Richard Tafoya
Dec 23rd, 2006, 02:34 PM
LA Times:
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-christmas23dec23,0,6673512.story?coll=la-home-headlines
Tim Wildmon, president of the American Family Assn., said he was delighted with the revenue from "War on Christmas" merchandise, which supplemented the ministry's $13-million annual budget. All 500,000 buttons and 125,000 magnets were sold out by early December. "It was very successful for us," Wildmon said.
Liberty Counsel too rated the sale a success. "It did help with donations, but more than anything else, it helped with exposure," said spokeswoman Robin Bryant. She said the group had added many names to its mailing list for future fund drives. "It just ballooned," Bryant said.
In fact, the fundraising went so well that the religious right plans to branch out. Next up: the War on Easter.
Scouts for the American Family Assn., which is based in Tupelo, Miss., will keep a keen eye out for stores that promote "spring baskets" or "spring bonnets" instead of celebrating the Resurrection. The group already has laid in a stash of Easter buttons, featuring three gold crosses and the words "He Lives." They'll go on sale in early January.
Critics call such fundraising a scam that feeds on lies that the atheist left has a plot to undermine Christianity. "It's too ridiculous," said the Rev. Barry Lynn, executive director of Americans United for the Separation of Church and State. "They're raising money for a nonexistent war."
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-christmas23dec23,0,6673512.story?coll=la-home-headlines
Tim Wildmon, president of the American Family Assn., said he was delighted with the revenue from "War on Christmas" merchandise, which supplemented the ministry's $13-million annual budget. All 500,000 buttons and 125,000 magnets were sold out by early December. "It was very successful for us," Wildmon said.
Liberty Counsel too rated the sale a success. "It did help with donations, but more than anything else, it helped with exposure," said spokeswoman Robin Bryant. She said the group had added many names to its mailing list for future fund drives. "It just ballooned," Bryant said.
In fact, the fundraising went so well that the religious right plans to branch out. Next up: the War on Easter.
Scouts for the American Family Assn., which is based in Tupelo, Miss., will keep a keen eye out for stores that promote "spring baskets" or "spring bonnets" instead of celebrating the Resurrection. The group already has laid in a stash of Easter buttons, featuring three gold crosses and the words "He Lives." They'll go on sale in early January.
Critics call such fundraising a scam that feeds on lies that the atheist left has a plot to undermine Christianity. "It's too ridiculous," said the Rev. Barry Lynn, executive director of Americans United for the Separation of Church and State. "They're raising money for a nonexistent war."