CWA: Chicago Way Off the Mark in Reaction to Nativity Ads

CWA: Chicago Way Off the Mark in Reaction to Nativity Ads
'It Would Be Humorous If It Weren't True,' Says Group Spokeswoman
By Ed Thomas
November 30, 2006

(AgapePress) - The city of Chicago's claim that sponsorship of a German-American Christmas festival by the studio releasing The Nativity Story movie would be insensitive to other religions is being called "politically correct nonsense" by a women's public-policy group.

Lanier Swann is director of government relations for Concerned Women for America, a conservative policy group based in Washington, DC. She calls the accusation "unbelievable" that ads posted for a new movie portraying the life of the very person the Christkindlmarket Festival celebrates could be insensitive to believers of faith other than Christianity. As well, the threat from the city to remove its support of the festival unless New Line Cinema's movie was removed as an official sponsor.

"The mayor [of Chicago, Richard M. Daley] did release a brief statement saying that he really felt it wasn't appropriate advertising," Swann notes. It is a sad state of affairs in America, she says, when offense is more easily found in ads for a theatrical Nativity story than for, say, Victoria's Secret, a lingerie retailer often criticized by pro-family groups for its ads and displays featuring scantily clad women.

"Really, I'm so curious to know what the mayor of Chicago finds appropriate," Swann adds.
CWA says the trend of being offended by the mere mention of Christ is an "overdone cliché." And Swann says not only is the rationale behind the statement politically correct nonsense, but the threat to remove city support could be a possible violation of the Illinois Human Rights Act.
"You see this entire Christmas event covered in Christmas decorations, with a Nativity scene right in the middle of it, and yet they're worried about offending festival-goers by an ad on the true meaning of Christmas," she explains. "The whole thing, honestly, just seems so lacking in terms of logic."

Meanwhile, a New Line Cinema spokeswoman says the Chicago festival is the only instance in its nationwide publicity campaign for The Nativity Story where its sponsorship was turned down.

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