# Fired Home Depot cashier - how do Right-leaning people feel?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fired-home-depot-cashier-how-do-right-leaning-people-feel/515609
**Category:** Great Debates
**Created:** [October 29, 2009, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fired-home-depot-cashier-how-do-right-leaning-people-feel/515609 "2009-10-29T14:56:01Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 4
### Author:  [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)
#### Post date: [October 29, 2009, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fired-home-depot-cashier-how-do-right-leaning-people-feel/515609/61 "2009-10-29T23:37:17Z")
> [@Sateryn76](#):
>
> I just want to say that I find it laughable that Christians still claim some kind of ownership in Christmas. Sure, it’s “Jesus’ birthday” to them, but it is celebrated by all sorts of people, and is joined by celebrations of all sorts of other beliefs.
>
> It’s just a winter solstice celebration, for family and warmth and happiness.
Are you kidding me? That’s like saying you find it laughable that Christians claim ownership of Easter. The fact that it has been co-opted into a sort of generic, secular winter holiday doesn’t remove or replace its original meaning, or how it came to be named Christmas in the first place.
And besides, historically there has been no need to ‘claim’ it until recently when other people started trying to suppress it or remove it from public view.
---
### Author:  [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)
#### Post date: [October 29, 2009, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fired-home-depot-cashier-how-do-right-leaning-people-feel/515609/62 "2009-10-29T23:37:23Z")
> [@panache45](#):
>
> I don’t know where you live, but . . . is Home Depot your government?
Ain’t you never heard of the Depot of Home Security?
---
### Author:  [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)
#### Post date: [October 29, 2009, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fired-home-depot-cashier-how-do-right-leaning-people-feel/515609/63 "2009-10-29T23:39:03Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#):
>
> Are you kidding me? That’s like saying you find it laughable that Christians claim ownership of Easter. The fact that it has been co-opted into a sort of generic, secular winter holiday doesn’t remove or replace its original meaning
I thought celebration of the solstice _was_ its original meaning. It was Christians who co-opted it first, if we’re to take co-opting into account.
---
### Author:  [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)
#### Post date: [October 29, 2009, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fired-home-depot-cashier-how-do-right-leaning-people-feel/515609/64 "2009-10-29T23:41:17Z")
> [@Sateryn76](#):
>
> I just want to say that I find it laughable that Christians still claim some kind of ownership in Christmas. Sure, it’s “Jesus’ birthday” to them, but it is celebrated by all sorts of people, and is joined by celebrations of all sorts of other beliefs.
>
> It’s just a winter solstice celebration, for family and warmth and happiness.
The root word of Christmas is “Christ”. By that simple criteria alone Christians have the exclusive right to claim ownership of Christmas.
I don’t think you meant to say what you said in quite the way you said it.
---
### Author:  [@Revenant\_Threshold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revenant_Threshold)
#### Post date: [October 29, 2009, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fired-home-depot-cashier-how-do-right-leaning-people-feel/515609/65 "2009-10-29T23:51:29Z")
> [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](#):
>
> The root word of Christmas is “Christ”. By that simple criteria alone Christians have the exclusive right to claim ownership of Christmas.
_Exclusive_ seems to be going too far the other way. It doesn’t seem reasonable to claim either that Christmas is entirely without or entirely within the ownership of Christians.
---
### Author:  [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)
#### Post date: [October 30, 2009, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fired-home-depot-cashier-how-do-right-leaning-people-feel/515609/66 "2009-10-30T00:01:28Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#):
>
> No specific person or persons in mind. But there are plenty of people both out in society and here on the Dope who object quite a bit to Christmas imagery and what they view as the imposition of it upon everyone else.
Cite? I haven’t seen this. Even if it were true, it doesn’t infringe on your rights. You don’t have a right for people to _like_ your religious expression.
> [@](#):
>
> It’s not for nothing, after all, that Target decided two or three years ago to advertise their Christmas trees as Holiday trees.
This is your best example of Christian persecution? That target markets “Holiday Trees?”
> [@](#):
>
> And I’ve seen sentiments expressed around here to the effect that the only proper place for Christmas imagery and decoration is inside people’s houses.
I haven’t seen it, and I think you’re imagining things, but even if that were true, it wouldn’t be an example of Christians being persecuted and discriminated against. It doesn’t stop you from being able to do anything. You don’t have a right for people to _like_ your religious expression.
> [@](#):
>
> Sorry, no cite. (If for no other reason than we have a particularly inadequate search function here and the key words would be too common to do any good.)
You wouldn’t find anything regardless. I read every religious thread and every “War on Christmas” thread. I’ve never seen anyone say that Christmas inagery should only be expressed in people’s homes.
> [@](#):
>
> I would point out though that in addition to Target’s attempts to rename Christmas trees to something more palatable to non-believers
Actually they did it in order to sell more trees, not to be “more palatable.” The marketing idea is not to limit the use of the product to Christian celebrations, but to make it more generic. No one gives a shit if stores market “Christmas trees,” or say “Merry Christmas.” There aren’t any “nonbelievers” com[laining about it. Stores are simply trying not to narrow their customer base. the only people putting pressure on these stores are butthurt, arm band Christians who can’t stand it that a store has a “Holiday sale” instead of a “Christmas sale.”
> [@](#):
>
> Bill O’Reilly has gotten quite a lot of milage out of what he has portrayed as the “war on Christmas.”
Yes, Bill O’Reilly is the leader of this bullshit, and he’s _completely full of shit_.
> [@](#):
>
> I don’t care enough about it right now to open a thread, but if you really want to know more about this issue you should be able to Google plenty of information about it online.
I know quite a bit about it. That’s why I know it’s bullshit, and why I know that you can’t back up any allegations about Christians being victimized.
> [@](#):
>
> I’m not sure about Fox’s take on it, but I only find “Happy Holidays” offensive when it’s the deliberate result of a person’s saying it as a way to avoid saying Christmas for some political or philosophical reason, or because they’ve been told not to say “Merry Christmas” by their employer.
Bill O’Reilly has specifically said that saying “Happy Holidays” to a Christian is “offensive.”
Also, why are you offended if somebody doesn’t want to say “Christmas?” How does that hurt you?
> [@](#):
>
> the mere fact that this has become an issue is evidence enough of the movement to suppress Christmas decorations and imagery.
This is an absolutely asinine statement. That’s like saying the fact that some people are afraid of Jews is evidence that Jews are conspiring against them.
There is no movement to suppress Christian imagery. It doesn’t exist. Morons like Bill O’Reilly are making it up. Witness your own inability to actually cite a single example.
> [@](#):
>
> Nobody thought twice about either phrase at the time _It’s A Wonderful Life_ was released, so it’s clear that things have changed in the meantime.
Nobody thinks twice about it now. The only difference is that nobody thought they were being oppressed back then if somebody told them “Happy Holidays.”
Christmas movies still get shit out by the boatload, by the way. Name a holiday from any other religion that gets as much lavish adoration in the commercial and media arenas as Chjristmas does.
> [@](#):
>
> That’s right. I’m not claiming Christianity is being oppressed per se, though I most definitely do think efforts are afoot to suppress it
Show some examples (and you misused the phrase _per se_).
> [@](#):
>
> and the reasons are twofold: One, to avoid “offending” non-believers; and two, to make it seem less pervasive throughout society.
That’s quite a vivid imagination you have there. It doesn’t have the slightest basis in reality, though.
---
### Author:  [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)
#### Post date: [October 30, 2009, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fired-home-depot-cashier-how-do-right-leaning-people-feel/515609/67 "2009-10-30T00:04:11Z")
I’m both conservative and Christian, but I can’t really get behind this guy…we’re not supposed to make a showy display of religion:
Matthew 6:5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
Matthew 6: 6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
---
### Author:  [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)
#### Post date: [October 30, 2009, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fired-home-depot-cashier-how-do-right-leaning-people-feel/515609/68 "2009-10-30T00:06:25Z")
> [@Revenant\_Threshold](#):
>
> _Exclusive_ seems to be going too far the other way. It doesn’t seem reasonable to claim either that Christmas is entirely without or entirely within the ownership of Christians.
No, you misunderstand. Anything can be on December 25th. Christmas happens to fall on that date, but that does not mean that the religious holiday of Christmas has the exclusive right to be celebrated on that day. Don’t conflate the date with the celebration.
What other group has an interest in “Christmas” but “Christians”? Take my family, for example. For my wife, Christmas is nothing more than another day. For me, Yom Kippur is nothing more than another day. It would be silly for us to attempt to claim something that we have no vested interest in.
So, how did this become about Christmas, anyway?
---
### Author:  [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)
#### Post date: [October 30, 2009, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fired-home-depot-cashier-how-do-right-leaning-people-feel/515609/69 "2009-10-30T00:08:27Z")
> [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](#):
>
> The root word of Christmas is “Christ”. By that simple criteria alone Christians have the exclusive right to claim ownership of Christmas.
>
> I don’t think you meant to say what you said in quite the way you said it.
This is fatuous. For one thing, it was “Saturnalia” before it was Christmas. For another thing, that’s like saying “thursday” comes from “Thor’s Day,” therefore only Thor worshippers have exclusive ownership of thursdays.
---
### Author:  [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)
#### Post date: [October 30, 2009, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fired-home-depot-cashier-how-do-right-leaning-people-feel/515609/70 "2009-10-30T00:12:34Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#):
>
> Are you kidding me? That’s like saying you find it laughable that Christians claim ownership of Easter. The fact that it has been co-opted into a sort of generic, secular winter holiday doesn’t remove or replace its original meaning, or how it came to be named Christmas in the first place.
It’s original meaning was as a Pagan celebration of the winter solstice. Christans coopted the holiday because pagans were celebrating it anyway.
Easter is named after a pagan goddess, by the way.
---
### Author:  [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)
#### Post date: [October 30, 2009, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fired-home-depot-cashier-how-do-right-leaning-people-feel/515609/71 "2009-10-30T00:16:02Z")
> [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](#):
>
> No, you misunderstand. Anything can be on December 25th. Christmas happens to fall on that date
Christmas doesn’t just “happen” to fall on that date. The celebration existed before Christianity. Christians just tried to make a pagan celebration into a Christian one. They’re certainly allowed to interpret and celebrate the Saturnalia however they want, but they have no special ownership of it.
---
### Author:  [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)
#### Post date: [October 30, 2009, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fired-home-depot-cashier-how-do-right-leaning-people-feel/515609/72 "2009-10-30T00:16:44Z")
It was a business decision. They want to sell to everybody. If an employee bothers some customers with his button ,they may not come back. The company6 should not allow it. It is not anti religious. it is pro business.
---
### Author:  [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)
#### Post date: [October 30, 2009, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fired-home-depot-cashier-how-do-right-leaning-people-feel/515609/73 "2009-10-30T00:17:15Z")
> [@Bricker](#):
>
> …What would be my “righty” reaction?..
Blowin’ up Home Depot real good? 😛
---
### Author:  [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)
#### Post date: [October 30, 2009, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fired-home-depot-cashier-how-do-right-leaning-people-feel/515609/74 "2009-10-30T00:25:39Z")
But guys, efforts are afoot to suppress Christianity! _Efforts are afoot!_
Efforts! By … some people… and they’re afoot!
What more possible proof could you need?
---
### Author:  [@Revenant\_Threshold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revenant_Threshold)
#### Post date: [October 30, 2009, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fired-home-depot-cashier-how-do-right-leaning-people-feel/515609/75 "2009-10-30T00:26:46Z")
> [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](#):
>
> No, you misunderstand. Anything can be on December 25th. Christmas happens to fall on that date, but that does not mean that the religious holiday of Christmas has the exclusive right to be celebrated on that day. Don’t conflate the date with the celebration.
>
> What other group has an interest in “Christmas” but “Christians”? Take my family, for example. For my wife, Christmas is nothing more than another day. For me, Yom Kippur is nothing more than another day. It would be silly for us to attempt to claim something that we have no vested interest in.
I’m not confusing Christmas with December 25th. Take my family; we exchange presents, we eat a Christmas dinner, we see relatives and friends. Already plans are in motion for what’s to happen this coming Christmas. Christmas holds considerable interest for me and my family. Yet, none of us are Christians.
> [@](#):
>
> So, how did this become about Christmas, anyway?
Hey, i’m one of those people that grumbles about places having their decorations up this relatively early. Don’t blame me. 😉
---
### Author:  [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)
#### Post date: [October 30, 2009, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fired-home-depot-cashier-how-do-right-leaning-people-feel/515609/76 "2009-10-30T00:53:15Z")
> [@Rumor\_Watkins](#):
>
> just curious to know which one of the republican party’s tenets gets thrown out the window first.
Any other concerns of fatuousness (fatuity?) aside (wrt the “debate” here), I’d like to congratulate the OP for using the term “tenets”, rather than the depressingly ubiquitous “tenants”.
---
### Author:  [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)
#### Post date: [October 30, 2009, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fired-home-depot-cashier-how-do-right-leaning-people-feel/515609/77 "2009-10-30T01:08:18Z")
There is a real war on Christmas, and it’s being waged by precisely those people who claim to be standing in defense. Think of all those people who bemoan the commercialization and secularization of Christmas: If it’s secular for them, that’s their own fault. It doesn’t stop me from going to Christmas church services, and getting together with family and friends, and singing religious Christmas songs, or any of the rest of it. I never complain about Christmas being secularized, because I’ve chosen not to secularize it.
---
### Author:  [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)
#### Post date: [October 30, 2009, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fired-home-depot-cashier-how-do-right-leaning-people-feel/515609/78 "2009-10-30T01:33:57Z")
> [@](#):
>
> “I was just doing what I think every American should do, just love my country.”
I love stupid quotes like this. Yup, every patriotic American should wear a button-badge to work.
---
### Author:  [@R.P.McMurphy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/R.P.McMurphy)
#### Post date: [October 30, 2009, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fired-home-depot-cashier-how-do-right-leaning-people-feel/515609/79 "2009-10-30T03:20:20Z")
It sounds like everyone is over-thinking this thing. Based on what has been reported, the guy was a total PITA. He was probably one of those employees that was a cancer in the workplace and they really, really wanted to get rid of him so they could go about their business and try to establish a harmonious workplace. The managers were probably looking for anything to get rid of this worthless, self absorbed, sanctimonious POS. When he started pounding his Bible the other employees were probably begging their bosses to can this guy’s sorry ass so they could get on with their jobs and not have to be subjected to his insufferable annoyances.
Therefore, the managers finally pulled the trigger on this asshole. It’s not about Home Depot, discrimination, anti-Christianity, or any other trumped up agenda. They got rid of the idiot for everyone’s benefit. The Home Depot store will be a better place without him. End of story.
---
### Author:  [@JXJohns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JXJohns)
#### Post date: [October 30, 2009, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fired-home-depot-cashier-how-do-right-leaning-people-feel/515609/80 "2009-10-30T03:55:38Z")
> [@Spartydog](#):
>
> … Therefore, the managers finally pulled the trigger on this asshole. It’s not about Home Depot, discrimination, anti-Christianity, or any other trumped up agenda. They got rid of the idiot for everyone’s benefit. The Home Depot store will be a better place without him. End of story.
Exactly. It’s not a left or right wing issue. The guy was a douche and got what he had coming to him.
[Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fired-home-depot-cashier-how-do-right-leaning-people-feel/515609.md?page=3)
[Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fired-home-depot-cashier-how-do-right-leaning-people-feel/515609.md?page=5)