"Sit down and shut up"

[Neoteny]

A Californian Ford dealership has recently run this advertisement.

"But did you know that 86% of Americans say they believe in God? Since we all know that 86 out of every 100 of us are Christians, who believe in God, we at Kieffe & Sons Ford wonder why we don't just tell the other 14% to sit down and shut up. I guess maybe I just offended 14% of the people who are listening to this message. Well, if that is the case then I say that's tough, this is America folks, it's called free speech. None of us at Kieffe & Sons Ford are afraid to speak out. Kieffe & Sons Ford on Sierra Highway in Mojave and Rosamond, if we don't see you today, by the grace of God, we'll be here tomorrow."

That's a bit ridiculous, methinks. One does what one has to do, I suppose, but imagine him calling out any other part of the population. Blacks? Women? It's irresponsible and purposely inflammatory, I think, and shouldn't be tolerated. Also, why does this guy sound like he's from around where I live?

Oh, here's a link to the ad...

http://www.mediafire.com/?g1f492lbruy

[wicked]

Wow. I sure hope to hell they fired their PR director. I mean they're going to get a lot of press, but negative press doesnt sell cars.

[Neoteny]

Wow. I sure hope to hell they fired their PR director. I mean they're going to get a lot of press, but negative press doesnt sell cars.

Apparently the dealership is located in a rather conservative area of California, so I don't know how the PR is doing locally, but with statements like that, I'm not sure they care what the press thinks.

[Dancing Mustard]

negative press doesnt sell cars.

I'm going to disagree with that one...

Negative press about the car might not... but negative press about the dealership owner's beliefs, that is going to strike a massive chord with certain segments of society and raise awareness of the business dramatically, well now that just might move some vehicles.

Didn't you see the guy giving out free guns the other week? Sure he had freebies to, but the principle is largely the same; use negative publicity from a sector of society who won't like you as free positive publicity to a sector who do... can't get cheaper of craftier than that.

[MeDeFe]

So... there's a right to free speech in America, and people who don't believe in god are supposed to sit down and shut up. Yeah, that figures.

[Napoleon Ier]

So... there's a right to free speech in America, and people who don't believe in god are supposed to sit down and shut up. Yeah, that figures.

Sit down and shut up.

You got off lightly as well...Haggard was all for going medieval on your asses.

[jonesthecurl]

"Shut up 'cos we have freedom of speech"
That's like "This is a gift, that's ten dollars please"

[Snorri1234]

So... there's a right to free speech in America, and people who don't believe in god are supposed to sit down and shut up. Yeah, that figures.

Sit down and shut up.

You got off lightly as well...Haggard was all for going medieval on your asses.

[jay_a2j]

First, we live under the illusion of freedom of speech, we don't actually have it. Second, what does "belief in God" have to do with buying a car?

[PLAYER57832]

Wow. I sure hope to hell they fired their PR director. I mean they're going to get a lot of press, but negative press doesnt sell cars.

Apparently the dealership is located in a rather conservative area of California, so I don't know how the PR is doing locally, but with statements like that, I'm not sure they care what the press thinks.

ALL of California is conservative ... AND liberal.. together. Makes for some interesting conversations when one steps outside one's own door.

[MeDeFe]

First, we live under the illusion of freedom of speech, we don't actually have it. Second, what does "belief in God" have to do with buying a car?

That's the next question. Maybe they guy's thinking that people who don't believe in god are all relativists of some sort and decide what the traffic signs mean for them regardless of what they mean to everyone else.

[Frigidus]

First, we live under the illusion of freedom of speech, we don't actually have it. Second, what does "belief in God" have to do with buying a car?

But I could go to the street corner and yell essentially anything I want, as long as I don't keep people up or anything. Just stick to the fake 4th amendment, that one's more important anyways.

[Neoteny]

Apparently the owner regrets the advertisement.

[Snorri1234]

Apparently the owner regrets the advertisement.

Well maybe he will sit down and shut up now.

[Neoteny]

Apparently the owner regrets the advertisement.

Well maybe he will sit down and shut up now.

Perhaps.

[joecoolfrog]

Somebody should sue him for misrepresentation, according to the last census only 78% of US citizens described themselves as Christians.

[MeDeFe]

Apparently the owner regrets the advertisement.

Well maybe he will sit down and shut up now.

Too bad he won't be running the one with the 15 commandments, though. I liked that movie.

[tzor]

Too bad he won't be running the one with the 15 commandments, though. I liked that movie.

Not that I want to get off topic with Biblical side tracks but there really aren't "ten commandments" in the Bible. This was derived from the description of the stone tablets which had ten words on them. Then there is the text in the Torah (the first five books of the Bible) that describes those ten words. These don't actually parse well into ten commandments and there are currently three different organizations of those words parsed into groups of ten. There is one arrangement commonly used by various Jewish groups, another by Roman Catholics, and still another used by Protetants. If you uncouple all of the sub clauses you get I think over a dozen.

[MeDeFe]

Silence! You splitter of hairs.

[Dancing Mustard]

Silence! You splitter of hairs.

From God's eyes he smites at thee.

[tzor]

Silence! You splitter of hairs.

Yes I admit it, I split hairs. Fortunately I now use a shampoo that corrects this problem.