Of course, we odn't even have evidence of threats. Indymedia posts have some idiot rhetoric about how nice it'd be to see Lars nailed to his own cross, but it's mainly strut and swagger from children.

When and if Lars shows us the proof that there were actual threats, I'll believe him. But nothing else he ever says is true, so why should I believe him this time?

(And just for those who don't read my own site: If there are any actual threats, it's majorly moronic and only serves to turn Lars into the martyr he so desperately needs himself to be.)

“Lars, We’re fighting for our way of life here. Didn’t you get the memo about resolve? --W.”

Maybe the real problem was that he wanted to start a fight, but there weren't any serious threats, so they canned the whole sheebang. Amatures. Everyone knows that if you want to start a fight, you gotta do something like this: http://www.local6.com/news/5530801/detail.html

So the War on Christmas is over? Who exactly won?

Seriously though, I'm with you on the Nativity Scene. I'll bring the hot cocoa.

jack-

once again, poor lars and his free speech have been trampled upon, this time by anonymous would be vandals. some group is always trying to keep him quiet. i can't believe you are taking lars' word for anything.

using his own words, this doesn't pass the smell test. he's full of something and it ain't christmas cheer.

I think 99% per cent of the problem with this is not the cross aspect, it's the sponsor ie Lars. I dont notice anybody really getting uptight and threatening violence about the Christmas tree in the square . EDverybody knows it's a Christmas tree despite the PC crowd using the word holiday.

And of course KXl gets tons of publicity, Lars gets to be the martyr, probably hoping for a good run on Fox news, he reinforces his position with all the righties and the religious listeners...drinks all around.

Bra-vo. First Lars worked to make people believe that there exists a war on Christmas, and now he's found a way to tell us that his good guys are losing.

I think he's probably lying about the threats, but those who are inclined to believe him now have more reason to think they are an oppressed minority losing the culture war. It's an excellent propaganda campaign... and I doubt it's over.

KXL obviously doesn't want to bear this cross, and the nature of the PR that goes with it. And Lars has to knuckle under, or find a new employer. Surely you who pointedly banned all references to your real job and your real employer a few months ago, presumably for reasons silmilar to Lars's, can relate.

Why a crucifix at the celebration of the birth of...

never mind, I'm sure this born just fine the first time pagan wouldn't understand.

Can't we like... start an initative or something to send him back across the river.

I'm suspect Lars didn't get all the station bigwigs on board before he announced the project -- or perhaps he did and they changed their minds.

I,m dismayed at many of the remarks so far. I wonder if those kinds of "spears" would have been thrown if the proposal was for a Jewish, Hindi,
or Islam symbol. It sounds like its the messenger that is the problem with many, and that is sad too. Many Portland churches and otherwise were behind this.

Before we get too crazy with Lars Larson’s spin for what happened here, let’s wait for Phil Stanford to clear it up tomorrow. My people tell me this came from above, and I don’t mean from heaven, either.

>>Many Portland churches and otherwise were behind this.

Are churches in Portland emasculated and somehow unable to put together something similar to what Lars proposed? Or are they just lazy and waiting for someone else to do the work for them? Why is it Lars' job to be the Pied Piper here? Where is Ray Cotton? Where is Frank Damazio?

Yeah, I had this pegged as a publicity stunt from the start. Lars needs to bolster ratings so he plays in the persecution complex that plagues far too many Christians.

Really, if Lars backed down because of what was posted anonymously on the internet (and I've seen nothing that even remotely resembles a threat) then maybe he is as big of a coward as people say. But I think more likely claiming to be threatened is part of his MO and how he reaches out to a particular audience ("help, help I'm being oppressed" to quote the holy grail).

And I don't know anymore than anyone else if he ever had any intentions of actually putting up the cross. Maybe he did it knowing he would be shut down by the management, or by the advertisers. Maybe he thought it was a good idea and changed his might after realizing that the cross was a terrible symbol to celebrate the birth of Christ and that he would look like an idiot.

One more thing, the move toward the term "holidays" was not out of politeness, though it certainly is more polite. It was a business decision, a good one, which is why you see the term "holidays" plastered all over the fox news website and not Christmas. They know who pays their bills, and it's not their readers.

They do these things differently in New York:

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=47904

One other point about the "threats": Do you think there have ever been threats to vandalize the menorah that's down there every year? I'm sure there have been, plenty of them, and yet the sponsors of that display carry on with it.

The more I think about it, the more I'm certain: Lars's pullout wasn't about threats of vandalism.

The official explanation:

First…this Cross means something very important to me…and to millions in Oregon and Washington. I won’t put it up…only to be destroyed or vandalized. Aimed at any other group you would see this labeled a “hate crime”…but it seems Christians are fair game. Second…we know that when those protests happen…there’s a near certainty that someone will be hurt…perhaps even killed. That can’t happen. Third…our flagship radio station…KXL…has taken the heat…offered to pay liability insurance for the five days we planned to put up the cross. But the kind of anti Christian acts that have been promised could generate millions in lawsuits and that can’t happen.

Not credible.

Lars, if this idea was cancelled because of a phone call from the ownership people of KXL, you have a lot of explaining to do. Not to mention apologizing. Aren't you claiming a hate crime that might not have happened? Christmas is supposed to be a good time of year but you seem hell-bent in turning it into your own personal, ugly, ego-trip, complete with a cover story for why it ended, designed to make you look put upon. If that story is not the real reason this project was cancelled, you should apologize to the people of Portland and resign.

1. Electrical shocks. Small pin like needle sensations
in various parts of my body.

2. Air quality manipulation. The most recent is the
smell of cow manure or bark dust in the air. (can't
really distinguish exactly)

3. Household appliances on manual override to tick,
knock and pop orchestrated around my activity, etc,
etc

4. Prank phone calls. Sometimes no there when I pick
up. Other times calls from deer field farms?
representatives, Satelite TV salesman, etc, etc

5. Sonically induced nausea and headaches. Most
intensely while in jail where in which they hamburged
and scrambled my brain.

6. Tinnitus and ear aches.

7. Neighbor synchronization of my activities.

8. Aggressive Internet stalking, confusion,
harassment, etc, etc

9. Electronic mind taking pieces of my life and
reflecting back narrative themes of my thought in a
meta-content. TV, Newspapers, etc, etc

10. Vigilante social stalking and flash mobs where in
which I am swarmed upon by cars, strangers, etc, etc.
One example of this when Tim and I were out walking in
two people were blocking the sidewalk in front of us
discussing my body positions while in bed.

11. Sporadic noise assaults on my concentration while
reading, sleeping or watching Television. Walls
ticking, Window ticking, etc, etc

Whatever happened to Lars Larson? I just remember him as a fairly respectable news reporter for KPTV. I thought his radio show was just an act. After reading that explaination of his I think he's got some serious brain chemistry issues. Someone needs to very carefully seperate him from his concealed weapon and fit him for a straight jacket. I feel kind of sorry for him.

Crime-a-nitly! C'mon, I told you so. And in the planet positions he violated it seems to appear that he violated his 'supporters,' calling them his before they agreed. His manner is his self-defeat, which I noted.

Start with the hypothesis that Liars does not believe in anything himself, suffering jaundiced cynicism from childhood, (seeing adults commit criminal debauchery and him not getting justice to oppose it), until now provocation and societal dismemberment is his m.o. and his deity is stupidity by which he believes people believe anything they hear broadcast. So he lies to listeners to prove his faith to himself.

The evidence fits the hypothesis close enough to predict with it. It might be more psycho comprehension than can be quickly written and read, so, bottom line: Larson's is a reason that leads to treason.

Just guessing along with everyone else, it must be that the 'churchy Christians' deserted him, that's why he stopped. It wasn't Paul Allen, who doesn't care -- he don't have to.

Not the content, merely the desperation in Larson's words since the November ratings, says he sees the end of the tunnel in front of his light. Add a pinch of educated guess that Blazer games ain't selling a lot of radio ads -- ad revenue is off industry-wide, and Blazer mania is bust -- which (Blazer ads and syndication sales) is the slush fund Larson has always skimmed from, and ( (( GONG )) ) show's over.

Still guessing, this time no 'sister' media rides in with a rescuing offer. His 'stupid' demographic seems not to pay off for markerters to pitch to.

At the risk of following Tenskwatawa...

Following this thread, I was thinking of two years ago when I was in Madrid and the Pioneer Square equivalent there was filled for the season with booths selling stuff to make your own manger scene. Pretty sophisticated stuff, some elecric, some expensively detailed. Whole booths dedicated to selling artificial moss.

What strikes me now, upon reflection, is that despite the ubiquitous Christianity of Spain...how come they can do "gay marriage?" Maybe our secularism isn't as secular as we think it is, and we argue on the margins over symbolism rather than what's important.

That's what strikes me about Lars. Less interested in principle then showmanship. But, hey, he's a "radio personality," and so we shouldn't expect any different.

I don't get the Christmas vs. holiday distinction. As noted in the Oxford English Dictionary:

"It is thus difficult to divide holiday and holy-day in sense 1. Under this article are included the combined forms haliday, holiday; the uncombined forms, as well as those in which the vocalization shows that the word was analyzed, are treated under HOLY-DAY. But the habits of mediæval scribes as to the combination or separation of the elements of compounds were so irregular, and the treatment of the matter by modern editors is so uncertain, that many ME. instances might be placed under either article.]"

Unless I misread Phil Stanford’s column, Lars’ decision to end the Christmas Cross stunt was made for him by a higher power: The corporate bosses up in Seattle. I should have known a decorated war hero like Lars would never fold under a few “threats.” Wait, did I say war hero? I meant
chicken-hawk blowhard. Right now Lars should apologize for blaming this debacle on his fellow Oregonians. Then he should appeal for forgiveness and cardboard boxes – the latter for his move out of KXL.

I have some sad news for you today. The Christmas Cross in Pioneer Square won’t be going up on Monday morning.

We’ve been fighting this battle for the last couple of weeks…ever since we got the permit to put up the Cross…and the Portland area Christian Churches agreed to sponsor it.

Today…the threats to damage or destroy the cross have become promises.

For the past ten years as a talk show host…I have spent some time every year talking about how Christmas…and the real reason for the season is slowly being stripped out of the holiday. Children told at school not to mention Christmas…in the name of the tree, in the songs they sing, even in the name of the holiday on the Calendar.
We’ve watched the Christmas tree in pioneer square…be renamed by Government as a Holiday tree…even though there is only one holiday this time of year that has a tree as its icon…and that is Christmas.
People have even become wary of wishing people a Merry Christmas…for fear of offending someone.

A city that proclaims its tolerance every single day…is apparently intolerant of the religious beliefs of the majority of people in this country…who are Christians.

For the past few years I’ve been mentioning the ridiculous name of the tree in the square…and mentioning the Jewish Menorah that is put up every year as a symbol of Hanukah and asking that someone find a way to put up a symbol of the real Reason for the Season. No one else would do it so I offered to find a way through this talk show.

The Cross is the one singular symbol of the Christian religion…seen in every church…worn by many of the faithful…and the symbol of the singular sacrifice of a man who was so much more than a man…19-hundred and 72 years ago…that is the reason we celebrate the Christmas Season. If I had been able to put it up Monday morning…it might have served to remind people

So called progressive groups like Indymedia…have published threats and promises…that if a symbol of Christianity is erected in the square…it will be vandalized…damaged…or destroyed.

Let me tell you why this makes it impossible for us to put up the Cross

First…this Cross means something very important to me…and to millions in Oregon and Washington. I won’t put it up…only to be destroyed or vandalized. Aimed at any other group you would see this labeled a “hate crime”…but it seems Christians are fair game
Second…we know that when those protests happen…there’s a near certainty that someone will be hurt…perhaps even killed. That can’t happen.
Third…our flagship radio station…KXL…has taken the heat…offered to pay liability insurance for the five days we planned to put up the cross. But the kind of anti Christian acts that have been promised could generate millions in lawsuits and that can’t happen.

I want to take a moment to thank all of you for your support for what we tried to accomplish at pioneer Square.

Merry Christmas. Remember the reason for the season…and remind your friends.

Lars

Jack,
You assert that "free speech has been chilled," and call it a tragedy. But unless I'm missing something, that's not the case at all. Lars can still place his views in the public square. There is nothing *prohibiting* his views and thus, IMO, no chilling. What stopped him, if true, were his own (or his employers') worries about the reaction from people about his form of "speech." I'm not advocating vandalism or violence of any kind, but since when was the standard for determining whether speech has been chilled lowered to whether people would oppose what you were saying, perhaps in a less than sociable manner? Lars is still free to get a permit from the city, erect a crucifix and portentously pontificate in front of it for as long as he likes. If people throw tomatoes, that's the risk Lars takes for spreading his message. After all, throwing tomatoes is speech too.

Peace.

Gee, Lars, you mean the commercialization of Christmas has no part in the "stripping of meaning" from the holiday?

I guess if you are personally shilling for every product sponsoring your show, you couldn't possibly see that you are also a participant in this "stripping of meaning" business?

So it wasn’t the call from Seattle, Lars? You’ve made some ugly allegations here, and I heard you tip-toeing around callers suggestions about security guards, vigils, etc…In other words, this thing could have gone on, if the problems were local and as you described them. After all, aren’t we supposed to show a little more commitment to our deeply felt religious beliefs than this? Where’s the resolve? I bet the Seattle office told you to cancel the idea and this explanation is a retrofit.

My point about the "chilling" was that Lars's employer may have chilled his speech.

Lars, if you were really dedicated to this project you could have put up the cross and taken it down when no one could be there guarding it. We raise and lower the flag every day. It could have been a real spectacle. Great for ratings! If you were shut down by Seattle, but are shifting the blame to promises of vandalism, then you have jacked up the levels of tension in this city unnecessarily, and you should be ashamed of yourself. So which was it?

Holy cow. Lars actually believes what he reads on Indymedia? I'm stunned.

Has he done a show on chemtrails yet?

"My point about the "chilling" was that Lars's employer may have chilled his speech."

I get that. But cannot private-citizen Lars, not KXL Lars, still put up his cross? Or are the two Lars' now one inseparable entity? Unless they are, I fail to see how the act has been chilled, only the method.

My employer says I can't advocate for political candidates while at work. But I can at home. Has my speech been chilled?

Peace.

But cannot private-citizen Lars, not KXL Lars, still put up his cross? Or are the two Lars' now one inseparable entity?

On this issue, at this point, sure they are inseparable.

"Right now Lars should apologize for blaming this debacle on his fellow Oregonians"
I'm sorry to point out Bill M. that lars has nothing to say to his fellow Oregonians, but he should something to his fellow Washingtonian. He sure gives the appearance that he still live here. He should try this stunt in his home town the couv

I'd still love to see one of these churches who "stood with Lars" pick up the project and actually follow-thru with it. Or maybe a listener. The Bible makes it pretty clear that when it comes to worship and standing for what you believe in, you need to do-it-yourself and not hire someone else to do it for you. Where are Portland's church leaders on this subject? Who are the pastors who stood with Lars? Why are they letting the project die?

Oh that's right. They're too busy printing their "Due to the Christmas holiday, there will be no worship on December 25th" fliers.

Nice to see Lars has folded under pressure from the corporate suits. Ah well, at least he got his much-loved publicity anyway, perhaps just not in the form he anticipated.

I have always found his "religion" suspect. The way he - and many right-wingers - wear it is not so much out of true belief, but as a way to appeal to a key group of supporters.

I have heard true believers talk (George Bush, for example), and guys like Larson and Limbaugh just do not have the same sincerity. Once again, it's all a marketing ploy.

Bill McDonald, also supporting your common sense that Liars' anti-social insult was shut down by headquarters, making all he says about 'threateners' and 'vandalizers' nothing, and his cover story false, is that he got 'threat' harrassed earlier this year and pressed charges and took his threatener to court.

Fictional threats -- like he makes up this time -- are impossible to produce for trial. And he hasn't. His lies the treason in out season.

On the other hand, Bill, you expecting that explaining how to apologize and retire can get through to him, is not common sense.

Oh, the single best part of all of this is how Lars posts his lying press release after the real reasons had already been outed by speculation here and elsewhere and today's confirmation from Stanford.

So now we can add "Lars doesn't actually read" to his list of character traits.

Whee!

I would like to know what Bill McDonald deeply believes in besides possibly hate, especially for Lars; and then to mock it. But not really. How can that be productive? How can that help Bill? How would that reflect on thyself? I mean well in this post, Bill.

Jerry, there's no doubt in my mind that Lars brings out the worst in most people with whom he comes in contact.

I am sorry you feel that way, Jack. I've had personal and on the radio conversations with Lars. That does not mean I agree with him at some percentage point. I hope you have found his opinions in some cases worthwhile. He, like you is in the media realm. Like you have found recently, not everyone likes how you might bring up an issue, like the cross. I don't believe you intend nor do you bring out the worst in people.

Well, thank you, but I still think Lars is at his core a divisive figure. He gets nearly everyone's blood boiling, supporters and opponents alike, every weekday and weeknight, for a living. Of course I'm biased, but I don't put myself in that category.

We each have our own styles, baggage, etc.Some issues you have brought up have been divisive, but has that been bad? You may be thinking in Lar's case that it all the time, but I think most people would find that hard to say with honesty. I feel that in this latest bashing, honesty of what one really feels has been left out for effect,etc. And that is sad when it becomes personal and not on the real subject matter. But I know some of this might be for humor.

No attempt at humor in this exchange. Lars bashes relentlessly, and then when people bash back, he's the "victim." It's tiresome.

The cross episode took him down a peg or two, and it's his own fault. First good thing Paul Allen has done in Portland in more than a decade.

It's radio. Lars is just like the annoying "ring around the collar" commercials of the 70's and 80's.

People don't remember a boring commercial or radio show. They remember the annoying, the divisive, the nails-on-chalkboard stuff.

No one would be listening or even talking about this if Lars went on and on every day about the finer points of tax credits, or water quality standards, or any other sleep inducing topic of public interest.

Enough of crosses, publicly financed campaigns, or jail beds. What we really need to stir up debate in this town are some celebrity weddings... Tom Potter and Oprah- what will the groom be wearing?.... next on EXTRA!

You guys just don't get it!

It doesn't matter the reason why Lars decided to cancel the event... the whole point that Lars is trying to make was to remind everybody what the real reason for Christmas is and also demonstrating why Christmas is slowly disappearing from our culture.

This definitely became evident by the turmoil that was created over the idea of a "cross" going up in a public area versus any other type of religious symbol or activity.

With or without the cross, Lars did manage to make the point and bring the issue to the forefront. People are starting to stand up for their own religious rights that they have given up in the name of being politically correct and are starting to insist that we start calling Christmas, Christmas again.

So whether you like Lars Larson or not is not important... as Lars pointed out there have been a lot of talk about doing something for years but nothing was being done, so he decided to take the initiative and get something started... and it failed.
But at least he tried.

Now it is up to us to carry the ball and not let Christmas die and remind people that Jesus is the reason for the season and more importantly, start insisting that we also have a right to our religious beliefs just like everybody else.

To the people that are easily offended over Christmas, I say, grow up!

I'm not offended by Christmas. I celebrate Christmas robustly, as both a religious feast day and a secular holiday. What offends me is a right wing sower of division and spite who uses Christmas as a weapon.