Hoping new GAP ad helps keep ‘Christ in’ Christmas, AFA suspends boycott

By Ron Brynaert
Tuesday, November 24th, 2009 -- 12:26 pm
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the week 15933 27 Hoping new GAP ad helps keep Christ in Christmas, AFA suspends boycottPro-family group livid retailer was promoting 'Happy Whateveryouwannakah' Day

The conservative American Family Association has decided to extend a holiday gesture to a company that it had just recently decided to boycott.

From a press release sent to RAW STORY:

The American Family Association is suspending its Christmas season-boycott of Gap, Old Navy and Banana Republic pending the debut of a new Christmas-themed commercial this Saturday, Nov. 28.

Gap's Vice-President of Corporate Communications, Bill Chandler, informed the AFA via email that Old Navy's new commercial "has a very strong Christmas theme."

Story continues below...

"As a gesture of our 'good will to men,' we have decided to suspend our boycott of Gap and its divisions until we see the content of this new commercial," said Bryan Fischer, the AFA's director of issues analysis. "We firmly believe that Gap is responding to an enormous amount of pressure from the AFA network. It looks like Gap has finally decided that a recession is a bad time to take a principled stand on secularism and alienate a huge percentage of their customer base. We're happy that they're apparently keeping Christ and Christmas in the Christmas season."

Added Buddy Smith, the executive assistant to Tim Wildmon, the president of AFA, "Gap cheapened the meaning of this holy day in their most recent commercial by putting it on the same level as Kwanzaa and the winter solstice. But, because of the importance of Christ's influence on the world in general and America in particular, celebrating His birth should be in a class all by itself. We are pleased that Gap is apparently beginning to agree."

However, the statement adds, "AFA officials made it clear that the boycott may be resumed if the new ad is not respectful to Christians and Christmas shoppers."

AFA's beef with the GAP is that their new ad campaign "mentions Christmas but encourages people to have a 'Happy Whateveryouwannakah,'" Denver's 7 News reported earlier this month.

"AFA believes this ad to be completely dismissive and disrespectful to those who celebrate the meaning and spirit of Christmas," said Randy Sharp of the American Family Association.

....

When 7NEWS asked people what they thought about "Whateveryouwannakah," the reactions were mixed.

"Everything is PC about everything," said Vicky Greer.

"I think it's funny," said Suzanne Wilson.

The Week noted that the AFA had complained that the GAP was "taking a 'cavalier approach' to the Christian holiday by equating it with 'pagan' holidays.

Since the day after Thanksgiving, referred to by retailers as Black Friday, is the busiest shopping day of the year, GAP stores have to be pleased with the AFA's decision.

If the GAP commercial, say, includes an all-out fist fight between Santa and Jesus (YouTube link to South Park clip), however, then the boycott will probably be back in full effect before anyone's leftover Thanksgiving turkey is finished.

This is a video of the GAP's Christmas ad:

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Story comments are below...

  • Brigit
    It's really disgusting that the AFA (which does not even represent AMERICAN families but only the christian family portion of American families) thinks it has the right to impose it's mythology on the whole of the entire country. They should learn to be TRUE Americans & respect All American's right to freedom of religion & freedom From religion.

    I thought it was GREAT that the Gap had the good sense & gesture to wish EVERYBODY a good holiday. It's a shame they have allowed themselves to be manipulated & pushed around by a bunch of hateful, narrow minded, bigots who would rather spoil the holidays for others than to respect the right of a company to send out good cheer to EVERYONE.

    If there's any such thing as the mythical Jesus, he would be ashamed of them for perverting his message of LOVE THY NEIGHBOR.
  • R. Sprague
    Christmas is the 25th, there are other religions that celebrate their equivalent of it, Hannakah, Solstice, Yule, Kwanza, Russian Orthadox Christmas I'm sorry if the GAP ad "offended the AFA. The rest of us non-christians liked that they recognized us.And personally I was happy to see that. And I've been singing it a bunch since it aired. Thank you GAP for the recognition. AFA...grow up... There's other religions out there...the Salem witch trials were over years ago.What ever happened to religious tolerance and "love thy neighbor"?
  • revbadger
    My whole family really enjoyed the "go solstice" gap ad.typically, we ignore most ads of this type, as we do not shop at these stores, but when the line "go solstice" hit, my wife and i looked at each other and asked "did that say what?". we looked for the ad, and when it aired again, both my kids squeeled when they heard "go solstice". it was the first time they felt included in the holidays. consiquently,we now shop at the gap (and old navy). i am dis heartend to learn about the small-mindedness of some citizens of this country. let us remember the reason for the season; axial tilt of the planet.
  • catherinedalton
    As a life-long Pagan, I absolutely appreciate a more open-minded ad, which at least attempts to include those religions that have been overshadowed by the Christian hijacking of the MANY holidays that are celebrated this time of year...many are much older than the 2000 years attributed to Christianity, including Yule, Winter Solstice and Hannukah. Around the world, people have celebrated the lengthening of days and return of the sun's strength---the promise of Spring in the darkness and cold of Winter. My Pagan beliefs are just as strong, and held just as dearly as those who follow other Paths, but I strive to respect the beliefs of others. I hope that in this time of Illumination all of us may learn Tolerance, Understanding, and Respect for each other and for beliefs that may be different from our own.

    Oh, and -----A Blessed Yule and a Solstice that is Merrie & Bright to All--Pagan, Christian, Jew, Muslim, Hindi, Shinto, Buddhist, and ALL the other religions out there that I may or may not know!!!!
    May the Light of the Returning Sun shine with Love and Peace upon us all !!!!!
  • Jaeme-Adelle Hughes
    I very much enjoyed the "Go Christmas" ad on TV, and was quite disappointed when it no longer appeared on my network TV!! I am a complete fan of Happy Holidays being different things to different people!

    Joyous Yule to you all
  • IcedGreenTea
    The AFA should find something better to do with their time. They should be mounting a holiday campaign against domestic violence, for example, instead of getting upset about a GAP ad. What a waste. And how does honoring many holidays "disrespect" a particular one of them?
  • Diann
    The AFA needs to lighten up, or grow up, even. Boycott the AFA until they do. There's not just one faith celebrating this holiday season.
  • Diann
    The AFA needs to lighten up, or grow up, even. Boycott the AFA until they do. There's not just one faith celebrating this holiday season.
  • martycota
    I think it is sad that the AFA is going after a company just for recognizing the other belief systems out there also celebrate something around the same time of year the Christians celebrate their Christmas. It is disgusting how they want everything to cater to them and leave out everyone else. How Christian like is that.
  • DISH_Network
    At DISH Network, we're definitely not afraid to wish everyone a merry Christmas! We encourage you to check out our latest commercial spot and celebrate Christmas right along with our employees! http://bit.ly/7fWh9p
  • catherinedalton
    do you also wish people a happy Hannukah, Happy Solstice, Blessed Yule, Happy Kwanza, and Merrie-whatever-your-"mid-winter" - festival /celebration is??? it takes no courage or thought to say "Merry Christmas" to appease Christians....but they are NOT the ONLY religion that has a celebration (albeit reappropriated)...in this time of Mid-Winter....
    And remember... Pagans have money, we arew consumers, AND we vote!!!!
  • bocabill
    The whole commercialization of Christmas and the concept of a “Christmas Shopper” should be offensive to Christians and the AFA. The modern Christian faith will not cross a line that could threaten corporate profits. Let materialism and greed run rampant just as long as Christ’s name is kept in it. Sigh…
  • Schmice
    If you look at the words Gap, Banana Republic and Old Navy, you will find the word ACORN. Enough said!
  • marxymcliberalson
    Lost another post god I hate these comment RAW
  • marxymcliberalson
    Christmas colors are red and green, why? because when all else is dying the holly and evergreen tree still live with their green needles and leaves and red berries.... oh , now that must be evil!

    Why do we kiss under mistletoe? Why because the oak trees were the most sacred to the ancient celtic Druids, they would make oak groves their churches and mistletoe grew like magic int he leaves of the oak trees...

    Santa claus is a pagan god and the elves are the sidhe of celtic faerie tales.

    The greeks celebrated at this time of year before Jebus, The romans, the persians, the egyptians, the jews, hindu, all have a festival of lights!

    It was christ and christmas that took the pagan out of Solstice!

    They took Easter and Haloween as well.

    Easter falls near the Vernal Equinox when pagans believe the new god is born. It is a celebration of fertility and rebirth. That is why we have eggs (symbol of fertility and rebirth) and rabbits (symbols of fertility and productivity)

    I wont even start with Halloween.
  • enorceht
    now is the time for the non followers to boycott the Gap for bending to the afa just for profits ... so its the season of profits so now our advertisers have to put christ into christmas. this maybe a little harder for the easter bunny, it will be kind of hard to disguise those thorns and that cross is really a problem.

    i think its time to boycott ALL MORONS who think everything around them has to bend to their will
  • marxymcliberalson
    (OK you have to imagine some spacey dramatic music and I have a very deep over-pronounced voice ala Nova)

    Since the dawn of mankind... humans have watched the dying winter sun...the shortening of days... the ever consuming darkness. .the end of light... dwindle into the heart of winter.. as everything freezes and dies... all warmth lost into the abyss of space... and wondered... hoped... prayed... when it would come back... when the sun would return... when warmth... light.... LIFE... would return.

    This fear drove man to look syward....and notice the sun... and moon... and stars move...he has marked the passing of time...by these movements....calculating our trip around the sun...into years..dividing those years into seasons...seasons into months... months into days...and days to hours...all based on the movements of the heavenly bodies.

    Since that time... all religions have festival of lights... near the shortest day... the winter solstice... the longest night of the year...if the sun doesnt come back the next day... its never coming back... bonfires... candles.... colored lights... all were used to lure teh sun back for another year...

    Well now you know why we decorate our houses with lights.

    What does a log have to do with Christ? A yule log is a symol of the ancient tradition of a community of people who depend and rely on each other, who would all put out their hearth fires and one bonfire woudl burn through the longest night, and in the morningeveryone would take a tinder box and start their new hearth fires from the community bonfire. IT created a bond among community members as they worshipped together warming their homes from the same shared fire of their neighbors...isnt that evil???
  • bee
    happy chrismahannukwaanzakaa everbuddy!
  • dennycrane
    These asswipe christers put christ in for one day a year, then puts their jack boots in the chest of the poor, black, gay, jew, native american, women,etc. after they "knock" them to the ground the other three hundred fifty fucking odd days of the year. Hell, if they really "knew" christ, they wouldn't be shopping for shit anyway. Stay off the damn roads, also. It's easier to drive with less traffic when you're drinking.
  • Satan
    "The American Family Association is suspending its Christmas season-boycott of Gap, Old Navy and Banana Republic pending the debut of a new Christmas-themed commercial this Saturday, Nov. 28." - Yes, Jesus fucking christ and heaven forbid you boycott those fucks for something other than a Christmess related reason. Fuck Jesus, fuck those bible thumpers and fuck the Gap and Old Navy, and Old Atlantic for that matter, and the Banana Republic too.
  • foby
    My question is ,,, are Christians the only ones who shop the Gap . I believe any of the faiths that celebrate this time of year should be welcomed . And if you have somewhat of an open mind then why is anyone elses beliefs so wrong from yours?
    I personally was happy to see the acknowledgement of other faiths ,
  • Phil E. Drifter
    Fuck your open mind. The original reason people celebrated in December was the Winter Solstice, i.e. the annual end of days getting darker/colder and the start of days getting longer/warmer.

    Any other reason is brainwashed into people to justify their religion.

    "My god has a bigger dick than your god!" -George Carlin
  • Max_1
    Dear AFA...
    ... Render unto Caesar what is Caesar's.

    Christmas is a capitalistic venture to commercialize Christ's birth.

    Caesar would be so proud of the AFA...
    ... More gold for Caesar.

    .
  • Phil E. Drifter
    Christmas is a capitalistic venture to commercialize Christ's birth.

    The RCC murdered if someone refused to give up their winter solstice and call it 'Christmas' instead. Check dailyrotten.com on Dec. 25th, or on most other holidays, you'll learn the truth. (See above, definition of 'yule' at dictionary.com, etc you'd be pleased at how Feb. 14th got celebrated before the RCC took it over.)
  • Max_1
    .

    Jesus was born to bring us preasents?

    .
  • Phil E. Drifter
    Compare jebus with Santa (satan?) Clause:

    •Both promise to give you something if you're obedient/good
    •Both promise punishment if you're 'bad'
    •Neither have been documented 1sthand with concrete evidence.
  • LiberalTexasDemocrat
    ----"noted that the AFA had complained that the GAP was "taking a 'cavalier approach' to the Christian holiday by equating it with 'pagan' holidays"---
    Given that the current "Christian holiday" is indeed a co-opted pagan celebration, it appears once again the AFA has seldom allowed reality to get in the way of their efforts to bilk monies from the gullible. "Deck the vaults with fear of pagans, tra la la la la la la la la."
  • S in PA
    Jesus wasn't even born in December, he was born in late spring/early summer. The Catholic Church decided to steal a pagan winter festival as Jesus' "birthday", and then they celebrate it by serving up a Christmas ham. If I'm not mistaken, Jesus was born a Jew, and Jews don't eat ham. I think it's all very sacreligious and blasphemous.
  • Phil E. Drifter
    The Catholic Church decided to steal a pagan winter festival as Jesus' "birthday"

    This is what I came in to say.

    See the definition of 'yule' in dictionary.com:
    yule
    O.E. geol, geola "Christmas Day, Christmastide," from O.N. jol (pl.), a heathen feast, later taken over by Christianity, of unknown origin.* The O.E. (Anglian) cognate giuli was the Anglo-Saxons' name for a two-month midwinter season corresponding to Roman December and January, a time of important feasts but not itself a festival. After conversion to Christianity it narrowed to mean "the 12-day feast of the Nativity" (which began Dec. 25), but was replaced by Christmas by 11c., except in the northeast (areas of Danish settlement), where it remained the usual word. Revived 19c. by writers to mean "the Christmas of 'Merrie England.' " First direct reference to the Yule log is 17c. O.N. jol seems to have been borrowed in O.Fr. as jolif, hence Mod.Fr. joli "pretty, nice," originally "festive" (see jolly).

    *They were celebrating the Winter Solstice.

    I guarantee you, there was not an evergreen tree within 10,000 miles of jebus when he walked the earth. So why do we decorate evergreen trees? Well when the RCC conquered in jebus' name, they said (basically) "We're taking your holiday and calling it our own. You can continue to do what you do, decorate trees, give each other presents, but call it Christmas instead of whatever you were calling it before."
  • truthops2010
    Somehow I don't think Jesus, if he is paying attention (look busy) really gives a whit about what GAP, or Old Navy, or Banana Republic choose as their advertisement to foster more materialism surrounding his birthday. I rather think, given what Christians propose to believe in regarding Jesus, that he would be much more concerned that GAP, Old Navy, and Banana Republic act in a Christian fashion (pun fully intended), and not operate sweat shops where children are abused. I'm always so relieved when this consumerism ritual has passed, so the spiritual versus the material can get some breathing room again.
  • DownriverDem
    Happy Kwanaramahanukas!!!!!!!!!!!

    http://interactivelunacy.com/pcholiday/
  • rickpetes
    Screw AFA. I don't want hear/see any of that ridiculous x-tian crap anyway. Hell, all x-mas is, is a money maker for businesses and only the second day of the year that most x-tians go to church, if they go at all.
  • GunTotinLiberal
    If the AFA thinks Gap whipped up a new ad in less than a week in response to their lameass boycott they are delusional. Production on these spots started months ago.
  • BobNoxious
    AFA is so easily appeased. GAP's marketing department produces one annoying ad that mentions Christmas (as well as Chanukah and Kwanzaa), and they suddenly reverse themselves. What a bunch of tools. As if GAP's profit margin suffered at all from a handful of wing-nuts boycotting their multi-national conglomeracy.
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