Keller @ Large: Christmas Clash
BOSTON (CBS) - Two weeks to go until Thanksgiving, and then it's peace on earth, goodwill toward man (and woman), the happiest time of the year.
Right?
Hopefully, for most. But for some, the season of light is dimmed by a secular culture's push to downplay its religious significance.
Anger over the spread of holiday euphemisms at the expense of religious symbols – the so-called "War on Christmas" - has been bubbling up for years. And now that long-simmering frustration has found a new outlet -- a "Christmas Buycott" that deploys economic clout to reward businesses that fully embrace the Christian holiday.
Chris Stone, founder of Faith Driven Consumer and the driving force behind the "buycott," tells WBZ he's copying the tactics of the Human Rights Campaign's corporate equality index, which rates companies on their degree of sensitivity to the Campaign's concerns. "In a world of secularization, those people who continue to acknowledge and respect Christmas are going to be more sought after by faith-based driven consumers," says Stone.
But this can get confusing.
For instance, Stone's website frowns on Starbucks because their newly-released seasonal coffee cup design lacks religious references. Stone prefers the approach of Dunkin Donuts, where the cup says "Joy."
But other Starbucks products also cite "Joy" and, for that matter, "Christmas." Is this the fog of war?
"We're looking for parity in the market where faith-driven consumers are treated equally with other communities," says Stone. "And that's something we have a long way to go on."
