Cross-posted at the Writing on the Wal.
From the Associated Press (so it's in papers across the country):
A group of religious protesters demonstrated outside a Wal-Mart superstore Saturday, hoping to turn away customers by calling attention to the retailer's decision to use "happy holidays" rather than "merry Christmas" in its seasonal advertising.
And the poor Wal-Flacks can't catch a break:
Wal-Mart spokeswoman Amy Wyatt said the company has made no effort to remove Christmas from its holiday ads. She said a promotion set to run from mid-November to early January was simply misunderstood: its slogan is "home for the holidays."
"It was a matter of choosing a slogan that carries through the entire season," Wyatt said. "The signs went up before Thanksgiving and won't be taken down until after New Year's. The idea was to focus on the family."
I almost feel sorry for Wal-Mart, but they're being so weasly about this! The company's first statement on Christmas was actually a message of religious diversity:
In regards to advertising, Wal-Mart's theme this season is "Home for the Holidays," reflecting the importance of family to our customers and associates during this special time of year, regardless of individual faiths.
Now they're down to claiming it's just about including Thanksgiving. And what's that bit about "focus on the family" in this latest quote?" Do you think that choice of words was a coincidence? I don't.
Also notice that a demonstration with 50 people at one California Wal-Mart can now get you national coverage. Anybody got any ideas?