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Ugh, what the hell is wrong with people??
Posted: Sat Dec 03, 2005 11:43 pm
by Battlebot
PC rules blamed for Santa shortage
By Joe Spagnolo
December 04, 2005
DISILLUSIONED by a growing list of rules imposed by recruiting agencies and shopping centres to guard against litigation, men who have brought smiles to the faces of thousands of young West Australians for decades are reluctantly deciding to call it quits.
They can't hand out lollies, they can't pat children on the head because of religious beliefs, they can't put children on their laps unless they get permission from parents and they can't have photographs taken with youngsters unless their hands are in full view.
So frightened have some Santas become of being sued that they are demanding extra helpers to act as witnesses just in case a complaint is made.
Santas are even being told not to go around saying 'Ho, ho, ho' because they may frighten children.
One Santa told The Sunday Times he walked through a shopping centre in silence because he was worried he'd be sacked if he appeared too jolly.
Political leaders Matt Birney and Brendon Grylls (Nationals) said the plight of Santas highlighted a worrying trend around the world of political correctness gone mad.
Labor Minister Ljiljanna Ravlich said it was important society struck the right balance between political correctness and what some people saw as acceptable behaviour.
For Athol Marsh, who has donned the red-and-white suit for 41 years, and John Gomez, who has played Santa for a decade, the pressure ofbeing politically correct has become too much and they say this will be their last year playing the jolly man.
Many other Santas will follow them into retirement, while some of their former colleagues have been hanging up their boots since the rules began evolving a few years ago.
"Kids want to have a real Santa, not a grouchy fake who can't wait to knock off and get out of costume," Mr Marsh said.
"The ones who did the job because they loved doing it and wanted to keep a child's dream alive are no longer working because of the stupid rules and a lot are thinking, as I am, that this will be the last year.
"There are still Santas in stores, but the heart has gone out of them.
"The rules are getting ridiculous.
"How can you stop a child running up to you and leaping into your arms? Do you just drop them and say: 'Sorry, against the rules'?
"Kids run and cuddle Santa because they love the guy in the red suit."
Mr Gomez said the day was coming when Santas would no longer be a part of the Christmas spirit.
He feared Santas in shopping centres and public areas would be shielded behind glass screens, away from children.
"It used to be a fun job. I used to look forward to it every year, but not any more," he said.
"The fear of litigation hangs over you because you might have grabbed a kid the wrong way or helped a kid in the wrong way.
"Santa can't even be portrayed as a fat, jolly old fellow any more because it's not politically correct.
"Once upon a time you'd walk through the mall saying 'Ho, ho, ho, Merry Christmas', but now you say nothing."
The Sunday Times has been told that shopping centres and other venues are battling to find enough Santas.
Perth-based Westaff, which employs Santas every year, is still 10 short with only three weeks until Christmas.
A Westaff spokeswoman said Santa recruits were given a list of rules to follow at an annual training session in Perth.
Some rules had been introduced to protect the Santas and shopping centres from possible litigation, she said. Santas also required a police clearance.
link
first it was the "you can't say merry christmas" thing, and now this bullshiat
America is getting more and more retarded by the day
Posted: Sat Dec 03, 2005 11:51 pm
by Mobius
That's as may be, but this story is about how f**ked up Australia is.
New Zealand, thankfully, still has plenty of fat, jolly Santas getting puked on, pissed on, and grabbed by little kids.
Our political opposition party ("National") has a new portfolio also, the purpose of which is to stamp out political correctness. Funny, but true!
Posted: Sat Dec 03, 2005 11:59 pm
by fyrephlie
lame. merry chrismahanakwanzakanathiest day
Posted: Sun Dec 04, 2005 1:29 am
by Top Gun
Shoot all the lawyers. All our problems will be solved.
Posted: Sun Dec 04, 2005 4:07 am
by Duper
Battlebot, I make a point of saying Merry Christmas and most of the time I get a relieved "Thank you, you too."
25+ years of politcal correctness has made me sick to my stomach. I'm done with it.
People are offensive. We all are at some time or another, it's time folks grow up and get over themselves.
Posted: Sun Dec 04, 2005 4:24 am
by Robo
It's just as bad in the UK. I'd give an example, but I don't want the correctness-police knocking on my door.
Posted: Sun Dec 04, 2005 7:38 am
by CDN_Merlin
I've grown tired of the "political correctness" bullcrap here in Canada. Our politicians are saying we need to apease the other cultures we have here. WTF, man when are we gonna protect our own?
Xmas is no longer Xmas here, it's just "holidays". Xmas trees are gonna become "holiday trees".
I'm so frigin tired of this. WHAT ABOUT OUR BELIEFS!!!!! WE WERE HERE FIRST DAMMIT!!!
If you don't f*cking like it, go back to yuor f*cking country. Oh yeah I forgot, if you go back, you'll get raped, killed, or become a terrorist. Sucks to be you huh?
Posted: Sun Dec 04, 2005 9:33 am
by AceCombat
this is why i could care less about politics.
Posted: Sun Dec 04, 2005 10:17 am
by woodchip
AceCombat wrote:this is why i could care less about politics.
Ahh but Acey, this is precisely why you should else one day you get arrested for holding kittens improperly.
Posted: Sun Dec 04, 2005 12:31 pm
by Deathwinger
Lol, why do you guys take this crap on? What the hell are they gonna do if you say 'Merry Christmas'? Sue you? That'll never hold up in a court of law.
Posted: Sun Dec 04, 2005 12:44 pm
by ccb056
what we need is 'a festivus for the rest of us'
Posted: Sun Dec 04, 2005 12:45 pm
by Ferno
Well I guess part of the problem is there are lawyers willing to take on the most asinine of cases from litigation happy people.
Posted: Mon Dec 05, 2005 1:17 am
by roid
Battlebot wrote:America is getting more and more retarded by the day
Western Australia is not America.
the Sunday Times is a
News-Ltd media outlet, as such claims of the "World of political correctness gone mad" are their politically motivated speciality. It's australia's FOX (no really... it's the same company).
I grew up in Western Australia. In recent years australia has had a strong campaign to crack down on child abuse. You now need a special license to work with kids at all, just a basic background/criminal history check.
This is what it's referring to when it states:
"Santas also required a police clearance".
From the amount of child abuse storys i've been exposed to (incl first hand accounts of sexual abuse), i think it's a step in the right direction.
You guys may think this kindof stuff rarely happens, but you'd be amazed at the amount of stuff that gets swept under the rug.
It's more likely that Westaff are having trouble employing Santas because it's a horrible job working with crying children and the pay is ★■◆● - these final constraints that some employers are putting on their Santas are the last straw and they have finally thrown in the towel because they are simply not appreciated (that was the only reason these old guys were being Santa anyway, coz they felt it was appreciated).
If shopping mall corporations' legal-departments are recommending they screw Santa, it's their own loss.
Santas have other business, i see them at regular outdoor Summer festivals all the time. And i sometimes even see Santa being driven around the suburbs on the back back of a ute.
The spirit isn't dead just coz your
religious temples shopping malls are so frugal they screwed Santa over. There is life outside the Mall.
CDN_Merlin wrote:I'm so frigin tired of this. WHAT ABOUT OUR BELIEFS!!!!! WE WERE HERE FIRST DAMMIT!!!
no. you wern't.
Posted: Mon Dec 05, 2005 12:15 pm
by Ferno
your beliefs are your business, not anyone else's. so stop pushin them on others.
Posted: Mon Dec 05, 2005 12:53 pm
by CDN_Merlin
CDN_Merlin wrote:
I'm so frigin tired of this. WHAT ABOUT OUR BELIEFS!!!!! WE WERE HERE FIRST DAMMIT!!!
no. you wern't.
Um yeah the indians were here forst and we won the war. No we are here. Hence I don't appreciate another culture coming here and getting offended because us Catholics prefer to say "merry xmas" instead of "happy holidays" to you. If you don't like it, go back home.
Now lets see here, if I went to one of their counrties and started to yell "merry xmas" and cry because I'm offended by their religious beliefs, I'd get a bullet in the head.
So, sorry but I have no sympathy for these people.
Posted: Mon Dec 05, 2005 1:25 pm
by fyrephlie
roid's point on safety of the child is very good, because i would not some sort of child molester holding my kids on his lap.
the pc of holidays over christmas does have some pangs of anti-christian sentiment. but all in all (see Ethics in regards to christmas being based on pagan backgrounds) it might be appropriate. i myself will say happy holidays because i no longer consider myself 'christian' in the strict organized religion sense.
but it is up to you what you do.
it sucks that santa is worried about losing his job if he appears to be too jolly, but i guess its better than him touching some kids inapprotiatley.
Posted: Mon Dec 05, 2005 5:09 pm
by AceCombat
woodchip wrote:AceCombat wrote:this is why i could care less about politics.
Ahh but Acey, this is precisely why you should else one day you get arrested for holding kittens improperly.
hrmmmm....... maybe im going to hold you improperly!!
Posted: Mon Dec 05, 2005 8:23 pm
by Richard Cranium
This is truely sad. Make me ill.
Posted: Mon Dec 05, 2005 8:24 pm
by Richard Cranium
Merry Christmas, everyone, and have a happy New Year!