You would think that the front office of the huge financial conglomerate JPMorgan Chase Bank would be awfully busy nowadays. You know what I mean -- America's constant business re-structuring, large scale mortgage defaults, investor panic, the national debt, a worldwide economic meltdown.But no, these guys apparently have time enough to also play the Grinch to a local branch bank, sending down an order for them to remove a Christmas tree that had been set up in the bank's lobby!
Chase Bank told a Texas businessman to remove the Christmas tree he donated to a local branch because it could offend people.
Antonio Morales, owner of Bellagio Day Spa in Southlake northeast of Fort Worth had assembled and decorated a 9-foot-tall tree in the lobby of the Chase Bank branch at 1700 E. Southlake Boulevard as a favor to the branch manager, who is one of his clients.
The tree remained in the lobby from the Monday before Thanksgiving until Tuesday. Morales said his friend called him Wednesday to tell him the tree had to go. She later showed him an e-mail from JPMorgan Chase saying that the tree had to be removed because some people were offended by it...
A spokeswoman at Trinity Bank in Fort Worth said it has had a tree in its lobby since the Friday after Thanksgiving.
"I've been in this business more than 30 years, and every place I've worked we've put up a Christmas tree the day after Thanksgiving," said Linda Robertson, assistant vice president.
Bryan Fischer, director of issue analysis for the American Family Association, called Chase's decision absurd. "According to Advertising Age, 91 percent of American people celebrate Christmas," Fischer said. "That means that the single most inoffensive thing you can do at this time of year is wish someone a merry Christmas."
Fischer said that companies that have gotten away from acknowledging Christmas claim that they do it because they want to be inclusive. "The most inclusive thing you can do is wish someone merry Christmas," he said. "This means that Chase is running the risk of offending far more people by disrespecting Christmas than they are by honoring it."
After reading this story, I was particularly glad that our recent refinancing of our home had released us from doing business with JPMorgan Chase Bank. Nevertheless, I'm sending them a Christmas card via their media contact for Corporate Social Responsibility, Ann Marie Hauser (annmarie.hauser@jpmchase.com):
Dear Ms. Hauser,
Would you please pass on up the line this citizen's displeasure at the recent action of JP Morgan Chase management to force a local bank to get rid of a Christmas tree?
Yes, we have all heard the requisite defenses of such an anti-Christmas posture but those reasons remain as trite and fallacious as ever. Indeed, for companies to treat with contempt the strength of Christmas traditions in America and thus offend the preference of the vast majority of Americans isn't politically-correct or culturally sensitive at all. It's actually mean-spirited. And it's bad for business.
Again, I would appreciate your passing my complaint along. I'm quite sure it represents the opinion of most who read about your company's "axing" the Christmas tree.
Thank you and, with no pun or disrespect meant at all, please accept my best wishes for a Merry Christmas.
Denny Hartford
Director, Vital Signs Ministries
Teaching pastor, Faith Bible Church
Omaha, Nebraska
