Quote:Trump: 'If I become president, we're all going to be saying "Merry Christmas" again'
Published November 10, 2015Associated Press


SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Republican presidential contender Donald Trump is suggesting boycotting Starbucks over the minimalist design of its annual holiday cups.

"Did you read about Starbucks? No more Merry Christmas on Starbucks," Trump told a capacity crowd of thousands gathered to hear him speak at a pre-debate rally in Springfield, Illinois on Monday evening.

"Maybe we should boycott Starbucks. I don't know," he said. "Seriously, I don't care."

Some religious conservatives have expressed anger over the coffee company's annual holiday-time cups — a minimalist all-red design with no images aside from the company's green and white logo.

Previous years' cups have featured snowflakes, winter scenes and sometimes Christmas ornaments. But a small number of critics see the design choice as part of a larger movement away from exclusively Christian-themed holiday decorations. The company did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Trump, who is working to win the support of evangelical and other conservative Christians in a crowded field, has often expressed frustrations over companies using the term "Happy Holidays" in place of "Merry Christmas."

He said on Monday that: "If I become president, we're all going to be saying, 'Merry Christmas' again. That I can tell you."

He added that Starbucks operates a store in one of his buildings and that "that's the end of that lease, but who cares?"

The rally comes on the eve of the next Republican presidential debate, which will be taking place Tuesday evening in Milwaukee.

Brian Oaks, general manager of the Prairie Capital Convention Center, said the billionaire businessman and reality television star had attracted a record-setting crowd for the convention center of 10,200 in downtown Springfield, a solidly Republican city in a Democratic-leaning state.

Trump did not mention the debate during his rally speech, but previewed some of the attack lines he may choose to use against rivals, including retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson, who is now running neck-and-neck with him in several polls.

Trump expressed near-exasperation at Carson's continued popularity in the face of growing questions about discrepancies in his autobiography, "Gifted Hands," which included claims that he tried to hit his mother with a hammer and unsuccessfully tried to stab someone when he was an angry youth.

"With what's going on with this election? I've never seen anything like it," said Trump. He went on to mimic the back-and-forth between Carson and reporters trying to verify the story of his rise from poverty to acclaimed surgeon, including a claim by Carson that the person he'd tried to stab had been saved by his belt buckle.

"You stab somebody and the newspapers say, 'You didn't do it.' And you said, 'Yes I did, I did it!'" said Trump.

"This is the only election in history where you're better off if you stabbed somebody," he said. "What are we coming to?"

Quote:"This is the only election in history where you're better off if you stabbed somebody,"

(11-11-2015, 01:13 AM)fredtoast Wrote: Yeah, let's all boycott Starbucks like Trump wants us to.

(11-11-2015, 06:58 AM)JustWinBaby Wrote: I've been boycotting them for years because their coffee sucks.

(11-11-2015, 07:51 AM)BmorePat87 Wrote: I don't know anyone who is actually upset with this, but if you're that big on believing there's a "war on Christmas", why are you upset that a company that was commercializing Christmas for years is now downplaying the "commercial" Christmas (and by that I mean non religious aspects of Christmas)?

Shouldn't you have been upset with what aspects of Christmas they previously highlighted and their lack of references to Christ?

(11-11-2015, 11:16 AM)michaelsean Wrote: So the cups aren't going to say "Merry Christmas" like they always haven't?  Color me outraged.

(11-11-2015, 11:16 AM)michaelsean Wrote: So the cups aren't going to say "Merry Christmas" like they always haven't?  Color me outraged.

(11-11-2015, 11:31 AM)fredtoast Wrote: They never said "Merry Christmas".

Instead they used to have all the symbols from the Bible story like snowflakes and Christmas trees.

(11-11-2015, 11:31 AM)fredtoast Wrote: They never said "Merry Christmas".

Instead they used to have all the symbols from the Bible story like snowflakes and Christmas trees.

(11-11-2015, 01:12 PM)SteelCitySouth Wrote: I appreciate that this year they are using the color of the beast.  Really brings a whole old testament feel to the season.

(11-11-2015, 09:21 PM)CharvelPlaya Wrote: I made a war on Christian/Christmas thread and you guys ruined it.  :angry:  

But yeah, this is ridiculous nonsense. They took off snowflakes or something? I don't get it. If that is the case, then I guess if you are a Christian raised in the desert, then you are going to hell! What in the world does snowflakes have to do with Jesus?- "I'll stick up for any business that won't serve them gays, but I'd be damned if I support a business that does not have snowflakes on their cups!". Absolutely ridiculous. I guess people who live in "snowflakeless" parts of the world, don't know the correct way to get their Christian on.

I haven't had much time to read about this.....is this for real? All I've seen are some Facebook memes and then I come here and see a thread. I will actually read the thread though. Just had to vent for a minute.