It happened again, this time with a bell ringer. War on Christmas

[SammyBlue]

:rant:

Tonight starts Dead Day at the University of Arizona. My fraternity is throwing a party. I am at Albertson's and I am buying things for the party.

As I am leaving, I put in five dollars for the Bell Ringer's bell. He wishes me a Merry Christmas. I respond by saying "Happy Chanukah. (Keep in mind, I am wearing my Star of David/Hand and Eye of G-d necklace outside my shirt for all to see).

This bell ringer then starts screaming at me that it's "Christmas, you asshole," not Chanukah or whatever you want it to be!" It took two of my brother's and my best friend from not beating the guy. Well, my best friend's a former Cop, so I listened to him. I was pissed off the rest of the night!

The next Christian cocksucking Right Wing shitstain motherfucker who tells you it's Christmas, not the Holidays or a Jewish holiday, please try to get him/her chemically castrated!

Sad thing is, the First night of Chanukah happens Christmas Eve.

I HATE THIS FUCKING TIME OF YEAR!!! I FUCKING HATE IT

:rant:

[Loonman]

1. I would have waited until his bell ringing shift ended

Then kicked his ass until he pissed himself. Then again, tact is not one of my virtues.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

5. What charity was he ringing for?

I'm sure that even if it were a Christian organization they would want to know that one of their ringers was being disrespectful to a donar.

[SammyBlue]

14. Salvation Army. nt

[Rebelry]

58. agreed. Perhaps even more effective that beating the guy

though I imagine beating him might have been more cathartic!

Besides being Dead wrong, it's really tacky yelling at a generous donor.

Reb

[Cronus Protagonist]

2. Well, I think cocksuckers are a national resource

And should not be in your list of names, but other than that, I think you should have demanded your $5.00 back.

[Cults4Bush]

56. lol... its hard not to use it as a derrogative after watching Deadwood.

I always caveat my "cocksucker" comments with "(and not the good kind either)".

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

3. Happy Chanukah to you!

I'm sorry you had someone be so ignorant and hateful to you. If I were near I'd make you potato pancakes and other comfort food. I don't celebrate any holiday at this time of the year, but I am glad to wish those who do the very best! Don't let this person get you down.

[FreedomAngel82]

4. How rude of that person!

I'm sorry. :hug: People can be so rude and selfish at this time of the year! So many of my fellow Christian's have forgotten the second commandment from Jesus: "love thy neighbor as thy self."

[NorCalDem]

6. Did you take your $5 back? I would have! n/t

[Norquist Nemesis]

13. That's what I would have demanded!

Even if it took a call to the local cops. There's really no excuse for a bell ringer to respond in that way...ESPECIALLY to an individual who just donated $$$ to the bucket.

[SammyBlue]

18. Once I give to a charity, I don't take it back.

My conscience won't let me. Someone could need it more than me.

[dad]

7. Happy Atheist Day to you

Wait a minute, we don't even have any holidays at all!

[Marnieworld]

50. Sure we do!

There's Festivus for the rest of us. I personally celebrate "Annual Gift Day" with my husband. That's why Happy Holidays is most appropriate because you never know what somebody celebrates. We can be celebrating getting the day off.

[Midnight Rambler]

62. Happ Festivus!

[Marnieworld]

65. And now for the airing of grievances

followed by the feats of strength.

type in festivus into google and be amazed at how much is there.

[in_cog_ni_to]

8. You did take back your 5 bucks, right? n/t

[yellowcanine]

9. It takes a lot of chutzpah to flame someone who just donated to your cause

I suspect that bell ringer's minders would be none too pleased. Maybe you should have ratted on him.

[Howardx]

10. happy nondenominational winter holiday

thats my response;)

[emmajane67]

70. That does not include those from the Southern Hemisphere n/t

[Karmageddon]

11. I'd have damn sure gotten my $5 back, then gone back into the store....

...and told the manager about the incident, that I or any of my friends (and in your case frat brothers) would ever be back in the store, and returned all of the items I had bought for a refund (get the fucker kicked off the premises). Then I would have called Salvation Army and told them what happened, when and where.

Get their bell-ringers kicked out of a few major store fronts, start costing them money, and see how they change their tune.




Oh, and I would also have come back later and kicked the dude's ass.

[don954]

12. I’m going to start using "Happy Solstice!"

and see how much that pi$$es them off... :evilgrin:

[northzax]

15. get his name and affiliation

and complain about his hostility. The SAlvation Army doesn't want that, I'm sure.

[Mad_Dem_X]

16. OMG, what an a--hole!

The bell ringer, that is. And you even gave him a donation. He should have just responded with, "Thank you," or said nothing at all.

It's people like that who give Christmas and Christians a bad name.

[Ian David]

17. Why do you hate freedom?

I wouldn't turn him in.

He'll just call Pat Robertson and declare that he's a victim in The War on Christmas.

"My boss fired at me because I stood-up and defended Christmas! Christians are a persecuted minority!"

I'm going to call the ACLU and suggest they hold Christmas Caroling fundraisers.

The only way to win is to play their own game and shout "Merry Christmas" alongside them until they're pissing eggnog and their farts smell like chestnuts roasting in an open fire.

We can start by putting up Christmas lights on all our houses and then keeping them up all year.

When they neighbors and authorities complain, we can accuse them of hating Jesus and fighting against Christmas.

"But... but... it's August!"

To which you answer, "Is there ever a wrong time of year to praise Jesus? Now, excuse me, when you stand there the spotlight can't swivel back and forth across all of my animatronic reindeer. And try not to unplug the snow-maker."

We should make it a point to go Christmas Caroling every night all year outside our local churches.

It's Ash Wednesday? Well, Merry Christmas!

Jackie Mason's synagogue is down your street? Well, let's go caroling there on Yom Kippur!

FOX News is doing a live stand-out in front of City Hall? Let's stand behind the reporter and start singing "The Little Drummer Boy" as soon as they're live!

Let's Out-Christmas the Christians.

And don't let them forget-- Jesus' birthday is The 15th of Tishri, during The Jewish Feast of Tabernacles.

If they didn't wish Jesus a Happy Birthday on October 18th, then somewhere Baby Jesus is crying.

[trogdor]

59. Hilarious!

And and excellent idea to boot.

[BoneDaddy]

19. Happy Chanukah

Sorry to hear the Sally bell ringer doesn't even know the basics of his fucking holiday. People are such shitheads.

[Initech]

20. I'm getting sick of this anti-Christmas crap too!

And I celebrate Christmas just like the next guy. I swear the next right-winger who thinks that we're trying to get Christmas taken away and replaced with "happy holidays" is getting kicked in the balls! :grr:

[freestyle]

21. Actually, it's Advent now, for Christians.

But, you don't hear anyone raging on about that. Christmas is one day. Chanukah begins the 25th this year, I think, so we are still early for that. Kwanzaa begins on the 26th, as always. Eid has already passed. So, this idiot should have said Happy Advent if he was so into the Christian calendar. Or, he could have said Happy Holidays like a non-asshole would anyway.

I don't give to the Salvation Army anymore because of their anti-gay bigotry. There are plenty of other charitable organizations. If they have volunteers like this fool, they may lose more donors.

[Flirtus]

31. Thanks! I always reply with 'a blessed advent' and will switch to

Epiphany when it's due. I do get strange looks, but no arguments. Nice to be a tall woman once in a while.

and on edit, Christmas is twelve days, beginning with Christmas Day and followed by the Epiphany - the Eastern Orth. Christmas. So everybody gets to pick a day.

[freestyle]

36. You are correct. The season is twelve days. My mistake.

And then, we are into Epiphany. Isn't the church year fun.

[Flirtus]

39. and it seems we are the only two

who notice this. Even at choir tonight, after thinking it would be cute to relay this discussion, I had to explain myself. So I'm glad you're there, and, do you do blue or purple? and pink for next week?

[MountainLaurel]

38. That won't work for fundies

Who generally don't follow Advent, Lent, etc., and likely have heard the terms but don't know what they refer to. (I think they consider it Catholic-style frippery.)

[Flirtus]

40. you are right!

altho' i'm episcopal, it is catholic-style frippery. the liturgical which is so natural and meditative to me is confounding to the gospel choir i sing with. it's good for all of us to learn new stuff, keeps the brain cells fresh.

Happy Holidays!

[stanwyck]

22. I was rather surprised

at Pier One at Atlantic Station in Atlanta last weekend when the clerk repeatedly wished people "Merry Christmas!" It doesn't bother me (a lapsed Presbyterian) but I worry that some shoppers might be offended. There was a father with his daughter in front of me in the line...from the Mideast judging by their appearance and accents.(one of those amazingly beautiful children who was happy and smiling at everyone). The father didn't respond but the little girl looked puzzled.
Maybe all religions should start calling out religious greetings to everyone until it just becomes ludicrous. (Happy Ramadan to You!)Then maybe our retail institutions would get past this mixing of the religious with commerce.

[madeline_con]

45. "... from the Mideast ..."

Are you assuming they were Muslim? That opens an entirely new can of worms. The kid could have been puzzling over any number of things, btw.

[stanwyck]

46. I'm not making assumptions

that's the point. My guess is that by appearance and accent these people are from the Mideast. I could easily be wrong.
Maybe they're Christian.
I just don't think mixing a specific religion with retail in our melting pot country is a good thing.

[madeline_con]

71. "... mixing a specific religion with retail ..."

Now that's funny. With the "commercialization of Christmas" being protested, and the seeming exclusive monopoly of the season in the eyes of the bell ringer, and all the talk of "freedom" from the RW as they make sure it's only their version of what's proper that will be tolerated.

Happy Holidays to you and yours. There, I said it. :eyes:

[stanwyck]

72. Thanks!

I hope you have a wonderful holiday season.

[central scrutinizer]

23. print some of these

<>

or

<>

[MountainLaurel]

26. Thanks for those

I need to stock up for the holiday season!

[Lisa0825]

55. Those are fabulous!!!

I am going to use those!!! :yourock:

[CrazyOrangeCat]

24. Hang in there, man . . .

He's no follower of the Christ who hung out with drunks, whores, and sick people.

Hope he gets run over by a church bus. The lousy asshat.

Have a great party anyway!

[donheld]

35. Welcome to DU you CrazyOrangeCat

:hi::toast:

[CrazyOrangeCat]

37. Thank you!

[stillcool]

25. I'm wondering...

if all this hoopla is because the GOP is worried about holiday sales being flat...and rather than have that reflect on the state of Americans' empty pockets, they have a red-herring ready to go.

[CrazyOrangeCat]

27. yeah, kinda sounds like Rove, don't it? n/t

[stillcool]

32. The mental gymnastics required.....

these days, to extract a modicum of logic by reading between the lines is exhausting.....the only thing I know is that I don't 'know' anything...and anything is possible.

[CrazyOrangeCat]

34. I know. This is one crooked piece of time . . . n/t

[Brewman_Jax]

28. Ran into one last week

what happened to the usual "God bless you"? That caught me by surprise. I told her "Merry Hanukkah" and kept walking. The NEXT time may be Merry Hanukkah or Merry Kwanzaa or Merry Holidays, but I'll be sure that the individual hears it.

[Habibi]

29. Well, that sucks.

You could contact your local SA office and report this nasty, deformed little soul. Mention that you have no intention of ever putting another dime into a red kettle unless they get this idjit off the street. (If you tell them the time and location, they should be able to figure out who it was.)

Fight this nonsense.

[eShirl]

30. mAnne Coulter: saying "Merry Christmas!" is like saying "F*ck you!"

So maybe maybe a good response would be, "Yeah? Well Merry Christmas to you to, Bub!" j/k

[sinkingfeeling]

33. The incident should be reported to the Salvation Army. The bell

ringer was totally out of line. In a civilized society, people exchange greetings...he said Merry Xmas and you said Happy Chanukah.. and that should have ended the polite conversation. I'm not Jewish, but I'm going to try it with the local SA in front of the IGA. I want to see what happens.

[AlienGirl]

41. It's that time of the year again...HAMMER TIME!

http://www.thehebrewhammer.com/

This is one of the funniest movies ever, and it can be really good on days when you feel like you've been Christmased-to-death.

Tucker

[Generic Other]

42. Complain to the charity involved. They owe you an abject apology

Was it the Salvation Army? I won't give them a cent if it was, and I will tell them why.

[crispini]

43. What an asshole.

Sorry about all of that. Sheesh.

[seabeyond]

44. Happy Chanukah's to you. i so dont mind sharing a day

my 8 year old tonight yelled form the shower,........ happy harmonica. lol lol took me a minute to figure out what he was saying. happy Hanukkah (sp?) you mean. ya, he says.

these people are being fed. like little lost children they are being fed bad, and they are being fooled in the most important, their own spirituality. they are to be pitied. but to be angry, to want to beat them up just ruins your day. what is important to them the most, that they yell about and are trying to protect and defend, they have walked away from, in their anger. not worth it. and they are the minority. dont be in their game. enjoy your celebration, in love, and you win

Happy HOLIDAYs to all

[Name removed]

47. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[trogdor]

60. Actually...

...the Solstice occurs at 6:35 PM Zulu time (1:35 PM EST) on the 21st. Happy Solstice!

[mattomjoe]

48. Why do these people need EVERYTHING to validate

their belief system? I've never seen such an insecure and miserable bunch!

[Rockholm]

49. Sammy, those Xtians don't suck cock.

They just trash those guys who do.

[Marnieworld]

51. Happy Channukah Sammy!

I am so disgusted at what you went through. It's insane that you were corrected when really, technically, you are both right. How can they say that? It's so sick that a McCarthy like O'Reilly gets to program the masses and validate their innate, ignorant hate. Pathetic person really. So Christlike! :eyes: As if Jesus would say, "It's Christmas you asshole!"

I agree that you should have left your donation because it wasn't for him but the overall charity. Personally I stopped giving to the SA after they were blatant about their gay hatred in their hiring process. Yet another reason to not do it. Tis the season!

[The Backlash Cometh]

52. You just cut to the core of their lie.

They are the Christian gestapo and they absolutely intend to monopolize this holiday season for themselves and infringe on everybody else's free speech and religious rights.

[Gregorian]

53. I was thinking about something like that yesterday.

I swear, I was on my way to do just what you did. I'm not Jewish. But it has been bothering me, a lot, that everything is Merry Christmas this, and ho ho ho that, and Christmas carols over the PA system in stores, and flashing Christmas trees. It's Christmas time GOD DAMNIT! Not Chanukah, not Quansa, not anything but fucking CHRISTMAST! The Shock and Awe of holidays. And it keeps donning on me that there are people who aren't Christians. And what do they think of all of this. You know, sort of like thinking about what Iraqis might think about being the recipient of our bombs. You might take all of this the wrong way, because of how I've put it into these words. We're bombarded with a commercial holiday that has a purpose. I doesn't matter how it started, because this is what it is now. It's automatic. Like clockwork. Like a machine. Like a factory that stamps out fiber optic Christmas trees by the thousands. One could easily write a book on this.

I could go on and on. I have my own experiences. I have pressures from my family (mother). And I have boycotted Christmas for 25 years. I don't do Christmas. I would. But not in this way.

Five bucks! Man, you are a kind and generous soul. Bless you. I gave fifty cents yesterday, and I got five minutes of great whistling by a funny fat guy dressed in a santa outfit with his rhythm bell accompaniment. Pretty good for half a buck. Haha.

Don't despair. You are not alone. There are many people who are aware. However, we're in for a long battle with the corporations though. They serve the lowest common denominator. And they are beasts.

[MallRat]

54. Congratulations. You fell for the Republican noise machine.

Nothing distracts the masses more than the notion that godless liberals are attacking Christ.

The fact that you're even dignifying this "debate" with a response just plays right into their hands. Who cares about Valerie Plame, Katrina reconstruction, Delay-Abramoff, lying us into war in Iraq, sky-high energy prices, or black box voting? WE NEED SPEND OUR VALUABLE TIME AND MEDIA ACCESS REASSURING EVERYONE THAT WE REALLY DON'T HATE CHRISTIANS!!!

THIS might be the most important idea I've seen around DU in a long, long time:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x5538861

REJECT THE PREMISE. NO ONE IS DECLARING WAR ON CHRISTMAS. DON'T PLAY THEIR GAME.

-MR

[hvn_nbr_2]

57. "Militant Christians"--think I'll start using that term.

Or maybe "radical militant Christians."

[noamnety]

61. I'd complain to both the charity AND to Albertsons

The store probably authorized him to stand there, so they are also responsible for his behavior.

[jonnyblitz]

63. this time of year SUCKS for many of us non-christians

that's for sure. I always feel under seige.

[Midnight Rambler]

64. Well that was mighty Christian of him

Cause we all know Jesus regularly called people assholes. Especially people kind enough to aid the poor.

[roguevalley]

66. Happy Chanukah, my friend. Jesus was born on April 17, 7 BC so

these assholes have it wrong.

"Shepherds by night, watching flocks" -- only in spring, which is in April would they be there. Winter? No.

Star: Astronomers pick the date in which the planets lined up, Jupiter the Kingmaker first was April 17,
7 BC.

Tell them to f themselves for me.

[Jade Fox]

67. You should report this incident to the Salvation Army.

They should know what their bell ringers are up to.

[Swamp Rat]

68. Murderoch's propaganda seems to be working on the weak-minded folks.

I find it's best to just laugh at them and say, "OK, merry fucking christmas!" :D

[sakabatou]

69. I with ya...

Want some sufganyot, Sammy?

[malaise]

73. So why did you give him your money n/t