founder and Chairman of Liberty Counsel, noted: "Last
year our 'Friend or Foe Christmas Campaign' ignited a
movement to restore Christmas. Retailers that attempt to profit from
Christmas while pretending it does not exist will no longer be patronized.
The tsunami of voices fed up with the secularization of Christmas
was heard loud and clear, from city hall to the world's largest
retailer. I am pleased that Wal-Mart will recognize Christmas this
year. Now that the number one retailer has abandoned its generic 'Happy
Holidays' greeting in favor of 'Merry Christmas,'
other retailers no longer have an excuse to run from Christmas."
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