www.LC.org

Update: Joyce Jenereaux, the president of Detroit Media Partnership, a Gannett-owned company, and the boss of Mr. Perlburg, contacted Liberty Counsel and stated that Mr. Perlburg was “absolutely not speaking on behalf of Gannett.”  Mr. Perlburg also contacted us and said that it was a “hastily and poorly worded email.” “I surely could have and should have voiced my opinion in a more courteous manner,” he said, and he added that his biggest mistake was that he “should not have sent it from his work email.”  He clarified that  that it had “nothing to do with representing the opinions of Gannett” and that he “should not have hit the send button.”

Howell, MI – The Gannett-owned media, Livingston Daily, a daily Michigan newspaper, has launched a war on Christmas. The general manager and editor of the paper sent a scathing email to Liberty Counsel in response to Liberty Counsel’s press release, dated October 28, 2011, announcing the “Ninth Annual ‘Friend or Foe Christmas Campaign.’”

Using his official work email ([email protected]) and signature block identifying himself as the General Manager/Executive Editor of Livingston Daily, Rich Perlberg wrote in part: “You are among the most anti-freedom, anti-liberty people I know…. This is a created, non-issue, best represented by Bill O’Reilly who screamed about the war on Christmas even while Fox was selling Bill O’Reilly holiday ornaments. It’s true. You can look it up. He created the false issue for ratings. He is the worst type of hypocrite.”

Perlberg adds, “I am angry at people like you because you thrive on and promote fear, hatred, prejudice and intolerance. But in the spirit of the season, I wish the best for you. Happy Holidays.” The entire email response is posted on Liberty Counsel’s website at www.LC.org. Gannett owns USA Today and other media sources.

Responding to the email, Mathew Staver, Founder and Chairman of Liberty Counsel, said: “I am shocked that a general manager and editor of a newspaper would send such an angry and scathing email in response to a press release. Rich Perlberg’s email underscores the bias in his media source. The Gannett Company ought to apologize for such a lack of journalistic integrity. Perlberg’s sarcastic email, which he concludes with ‘Happy Holidays,’ illustrates that the Gannett-owned media has indeed launched a war on Christmas.”

On its website, http://www.LC.org, Liberty Counsel offers a Help Save Christmas™ action pack, which includes educational legal memoranda to educate government officials, teachers, parents, students, private businesses, employees, and others that it is legal to celebrate Christmas. As part of the annual “Friend or Foe Christmas Campaign,” Liberty Counsel publishes a “Naughty and Nice” list, which catalogs retailers who either censor (“naughty”) or recognize (“nice”) Christmas. The list is compiled from information gathered by individual consumers and is updated whenever new information is received.

See our 10-page list sampling stories of the war on Christmas.

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