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  • Condom Christmas Tree Update: W&J College Partially Caves

    12/12/2011 9:04:42 AM Posted by Ron Meyer
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    On Friday, Young America’s Foundation reported that the dean at Washington and Jefferson College wholeheartedly endorsed a condom-decorated Christmas tree at a prominent location on campus.

     

    After the story was posted on YAF’s blog, The Quad, Fox News Nation and The Blaze reported on it and started a media storm that the College couldn’t handle.

     

    Joshua Habursky, chairman of the YAF chapter at Washington and Jefferson, has continued leading the charge on campus and told YAF in and email: “The pressure has been working. They took the condom off the top of the tree and allowed us to put a sign about abstinence and AIDS Awareness in another area of the Hub... They have also approved of a Nativity Scene…”

    Young America’s Foundation is grateful for Joshua’s activism and will continue to report any updates on this story.

    • Readers' Comments

    • The sign is not in "another area of the Hub" but rather in the same room less than six feet away. Also, please be more accurate with which groups you are referencing. The GSA did not oppose the placement of an alternative AIDS awareness sign or a nativity. Also, they took the condom off the top voluntarily, not because they were forced to do so. Furthermore, there outrage that the media is claiming, is in fact, a small group of around ten people, a fact not mentioned in any of the articles. If you check the poll on The Blaze, you will see that there is an overwhelming majority of people who believe that the tree should stay up. I honor your freedom of speech and your freedom of religion, but please make sure you are accurately reporting FACTS and not conjectures and opinions. I would also like to add that while Josh Habursky is identified with the W&J chapter of Young Republicans, the group has in fact released a statement that his actions are not the shared belief of the organization. "The W&J College Republicans would like to issue a statement on behalf of our club: We do not support the opinions of individuals such as Josh Habursky and we are disappointed to see that he has linked our name with his personal agenda. We fully support the rights of free speech, especially those of our fellow campus organizations and apologize for anyone who was offended by the actions of someone who has claimed to represent us. We hope everyone has wonderful holiday and Christmas breaks and congratulations to GSA for such a creative awareness campaign. Sincerely, The Executive Board of the Official Republican club via the Secretary."
      Posted by Benjamin L Stone on 12/12/2011
    • Young America's Foundation never questioned the free speech rights of the group which posted the tree. It's a question of discretion. The fact is that this group and the college chose to use a distasteful and vulgar (and completely constitutional) message. That’s their right, but it’s also our right to point out how unwise and ugly it is. Let me also point out that YAF never said the group defamed the meaning of a Christmas tree, but that it defamed Christmas itself. Instead of using a sacred holiday for a hook to grossly encourage your values, pick a different lede. Again, it’s your right to do it, but that doesn’t mean we have to smile about it. Christmas is about celebration, not about AIDs.
      Posted by Ron Meyer on 12/12/2011
    • In what way is Christmas defamed?
      Posted by Jacob on 12/12/2011
    • Christmas shouldn't be used to promote sex; it should be used to celebrate Christ's birth.
      Posted by Ron Meyer on 12/13/2011
    • If you think that the tree is that important to your religion, you don't know your religion well enough. A holiday tree does not celebrate Christ's birth. Should Christmas be used to promote consumerism? That is a much more widespread practice than what's happened here. The tree isn't promoting sex. It's promoting safe sex, as in a practice for those who are already engaging in sex. Nobody looks at the tree and thinks, "Wow, Christmas is now all about sex. The holiday is no longer about Jesus." Saying that this "defames Christmas" is blowing everything way out of proportions. You can find it offensive, but at least report on it without sensationalizing the issues.
      Posted by Jacob on 12/14/2011
    • Ooph, I don't think this story's coverage is in line with _youth_ conservative ideals. The condom tree looks pretty nice; I've seen gaudier tree toppers. While I think the college must have foreseen how the display may be offensive to those who treat Christmas with sanctity and could have determined their position sooner, I believe that issues like this give conservatives a bad reputation. This is protected free speech on a private college campus; whatever a tree with a condom means to outsiders is irrelevant, it should only have been removed if deemed necessary by the college stakeholders. In my opinion no one had a right to complain except students, faculty, alumni, staff, investors, etc. While I disagree with the nature of Joshua Habursky's fight, I commend him on his success. Way to stand up for what you believe! I would be more perturbed with Fox News concerning their decision to cover the story, but I can't hold them to a higher standard than competing sensationalist media outlets and the story certainly is an absurd one.
      Posted by Jonathon Schoenen on 12/14/2011
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