Over the weekend the National Republican Congressional Committee took down a much-mocked shirt that read “‘Happy Holidays’ is what liberals say” in the worst possible font. The back featured “Merry Christmas” in a much more resplendent typeface.
“Happy holidays is what liberals say.” http://t.co/oZ0PUQCjsS#BlackFridaypic.twitter.com/MpJ1Wsjj0M
— NRCC (@NRCC) November 29, 2013
A spokesperson for the group claimed that the shirt sold out, which would be convenient. But perhaps the NRCC recognized that they’d smeared many of the heroes of their own party with the “L-word”—the fourth worst insult in the conservative language behind “RINO,” “empathetic,” and “professorial.”
UPDATE: There is now a mug version of the t-shirt.
Because you know who else has used “Happy Holidays”?
Senator John McCain (R-AZ)
“I’m John McCain. Happy holidays and thank you for listening.”—Weekly Republican Address, 12/18/09
Sure, but McCain is a RINO, you’re saying.
How about…
Senator Rand Paul (R-KY)
Happy Holidays – http://eepurl.com/b4Xsn — Rand Paul (@DrRandPaul) December 23, 2010
Or…
Senator Dean Heller
Welcome home #LasVegas Desert Rats! Thank you for your service and happy holidays! #SaluteOurTroopspic.twitter.com/4e03sNgp
— Dean Heller (@SenDeanHeller) December 17, 2012
And then there’s…
Senator Tim Scott (R-SC)
Snow in the Upstate! #HappyHolidays MT @GreenvilleNews: Beautiful #GVLsnow RT @mykalmphoto: @bClickClack Drive safely pic.twitter.com/edwbTGRn9f
— Tim Scott (@SenatorTimScott) November 27, 2013
So if the NRCC isn’t representing Republicans in Congress, whose views are they pushing when they mock the use of “Happy Holidays”?
Ann Coulter
Call 2 Delta: GUY: Merry Xmas DELTA: Ys, happy holidays Guy: U have to get all correct on me? DELTA: We can’t-we can’t say that other thing
— Ann Coulter (@AnnCoulter) December 2, 2011
Bill O’Reilly
In 2005, only a few years after Bill O’Reilly had discovered the “War on Christmas,” the Fox News host rebuffed a guest who said the use “Happy Holidays” does not offend Christians.
“Yes, it does,” O’Reilly said. “It absolutely does.”
Mr. O’Reilly certainly would have been offended had he visited his own website that year.
Sarah Palin
The former temporary governor of Alaska and current “War on Christmas” scammer wrote a book that blasts anti-Christmas things like saying “Happy Holidays.” But as proof that she has not actually read her own book, Palin “refudiated” herself in November on Fox News, saying, “Well, there’s not a doggone thing that’s wrong with saying ‘Happy Holidays.'”
Palin should take her own advice, says Business Insider‘s Josh Barro, who points out the GOP’s antagonism towards non-Christians may be a reason they’re doing so miserably with one specific group.
“Only 42 percent of Asian-Americans are Christians,” he wrote. “Only 24 percent of Asian-American voters supported Mitt Romney in 2012.”
Photo: Gage Skidmore via Flickr
