Ga. Gov Changes 'Holiday' Press Release
From Associated Press
December 03, 2005 12:08 AM EST
ATLANTA - When it comes to Christmas, political correctness apparently only lasts about a half-hour in Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue's office.
A press release sent by Perdue's office Friday afternoon announced plans for a "holiday tree" lighting ceremony at the governor's mansion.
Thirty minutes later, a second release went out reading: "It is, in fact, a Christmas tree."
That release blaming the earlier wording on "a politically correct staff brain-freeze," and said, "The staffer responsible can be contacted at P.O. Box 432, Anchorage, Alaska, 99501."
Religious conservatives have objected to the use of the term "holiday tree," saying it seeks to minimize the Christian origins of Christmas. Jerry Falwell, founder of Liberty University and the defunct Moral Majority, e-mailed 500,000 followers urging support for the "Friend or Foe Christmas Campaign" aimed at public officials, schools and retailers.
Perdue spokesman Dan McLagan said there's no doubt where the Republican governor comes down on the issue.
"When the governor learns that one of my staffers even inadvertently used the words 'holiday tree,' I am probably going to be in trouble," McLagan said. "It does go to show the pervasiveness of the media influence that that word would even occur to someone to use in that context."
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1 comment:
I like that you included the copyright line.
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