You're a Mean One, Grinch Alert

[paft.livejournal.com]

Robert Jeffress:

Well, you know every year people bemoan the War on Christmas and I thought, “Let’s do something positive about it,” so we created this website, Grinchalert.com, it allows people to go on our website and, uh, if they’ve encountered a business that shuns Christmas they can talk about it and put that business on the naughty list but if they find a business that celebrates Christmas, they can put that business on the nice list. It’s just a fun way to say to businesses and organizations, “You don’t have to bow to political correctness. It’s okay to say, “Merry Christmas…”

John Roberts: What if businesses who are on the naughty list lose customers?... Would it be a good idea to affect people’s business at this season, which can be make or break for some people, and in this economic climate?

Jeffress: John, let me make it clear, we have never even hinted at a boycott…

"Never even hinted at a boycott?" Really? Here’s what Jeffress said on Fox:

Jeffress: One great example in the Dallas area, there was a bank that took down a Christmas tree because they said it would offend customers. Well, there was another bank that got put on our nice list, the Providence Bank, because they put up a nativity scene. The CEO told me yesterday that there were customers changing from the bank that removed the Christmas tree, and they’re flocking to his bank.

Gretchen Carlson: You are not calling for a boycott of any of these businesses….

Jeffress: Oh, not at all, not in any way! You know, there’s a Mexican restaurant you mentioned that was saying Happy Holidays, but our family still goes there every week…

Watch the latest video at video.foxnews.com

So it’s all about reassuring businesses. Honest! It’s all about making them feel nice and safe. He’s not advocating a boycott.

But he’s delighted to share as an example that little story of a bank losing customers because they took down a Christmas tree.

See, here's what mystifies me about this... Jeffress likes the idea of forcing other people and businesses to utter "Merry Christmas" and post signs saying "Merry Christmas" who are uncomfortable doing it. Do the people at "Grinch Alert" really imagine that businesses and retailers intimidated into towing Grinch Alert's line are acting in the spirit of the season?

And here's one more video, especially for the Reverend Mr. Jeffress:

Thanx to Juliebogen

Crossposted at Thoughtcrimes

Comments

[dreadfulpenny81.livejournal.com]

I think that's what she's saying. And if that's the case, I hope her next post to this comm will be about the folks over at Stop Beck. That would only be fair if she's claiming boycotts = bullying.

[paft.livejournal.com]

Why not read my answer and comment on it, rather than answering for me?

[prader.livejournal.com]

Well, see, that's different, because, uhm...

Annnnnd, right on queue (http://community.livejournal.com/talk_politics/815027.html?thread=61092275#t61092275)

I think we both know what the take away is.

[paft.livejournal.com]

It's so much easier, isn't it, when you make up the other person's responses?

[prader.livejournal.com]

Especially when the other person can be counted on to not be consistent with their thinking.

[paft.livejournal.com]

Where do you believe I've been inconsistent?

[dreadfulpenny81.livejournal.com]

I can't speak for prader, but I think this (http://www.thoughtcrimes.org/s9/index.php?/archives/3427-Drilling-Down-Through-All-That-Cognitive-Dissonance.html) is a good example.

The very act of being a liberal is, they believe, so outrageous, so vile, that it qualifies as an intolerable provocation that puts the onus on what happens next squarely on the shoulders of the liberal rather than the righteous right-winger who hits, spits, yells epithets, or hurls bricks.

I have yet to see you post a single entry bemoaning the acts of the Left. You're one-sided and shallow.

It's no mystery as to how you're going to respond to certain issues. If a variation of the 'Grinch Alert' website were started by Atheists who were posting naughty/nice entries concerning businesses who did/did not say 'Happy Holidays', you'd probably be cheering them on.

[paft.livejournal.com]

You really are flying off the handle here.

Where have I been inconsistent in this thread?

And no, I would not be cheering on atheists who wanted to boycott businesses for saying "Merry Christmas."

Do you really think just making things up is a valid approach to argument?

[dreadfulpenny81.livejournal.com]

No one said you were inconsistent in this thread. You're inconsistent in general. Period.

[paft.livejournal.com]

The justification prader offered for just making up a response from me was that I was inconsistent. The natural assumption, since he was making stuff up about me in this thread, was that I'd been inconsistent here.

But step back for a moment. Think about what you're saying here. You're attempting to justify cowardice and dishonesty.

What does that say about the merits of your arguments?

[dreadfulpenny81.livejournal.com]

You think a boycott is cowardly and dishonest?

[paft.livejournal.com]

I think claiming that an attempt to inspire a boycott is not, in fact, a boycott is cowardly and dishonest.

I also think that making up answers from somebody rather than addressing what they've actually said is also cowardly and dishonest.

Strawmen are cowardly and dishonest.

Anything unclear about this?

[dreadfulpenny81.livejournal.com]

It's hardly making anything up when we already know the answer.

[paft.livejournal.com]

Is that how you rationalize it to yourself?

[dreadfulpenny81.livejournal.com]

Pamela, I've told you before, you're a one-issue, one-woman show. Everyone in this comm can depend on YOU to post copypasta entries on how much you loathe the Tea Party - or Republicans in general - and everything they stand for.

[paft.livejournal.com]

So you've run out of things to say and are now resorting to just attacking me as a poster.

What do the Tea Party and the Republicans have to do with this post?

[dreadfulpenny81.livejournal.com]

They don't. But you asked me how I "rationalize" that I (and most likely other people in this comm) know how what you're going to answer. I responded.

[paft.livejournal.com]

You do realize, don't you, that it's dishonest and a bit cowardly to just make up answers for someone?

Is actual argument too demanding for you?

[dreadfulpenny81.livejournal.com]

No, but it clearly seems to be for you.

Where on the website does it specifically say that the group who formed the site is encouraging boycotts of the businesses mentioned? I'd LOVE for you to post that.

[paft.livejournal.com]

I'm not the one making up answers for other people.

The website doesn't have to say it's encouraging people not to patronize the businesses listed in the "naughty" section. Those who read it will know exactly what to do.

You still haven't said what you think most businesses would conclude about the impact of being listed as "naughty" there. Care to take a shot at it?

[dreadfulpenny81.livejournal.com]

The website doesn't have to say it's encouraging people not to patronize the businesses listed in the "naughty" section. Those who read it will know exactly what to do.
That's their INDIVIDUAL CHOICE. If I don't like the business practices of certain companies, I'm not going to purchase any goods or services through them. There's nothing wrong with that. It's my choice where my money goes.

You still haven't said what you think most businesses would conclude about the impact of being listed as "naughty" there. Care to take a shot at it?
Not really. Business PR people aren't as predictable as you. :D

[paft.livejournal.com]

So you've shifted from denying that it's an attempt at a boycott to defending the boycott.

And now you're claiming that you can't predict a businesses reaction to the prospect of bad publicity at Christmastime.

It's always fascinating to watch people feign dumbness rather than concede a point.

[dreadfulpenny81.livejournal.com]

I'm not 'denying' anything. Your knight in shining armor jk_fabiani already pointed out that the website doesn't call for a boycott of the businesses mentioned in the posts.

And no, I don't claim to know how a business is going to react at ANY point.

And Pamela, it's ALWAYS a pleasure to watch you resort to your true form when your lack of depth is thrown back in your face.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

[htpcl.livejournal.com]

This is slowly slipping out of hand. I've no objections if you guys bicker about the "It's a boycott -- It's not a boycott" issue till the break of dawn, but the moment you employ ad hominems, this is where I tell you to stop.

Would you please stop?

[dreadfulpenny81.livejournal.com]

NP. I just posted my last comment to PAFT.