GAP Caves to Fundamentalist "Christmas" Demands

November 24, 2009 | Filed under: Culture Wars | Posted by: Mike Daniels

The American Family Association (AFA) has suspended its boycott of GAP, Inc. following a promise of a new ad, to be unveiled this weekend, promoting the Christian holiday of Christmas. GAP’s recent ad which mentioned a number of winter holidays was deemed “offensive” by the AFA.

On November 17, AFA president Tim Wildmon sent an outraged email to members, complaining that GAP had responded to demands for a mention of Christmas with an ad which mentioned it among other winter holidays!

Gap has responded to AFA’s call for a Christmas boycott of their Gap, Old Navy, and Banana Republic stores with a commercial that takes a cavalier approach towards Christmas.

The video entitled Ready for Holiday Cheer features a group of people dancing and chanting:

Two, Four, Six, Eight, now’s the time to liberate
Go Christmas, Go Hanukkah, Go Kwanza, Go Solstice.
Go classic tree, go plastic tree, go plant a tree, go add a tree,
You 86 the rules, you do what feels just right.
Happy do whatever you wanukkah, and to all a cheery night.

Go Christmas, Go Hanukkah, go whatever holiday you wanukkah.

Did you notice it? Gap compares Christmas to the pagan holiday called “Solstice.” Solstice is celebrated by Wiccans who practice witchcraft!

Gap also encourages you to “86″ or “dismiss” traditions and “do what feels just right.”

AFA held an online poll asking whether the boycott should be withdrawn; as of this writing, 5,163 voted yes, and 47,648 voted no, that the GAP had disrespected Christians with the offensive ad which dared to mention other holidays!

Next to the poll link, Wildmon offers an opportunity for the offended to donate to AFA; a one-time gift of $25 or more, or a monthly gift of $15 or more!

Today, Wildmon gleefully announced the suspension of the boycott:

Your actions make a difference! Gap says “pro-Christmas” ad to air this weekend

November 24, 2009

According to Bill Chandler, vice-president of Gap corporate communications, Gap’s Old Navy division will launch a new television commercial this weekend which “has a very strong Christmas theme.”

Chandler responded to AFA last Friday, after a poll showed 90% of AFA supporters wanted to continue the boycott as a result of Gap’s initial “holiday” ad that mingled Christmas with the pagan “Winter Solstice” holiday.

Gap says the new ad will include the popular Supermodelquins proudly cheering “Merry Christmas”, and features Christmas trees, lights and ornaments as well.

In good faith, AFA is suspending the Gap boycott until it has an opportunity to view the new commercial this weekend.

As a result of your dedicated actions, we believe Gap is beginning to realize that Christmas is not just another “holiday” and will begin to advertise in a way that is respectful to Christians and Christmas shoppers.

Here is the last call to stand with us and proclaim to our communities that Christmas is not just a winter holiday focused on materialism, but a “holy day” when we celebrate the birth of our Savior. We can do it in a gentle and effective way by wearing the “God’s Gift – Merry Christmas” button. Don’t wait! Place your order by December 1 to receive it before Christmas.*

I’m doing my level best not to launch a petition for rational people to chide GAP for caving to the pressure of 50,000 self-centered fundamentalists. I’d not suggest a boycott; I don’t think this is worth costing front-line employees their jobs. However, I may seriously reconsider whether I’ll be doing any shopping at the formerly-courageous GAP.

What do you think?

(*Yes, I know. Wildmon wants to remind you that Christmas isn’t about materialistic things, like holiday shopping, by drawing your attention to holiday shopping ads, and selling you buttons.)

Mike Daniels is co-editor of Secular News Daily.

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7 Responses to GAP Caves to Fundamentalist "Christmas" Demands

Grace November 28, 2009 - 2:32 pm

http://www.gapinc.com/public/Media/Press_Releases/med_pr_ChristmasStatement112009.shtml?OVRAW=war%20on%20christmas&OVKEY=war%20on%20christmas&OVMTC=standard&OVADID=67303160511&OVKWID=421777083511

The Gap did not “cave” This new “Christmas themed” commercial has been in the works for awhile. In the above article they CRITICISE the AFA for their misleading campaign. The AFA is acting like the big cheeses from the Gap & the AFA, sat down, and the GAP profusely apologised and came up with the commercial at the demands of the AFA. The Gap printed a REBUTTAL to the “misleading” AFA campaign against the Gap and mentioned that they will be unveiling another “Christmas themed” ad. The Gap is just trying to save face, to make it look like they actually bulled the Gap into making a quickie “Christian friendly” commercial. The AFA probolby knows that their boycott won’t do squat (it didn’t effect Disney) so they are just trying to look like they are being noble and calling off the boycott, because the Gap “caved” when in fact they did NOT.

- Grace November 28, 2009 - 2:34 pm
  
  Actually in the above comment, I meant to say “The AFA is just trying to save face,” not “The Gap is just trying to save face”
  
  - Jenny December 1, 2009 - 12:59 pm
    
    Grace, why wouldn’t the Gap have avoided the boycott entirely by telling AFA, months ago, the proposed content of their holiday ads? This is the third year AFA has gone after Gap.
    
    - Grace December 1, 2009 - 5:36 pm
      
      The Gap is not obliged to submit their ad campaigns to the AFA for approval.
      
      I do believe it’s customary to keep commercials confidential until they are aired.
      
      - Jenny December 1, 2009 - 6:00 pm
        
        That’s true, Grace. However, if I were running a company that had been the subject of attacks for three years in a row for not using “Christmas” in my ads, and was now subject of a threatened boycott, and was planning to do “Christmas”-themed ads, I’d be sure to let the boycotters know BEFORE they launched their boycott . . . Not after I lost sales.
        
        Sorry, I’m not buying it. It seems clear to me — even from the press release you linked to, and thank you for that — Gap Stores caved in to bullying by the AFA. I, for one, will be doing my shopping elsewhere.
        
Dan November 30, 2009 - 9:00 pm

Actually the solstice was what the druids celebrated (The wiccans as well) and was celebrated before the catholic pope pious(the 14th I believe, but could be mistaken) decided to crush the pagan religions and their holidays(EG, Yule Tide and Yule Log…you know that from the x-mas songs…google it) by deciding to celebrate the birth of the supposed messiah on that date. Nobody really knows when that guy was born as there are no records.
It was the just the christian churches way of trying to wipe out another culture.

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GAP Caves to Fundamentalist "Christmas" Demands

7 Responses to GAP Caves to Fundamentalist "Christmas" Demands

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