WP: 'Holiday' Cards Ring Hollow for Some on Bushes' List

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/06/AR2005120601900.html

What's missing from the White House Christmas card? Christmas.

<snip>

Many people are thrilled to get a White House Christmas card, no matter what the greeting inside. But some conservative Christians are reacting as if Bush stuck coal in their stockings.

"This clearly demonstrates that the Bush administration has suffered a loss of will and that they have capitulated to the worst elements in our culture," said William A. Donohue, president of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights.

Bush "claims to be a born-again, evangelical Christian. But he sure doesn't act like one," said Joseph Farah, editor of the conservative Web site WorldNetDaily.com. "I threw out my White House card as soon as I got it."

<snip>

Then along comes a generic season's greeting from the White House, paid for by the Republican National Committee. The cover art is also secular, if not humanist: It shows the presidential pets -- two dogs and a cat -- frolicking on a snowy White House lawn.

[liveoaktx]

1. How ridiculous is that! Wonder how offended these people were

at Bush attending that Chanukah observance today.

[medeak]

2. gotta keep the neocons happy

what's O'Lielly going to say?

[LiberalVoice]

3. Well guess what you fucking idiots?

He's done ALOT worse then 1.4 million cards printed out saying "Happy Holidays" :eyes:

[sistersofmercy]

62. Best reply imo, made me laugh n/t

[LiberalVoice]

66. thank you, thank you!

:P

[VegasWolf]

4. I know , a picture of Bush. Since I live in

a country club community, I get them all the time. I think they automatically think that you are a Republican based on your address.

:puke:

[booksenkatz]

5. But-but the dogs and the cat are the pets of Jesus Bush!

Surely the pets' proximity to the right-wingers' God-on-Earth counts for something with these folks??:eyes:

[la la]

23. remember

bushkin pushing the idea of 'snowflake babies' ?

Is that a 'holiday message' and whatever happened to that great idea of gwb's ?

[Gregorian]

84. That's nice.

Shouldn't it be from The Bush Klan?

[xultar]

6. Why did * and Pickles include Baby Jesus Stem Cells in the card?

[...of J.Temperance]

7. Oh yes, and we KNOW that William Donohue and Joseph Farrah are

24-ct nutjobs. If they're dragging out loopys like Donohue and Farrah they are NOW officially BEYOND desparate...my goodness, can a ranting and frothing at the mouth appearance by Mel Gibson's nutty Poppy be FAR behind?

[smb]

42. LOL -- Even The FReeper Crowd Thinks This Is A Crock

Some quotes:

Heard blowhard Bill O'Reilly is going to call for a boycott of the WH starting from today /sarc

I just love when religious conservatives set about to destroy a President who is on their side. Very clever of them. My advice on this issue to these folks: STFU.

Look at the people WaPo quotes in the first paragraph: Joe Farrah and Bill Donahue. The first is a liar and the second is a buffoon who sees anti-Catholic bias in a phone ring tone.

[DeaconBlues]

49. "a buffoon who sees anti-Catholic bias in a phone ring tone"

Even though its written by a freeper, you got to admit that's hilarious!

[Jimbo S]

59. Surprised he wasn't ZOTTED. (eom)

[smb]

61. Whoa.

I wonder how the guy who posted this in the FReakshow avoided the ZOT:

Shrub's underwear


John McCain's underwear.

[leesa]

76. You can bet your but McCain puts the frilly's on whenever ordered to.

Are you mistaking him for someone with courage?

[Critters2]

50. If Donahue were really A Catholic

he'd know that THIS is Advent and Christmas season doesn't start until December 25th. And THEN it doesn't end until January 6th. Doesn't even know his own Church's calendar.

I'm offended that these people want me wishing people a Merry Christmas during Advent, and won't care what they say during Christmas!

Merry Advent, everyone...and I'll boycott you if you wish me a Merry Christmas.

[oioioi]

8. "capitulated to the worst elements in our culture"

Amen.

[daleo]

9. "have capitulated to the worst elements in our culture"

Would that be Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Pagans, or just us secular humanists? (apologies to some of my fellow 'worst elements' if I forgot to name you).

[PsychoDad]

74. Bingo!

A warm welcome to you from us other "worst elements of society". :)

Peace.

[DuaneBidoux]

82. Yeah, you know....:Like Jews

[devinsgram]

10. When are they going to realize

that the "born again" stuff is all for show and propaganda.

[joefree1]

11. Made up controversy

The borg-agains are desperate not to talk about that thingy on the other side of the world.

[Skip Intro]

12. Omg - I was just at the AFA site shaking my head at the nuts

and then I come back to DU and here's this great thread.

At the afa site they have a list of retailers who have "banned" Christmas, with contact info for each, as well as contact info for the kooks at afa.

I have to send them all this article, let retailers know what a bunch of morons are attacking them, and let afa know what a buch of morons they are.

I wonder if they'll boycott bush now.

AAAAhahahhha!

This is great!

on edit:

afa: http://www.afa.net/

their conttact: http://www.afa.net/contact.asp

the evil anti-Christmas retailiers: http://www.afa.net/christmasban.asp

[soothsayer]

13. It shows the dogs and cats mating on the WH lawn? The end is

nigh!

[Hobarticus]

14. Is this REALLY what Christ died for?

So these so-called Christians could walk around with a stick up their asses over the phrasing of a card?

Don't these despicable human beings have anything better to do with their time than fret over this shit?

[bling bling]

19. How would they know?

They can't be be bothered to read that pesky bible thingie or let Jesus's actual lessons get in the way of a good rant against retailers for not using the word "Christmas" as a means to solitic our cash.

Are you trying to say that Christ died for something more important than that? You must be from the old school or something.

[Shallah Kali]

21. It is to create & feed the paranoia and maryter complexs amongst followers

It has nothing to do with Jesus. It has everything to do with creating frightened malleable followers desperate for protection from the terrifying unbelievers.

[texpatriot2004]

15. It's simple...* is NO Christian! nm

[Anita Garcia]

16. I threw mine out, too because...

"I threw out my White House card as soon as I got it."
Because...
I wanted to send a message to my garbage collector.
The color of the envelope did not go with my yellow ribbon Christmas theme.
It gave me a paper cut.
I don't support the exploitation of pets for profit.

[brer cat]

17. You're missing the most important quote in the article:

"I think it's more important to put Christ back into our war planning than into our Christmas cards," said the council's general secretary, the Rev. Bob Edgar, a former Democratic congressman.

enough said.

[Shallah Kali]

20. They want what bin laden wants - Holy War. God save us from those who

claim to follow Him.

[brer cat]

22. I'm not sure who you mean by "They"...

...the quote was from a member of the National Council of Churches...a peaceful inter-faith group. It was obviously (at least to me) a put-down on the fundies attempt to force Christmas on the world during Dec. while ignoring the peace messages of Christ with respect to the war in Iraq.

[superconnected]

36. I understood it too.

But people will take it how they want to - expecially if they want to see it as bad. So expect it to get twisted.

[Shallah Kali]

65. I only read the quote. Taken out of context it sounds like fundie speak

like that idiot general who evangilized wearing his uniform and wanted to make the Iraq war into a modern day crusade. You know, the ones who act like want to trigger armageddon. Put into it's proper context I now see they were talking about the Prince of Peace not the fundies old testament god of war. My fault for not reading the article.

[brer cat]

70. My bad for not setting the context...

I was so happy to see the slap-down, I didn't include enough of the quote.

[Shallah Kali]

85. Don't feel bad, I was the one who didn't read the article for myself

I am glad some good people are pointing out what nitwits (to put it mindly) these nitwits are.

[robbedvoter]

32. Christ back into our war planning - my new "Holliday Card" message

or at least signature...That was the quote of the week!

[smirkymonkey]

77. It's Official: The Religiously Insane are Running the Country.

Put Christ into our war planning?? What the hell does Jesus have to do with War??? Does no one see the irony here?

This is out of control. The Christofascists must be stopped.

[bling bling]

18. Only the right wing freaks could turn Christmas into an angry season.

They want the rest of the world to be as pissed off and angry as they are about life.

I find myself getting angry at them for being such miserable jerks but then I remember that old Chinese proverb: "resentment is like drinking poison and waiting for the other person to die."

So screw 'em. Let 'em be angry. Let them boycott Target and Best Buy and whoever else they want. If they were really concerned about the true meaning of Christmas they'd boycott all the retailers for turning Christmas into a consumerism-driven holiday. It shouldn't be about the presents and the gifts anyway.

[HuffleClaw]

24. a MILLION cards ?

oh my word, thats insane. almost as crazy as the few who are whining about it. the funniest part of that story is the afa guy who, of course, dismisses it when its the white house doing it but who'd 'declared war' on retailers who do the same.

[truthisfreedom]

27. a million cards at taxpayer expense. from a man who remains unelected.

we live in treacherous times.

[smb]

43. To Be Fair

The cards were paid for by the Republican Party, not the taxpayers -- RTFA.

[No Exit]

71. Yes--and we all know the repukelican party always comes by its

money honestly.

"No taxpayers were screwed in the sending of this card."

Mm-hmm. Pass the Kool-aid.

[f-bush]

25. Face it fundies, you've been used.

That's right all you narrow minded under educated brainless fundamental judgemental morons, you've been manipulated by the neo-cons and repukes for your vote. Now that shrub doesn't have another election coming, he has no use for you...so you might want to sit on your asses the next election and figure out who really supports you. I'll bet that after much navel contemplation you'll find that very few do! HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!

[sandnsea]

26. All Things Bright & Beautiful

The veterinarian who writes books, I can't remember his name. But that's why the animals are the main feature of the card. Criminy these people are just idiots. I can't even criticize Laura for this. It's lovely. Too bad she can't carry a little of it into more areas of her life.

"All things bright and beautiful, all creatures great and small;
All things wise and wonderful, the Lord God made them all."

[FlaGranny]

34. I haven't seen the card, but

that IS a lovely theme. I loved the books and the old TV series too - James Herriot (sp?) wrote them.

[llmart]

53. His name was James Herriott.....

and he's dead now.

FYI

[sandnsea]

28. There's also a BIBLE VERSE in the card

Here's a link, first one that came up in Google. A Psalm in the card. What do these people want.

http://stuckonstupid.blogs.com/stuck_on_stupid/2005/12/white_house_chr.html

[54anickel]

81. Interesting Psalm choice, here's a tidbit google picked up as well

http://www.armed-prayer.org/sword_strikes.htm

Every promise found in the Scriptures is a sword wound in our enemy, deadly in force. As the end of the world draws nearer, the devil and his evil army are pressing forward every chance they can get for they know their time is short.

Each Prayer Warrior has a sphere of influence--family and friends, acquaintances--that no one else has; our assurance of victory over evil is based upon the integrity and infallibility of the Bible. By using these promises we are verbally declaring our faith in our Commander-in-Chief and His Word. AND they push back the enemy and immobilize their attack.



Overcoming Depression & Burnout: Psalm 28:7;

[Historic NY]

29. Why does George Bush hate Christmas..............why?

wonder if he enclosed a family newsletter.

[Divernan]

30. "It's more important to put Christ back into our war planning"

"It's more important to put Christ back into our war planning than in to our Christmas cards." A quote in the WP article from the General Secretary for the National Council of Churches (and also a former Dem. congressman).

[tanyev]

31. When I got mine, I immediately wrote a letter to Falwell, AFA, and

Dobson, letting them know how very disappointed I am in our Christian president. "Sometimes I wonder if all their talk about Christianity and family values is mere lip-service to get true believers to vote for them." :cry::evilgrin:

No replies yet.

[underpants]

33. ... wait for it.....wait not yet......okay now BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

:rofl:

[corkhead]

35. For once, Billow Lie'ly has done some good... eom

[superconnected]

37. Hypocrisy in action. All of Psalm 28

28:1 A Psalm of David. Unto thee, O the Lord, do I call; my Rock, be not Thou deaf unto me; lest, if Thou be silent unto me, I become like them that go down into the pit.

28:2 Hear the voice of my supplications, when I cry unto Thee, when I lift up my hands toward Thy holy Sanctuary.

28:3 Draw me not away with the wicked, and with the workers of iniquity; who speak peace with their neighbours, but evil is in their hearts.

28:4 Give them according to their deeds, and according to the evil of their endeavours; give them after the work of their hands; render to them their desert.

28:5 Because they give no heed to the works of the Lord, nor to the operation of His hands; He will break them down and not build them up.

28:6 Blessed be the Lord, because He hath heard the voice of my supplications.

28:7 the Lord is my strength and my shield, in Him hath my heart trusted, and I am helped; therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth, and with my song will I praise Him.

28:8 the Lord is a strength unto them; and He is a stronghold of salvation to His anointed.

28:9 Save Thy people, and bless Thine inheritance; and tend them, and carry them for ever.

[Straight Shooter]

38. bush's base is a bunch of ingrates

They bought him, they own him. They don't realize that their ownership is not exclusive. Neocons own him more.

So stupid, can't even realize they're being used. If they paid more attention to the words of Jesus instead of their own, maybe they would wise up.

I like the idea of the pets, but it's actually to portray a "human" side of bush and make him seem "likeable." Total BS. He couldn't care less about those pets. He's always seen holding Barney. Has he ever been seen even one time petting Barney, scratching his ears or around his tail, kissing him on the noggin?

[Beetwasher]

39. LOL! This Story Made My Day!

What a bunch of fucking tools.

[yellowcanine]

40. Me too! And the best part of it was right at the end - Jerry Falwell was

defending the WH because they included a verse of scripture in the card - wasn't the "take back Christmas" campaign partly his idea? It almost seems that the right wing is deliberately trying to make themselves look like idiots these days.

[smb]

41. The Outpatients Are Out In Force

"This clearly demonstrates that the Bush administration has suffered a loss of will and that they have capitulated to the worst elements in our culture," said William A. Donohue, president of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights.

Oh, puh-leeze. This guy can find anti-Catholic bias in a bowl of Alpha-Bits.

[Bridget Burke]

57. If he's really interested in anti-Catholicism...

He needs to look more closely at his Dominionist buddies. Their "Calvinist" roots go back to a strongly anti-"Papist" form of Protestantism.

[MsUnderstood]

44. Bushes' 'holiday' cards ring hollow for some

I know this is a bit of non essential news, but I found the article hysterical:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10355980/


This month, as in every December since he took office, President Bush sent out cards with a generic end-of-the-year message, wishing 1.4 million of his close friends and supporters a happy "holiday season."

Many people are thrilled to get a White House Christmas card, no matter what the greeting inside. But some conservative Christians are reacting as if Bush stuck coal in their stockings.

My favorite quote:

"I think it's more important to put Christ back into our war planning than into our Christmas cards," said the council's general secretary, the Rev. Bob Edgar, a former Democratic congressman.

[stray cat]

45. Don't ruin my economic prospects then send me a card

[davidinalameda]

46. poor George

he can't make anyone happy

:rofl:

[woodsprite]

47. I told hubby this morning that with the way GWB

tries to win friends and influence people, they should just be glad that he didn't specify "Happy Hannukah" or "Joyous Ramadan" (and leave off or alienate his "base").

I hear Cheney's cards are gonna say "F U".

[wordpix]

48. neocons and RWers start a fraudulent war and now they're focused

on the phrase "holiday greetings" instead of "Merry Christmas." What a bunch of pathetic imbeciles.

[ernstbass]

51. Hilarious!!!

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

52. WHAT IN THE NAME OF ALL THAT IS HOLY?!??!

Bush "claims to be a born-again, evangelical Christian. But he sure doesn't act like one," said Joseph Farah, editor of the conservative Web site WorldNetDaily.com.

WorldNutDaily gets a Christma...holiday card from the white house? Jesus FUCK. That'd be like Kerry sending a card to Tom Flocco.

[hvn_nbr_2]

54. Cultural war blowback

Lie down with American Taliban, get up being stoned. (No, not THAT kind of stoned. Sheesh.)

[LiberalFighter]

55. Not just Bush... but the RNC supported secularism by paying for it!

[Vidar]

56. Oh no, shrub has declared war on Christmas.

[kerry-is-my-prez]

58. They have found out that this man is a big phony OR just mentally ill

he does or says whatever he needs to say at the time in order to get power.

[progressivebydesign]

60. Dear God.. please keep your fucking crazy followers away from me.

Thank you.

[yorkiemommie1]

68. ditto !

n/t

[HockeyMom]

63. My neighbors are a "mixed marriage"

She is Christian and he is Jewish. They are raising their kids in BOTH religions and have both a Christmas tree AND a Menorah. Send them TWO cards? ABSURD. Happy Holidays solves the problem.

[Chovexani]

64. Oh I love when they fight.

:popcorn:

[Politicub]

67. The Christmas nazis are fucking insane

I'm sorry, but people running around braying about saying "Christmas" instead of "Holiday" are the most dimwitted bunch of freaks on the planet.

Do these people not have lives? WTF does it matter if someone doesn't want to participate in their pious pseudo-religious orgy of consumption?

Idiots!

:argh:

[JudyM]

79. So true. Now they're making wristbands that say

"just say merry christmas" - this was featured on CNN today and everyone's making a big deal about it, as if they're victims. Ludicrous. Sorry, but maybe saying happy holidays IS the more 'Christian' thing to do when you're dealing with a diverse crowd... don't assume everybody wants to hear about Christmas, but most would appreciate a kind wish to enjoy the season.

[Shallah Kali]

86. Where are the bracelets made? Made in Atheist China like other xmas goods

perhaps? Oh wouldn't it be rich irony of them supporting a communist country by buying this and WWJD junk from it!

[JudyM]

87. Some woman with 9 kids in the Midwest whoowns a Christian bookstore. n/t

[Shallah Kali]

88. Their website does not say where the bands are made

http://www.operationjustsaymerrychristmas.com

This article says they have sold out two shipments of the bands:
http://www.thehometownchannel.com/money/5492751/detail.html

So again I can't help but wonder if these are made in China like so many others are. Anyhow to me this is so silly. For one these people aren't being persecuted because they can't force everyone else to say the words they want to hear. Another reason is that so much of what modern American Christmas has nothing to do with Jesus. If they want to get back to Jesus and get rid of the secular and pagan they would have to dump trees, wreaths, every bit of tinsel, glitter, and flashing lights for starters. Add many of which are made in China and other countries where the workers are not paid a living wage. These are all add ons and some are totally against what I though Jesus stood for. I can't help but laugh thinking about these people getting riled up in the name of their very pagan-influenced and extremely secular holiday.

[sofa king]

69. Sorry, Bible thumpers. The Israelis and the Saudis got to him first.

But thanks for your amazing ability to spark the hatred of the hopelessly uninformed. See you at the fundraiser!

[regnaD kciN]

72. Gee, Mr. Donohue...

"This clearly demonstrates that the Bush administration has suffered a loss of will and that they have capitulated to the worst elements in our culture," said William A. Donohue, president of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights.

Bush "claims to be a born-again, evangelical Christian. But he sure doesn't act like one," said Joseph Farah, editor of the conservative Web site WorldNetDaily.com. "I threw out my White House card as soon as I got it."

...if I were you, I'd be happy that Dubya doesn't, in Farah's words, "act like a born-again, evangelical Christian." Otherwise, he might be denouncing Roman Catholicism as a "non-Christian cult" or even a "pagan, 'works-righteousness' religion," claiming that the Pope is the anti-Christ and that Rome is really "the Great Whore of Babylon"...just like so many fundies do when they're not trying to recruit Roman Catholics into their political movement ("We'll help you outlaw abortion if you help us crack down on the gays").

:eyes:

[Critters2]

78. Anyone see Donahue on CNN this morning?

Miles O'Brien asked him if Jesus would be upset at receiving a holiday card. Donahue said, "I don't know. I've never met Jesus".

Truer words were never spoken.

[PsychoDad]

73. Well, Duh!

"Bush "claims to be a born-again, evangelical Christian. But he sure doesn't act like one," said Joseph Farah,"

And after the slaughter and torture it was a friggin holiday card that demonstrated that ???



What freaking hypocrites!

[leesa]

75. These are some mighty shallow people.

[Tight_rope]

80. Of all the fucking things to be bitching about...this is what the Neocon's

are fucking crying about....fuck them. Moving on...nothing to see here.

[Gregorian]

83. I got this one from Cheney. Damn him!