Best Buy criticized for Muslim holiday greeting
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=bea_1259171102DENVER, Colo. - "Merry Christmas" is off-limits, but "Happy Eid al-Adha" is apparently okay.
Best Buy is raising eyebrows with a Black Friday ad which extends a holiday greeting to Muslims for the annual Eid-al-Adha holiday, or in English, the "Festival of Sacrifice," which coincides with the Thanksgiving weekend this year.
In 2006, the consumer electronics giant drew criticism when it began More.. excluding the words "Merry Christmas" from its holiday print advertising, opting instead for a more universal "Happy Holidays."
The inclusion of the Muslim greeting has ignited a firestorm of criticism, particularly online.
"This past year, I have spent about $3,000 with (Best Buy). I will be shopping somewhere else," one member wrote on the Best Buy public forum.
"I assume your next advertisements will say Merry Christmas. Otherwise, I will no longer shop at Best Buy," another wrote, echoing the sentiments of many.
Jose Aguilar, a truck driver from Ft. Lupton, Colorado was outraged when he saw the ad in his Sunday circular.
"It seems like we're throwing God out the door, and we're celebrating every other family's culture, everyone else's beliefs except our own," he said.
Aguilar says he'll never shop at Best Buy again, even if the chain includes "Merry Christmas" in future ads.
"No more, no more," he says.
One shopper at the Best Buy on Colorado Boulevard, however, applauded the inclusion of Muslim holidays.
"I think the more we could wish happiness and well being and compassion for everybody the better," she said.
"Best Buy's customers and employees around the world represent a variety of faiths and denominations. We respect that diversity and choose to greet our customers and employees in ways that reflect their traditions," a Best Buy corporate spokeswoman said in a statement posted online.
"We do use the word "holiday" in some of our advertising because it is meant to be inclusive to everyone. However, just as we have in the past, we will also reference specific holidays such as Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa in our weekly ads, store signage and other advertising vehicles."John Romero KDVR Denver
9:39 PM MST, November 24, 2009
