I am not a scrooge by any means. I love the holiday season: Christmas displays, lights, decorations, presents, pageants, parades, and all the rest, but this year I have an issue with my hometown “Tis the Season” parade. It appears, in pursuit of their ever-so-precious progressive values, parade organizers allowed this family event to be corrupted in a distinctively ugly manner. Accountability and/or change is needed.
The problem, I think, starts with the organizers’ progressive world view. I cannot help but read “progressive values” into their promotion. Tolerance, diversity, and inclusion scream to me from the event page. Too often these progressive values, are elevated above all others and at the expense of values that folks like me hold dear. They must be adhered to at all costs. I believe this explains the problem with this year’s parade. https://tistheseasonspectacular.com/.
I take no issue encouraging “all belief systems” to participate in a holiday parade, or in the holiday season in general. “Merry Christmas”, “Happy Holidays”, “Happy Hanukah”, or other season greetings are all perfectly acceptable to me. Restricting other belief systems, however you wish to define that particular term, is certainly problematic for most Americans. We disdain a “my way or the highway” attitude. We look askance when others are threatened by new or different ideas; we believe all should be allowed their say.
Still, tolerance for anything and everything without any boundaries whatsoever (as is far too often the case these days), leads to problems. Our town’s parade organizers appeared to place a reasonable boundary, requiring parade entries to provide “appropriate family entertainment”. That should have been sufficient to prevent the trouble that was to come, but that boundary was either lip service, ignored completely, or far too liberally applied. I suspect the latter.
Parade organizers also say they welcome a “diversity of ideas”. I cringe whenever diversity is touted. It is as if it, along with “inclusion” are the paramount values of our time, the new golden rules that can never be violated. Diversity on its own is not even a value, not necessarily a strength in all instances. Diversity can improve or it can hinder depending on the situation. Of course, its advocates believe they have found the holy grail. They say, we who hold to more traditional values are the problem. We haven’t kept up with progress. We want to re-institute the past and all its problems, they claim. These zealots remind me of Victorian gentry drinking their afternoon tea while looking down on the gauche commoners and nouveau riche Americans, an attitude Americans rejected nearly 250 years ago. They sneer at the notion that diversity is anything but good; in response, I say they really have no idea what a value is.
Diversity can indeed be a strength. Limiting our choices to a select few inhibits quality as has been demonstrated repeatedly throughout our history. Including everyone who is deserving and allowing everyone a chance are quintessentially American values. Arbitrarily excluding anyone or any group seems inherently unjust to Americans. But, progressives don’t stop here; they use diversity as a club to achieve less appropriate goals.
In our modern day and age, diversity morphs into: “diversity for me, but not for you”, a perversion George Orwell wrote of in his classic Animal Farm nearly eighty years ago. My group was excluded in the past, so it is only fair your group is excluded today. Right? Christians have had the upper hand for too long, so let other beliefs appropriate the holiday season. That’s only fair, right? Christians are not all good people in any case. We don’t mean to step on toes, but Christmas shouldn’t belong just to Christians any more. Let’s re-define Christmas to suit everyone–all belief systems. Besides, Christians need to relax their Bronze Age values and rules to keep up with modern times. Yes, of course. Unfortunately, this sort of thinking has led us to the awful state of our relativist culture.
So, what did this progressive worldview naturally lead to in my hometown this past Christmas? In the name of diversity, tolerance, and inclusion our parade organizers approved a float for a belief system antithetical to Christianity, demons no less. I venture, their progressive belief system compels them to do so, even at the cost of offending Christians. This inviolable value of theirs means we should include an evil belief system, featuring Krampus, the anti-Claus who instead of rewarding children punishes them for their naughtiness. Krampus and his fellow demons were allowed a float alongside Santa’s float and alongside the middle school kids who had great fun crafting their holiday display for the prior two weeks.
I’m sure the parade organizers, if I could ever reach them, would say these non-Christians seem like nice folks. Why shouldn’t they too be allowed to express their beliefs alongside the rest of us? This is how diversity works these days. My view of the situation differs slightly: if they want to express their despicable beliefs, organize their own damn parade, but don’t glom on to our Christmas parade. See how many people they draw to their own parade.
reject every kind of evil 1 Thessalonians 5:22
Can’t you folks see what you have opened the door to? Their goal is not to celebrate the holiday season along with the rest of us, but to replace Christmas with their evil beliefs and tear down our symbols to replace them with theirs. Their goal is to corrupt our children and expose them to choices we do not want open to them. Yes, this is America where we celebrate freedom of choice. You are free to express your beliefs, but get off my lawn when you do it.
The principle of diversity today says we must accommodate the intolerable. Diversity is blindly applied in instances such as this. If only diversity were the pure and innocent idea we once thought it was. Why must we be fair and let everyone be represented, no matter how extreme and unpalatable their message or their representation of it is? I think some progressives even delight in overshadowing traditional, conservative, and especially religious values. They insist their principles trump ours, and we are narrow minded to not see it.
One-channel media is their enforcer; they shame objectors into silence. DEI at its core is about power, the power used to force those of us who have a differing value system to accept, or at least tolerate objectionable things like demons and alternative belief systems. During my lifetime, we have been asked to tolerate transgenderism, gay marriage, unisex bathrooms, unfettered illegal immigration, affirmative action, abortion, and much more of the perverted progressive value system. Inroads have been made by progressives because so many of our fellow citizens look the other way, not knowing what to do when confronted, afraid to simply speak out. So, why shouldn’t they continue even further down this slippery slope when there is no opposition? The slope goes on forever and its descent is stopped only when good people object.
The “Tis the Season” event page even featured a Christmas motif. Pictures promoting the event are in line with what everyone expects for the season. A Krampus/demon float is a curveball out of left field. I object.
Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.” – Ephesians 5:11
Those who organized this event should explain why they approved the demon float. Sponsors (and there are numerous local sponsors) should know what they sponsored this year. Our mayor and city council should take a stand, either in support or in opposition to this type of display. I will do my best to hold them to account for whatever position they adopt. This display, which does not even comport with parade organizers goal to “provide appropriate family entertainment” and promotes a “special interest” also in violation of the organizers limitations, should be stricken from next year’s parade.
I wrote our city political leaders two weeks ago, only to be ignored to this point. This parade is organized by private sponsors, but our city is involved: it closes streets, issues permits, and provides logistical support. They may not be fully committed to the event, but their support is necessary. City leaders need to take a stance one way or another.
I have not exacted my pound of flesh yet. I will speak for my allotted three minutes at the next city council meeting, and during the next eleven months before the 2026 “Tis the Season” parade, I will do my best to inform others and affect change.
Why Shouldn’t I Object?
My objections are always misunderstood by my progressive friends. They call me intolerant, hateful, narrow minded, judgmental, regressive, or similar labels. I do not seek to compel others to adopt my values, but neither do I want theirs to supplant mine. They say the “good ol’ days” of the past, which they claim I wish to return to, were not so good. I acknowledge there are indeed many wonderful things and improvements with regards to today’s modern world, but its values are certainly not among them. I simply do not agree with their silly progressive values, and if I highlight the problems they lead to, they shouldn’t label me. They can have their own viewpoint and values and I can have my view regarding theirs.
Too often we are told there should be no discussion of the merits. Our objections, even our doubts, we are told are problematic. You’re not intolerant, are you? Yes, as a matter of fact, I am intolerant of modern notions corrupting individuals along with our culture. You should just learn to live and let live. No. Don’t tell me allowing people dressed as demons to march through my downtown in front of a large crowd expecting something entirely different supports some higher principle.
“They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator…” – Romans 1:25
You’re not judging others, are you? Yes, I am, in fact, judging others’ actions because we must. Don’t tell me you don’t judge as well. As Americans, we form opinions on virtually everything, often things we only heard about a few minutes ago. We read a headline or obtain a couple of one-sided facts and then offer our opinions. Teachers judge (grade) students. Managers judge (evaluate) employees. Voters judge (vote for) political leaders. We pronounce judgment in jury trials. We offer advice to friends, colleagues, and family; we seek to help them do better and learn from our experiences. We believe our judgment is good and our advice beneficial. We judge (criticize) our bosses, our colleagues, our enemies, our favorite sports teams, our political opponents, and practically everyone else. We judge because we believe we know better (we are not always correct, but it is still a common and accepted form of judgment). In short, we judge continually; it is our nature. We get hot and bothered only when another’s judgment is critical of something we believe in. https://seek-the-truth.com/2022/05/03/judge-not/
These are the things that you shall do: Speak the truth to one another; render in your gates judgments that are true and make for peace. Zechariah 8:16
One-channel media, the enforcer, however, prefer, you not carefully consider their arguments, especially if you cannot accept their party line on their value system. Their goal is simply to win to their side, whether honestly or by deception. They hammer their message: there should be no discussion with those who hold narrow-minded views (i.e. a view conflicting with their own): objectors are dismissed; therefore, the merits are never truly debated publicly. Their tactics are so insidious and the message repeatedly so incessantly that objectors are cowered into accepting, or at least into tolerating the message for fear of being labeled.
Never start a sentence with “I’m not a racist, but …” You are already on the defensive in an attempt to inoculate yourself from a label that is almost surely not deserved in any case. Don’t let your fear of being labeled silence you. Your silence lets them win by default. Speak the truth without fear.
And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. John 8:32
In short, we are defeated only if we do not fight back. If we fight back and the truth is on our side, we win–and here is the simple truth in this instance: characters dressed as demons alongside Christmas characters during a downtown parade in an American city should not be tolerated.
“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” James 4:7
I am Embarrassed
I am embarrassed for my city. My city does not have to continue supporting this event which is not living up to its own standards, much less the standards of the majority of city residents. We need to demand it not happen again.
I am embarrassed city council members did not take me seriously when I first raised this issue. I will raise it several more times until they take notice. Perhaps they can still redeem themselves.
I am embarrassed progressive values have infected my small American town. This is not Gotham City which was lost long ago. I am embarrassed that one parade organizer is married to an individual who has twice run for a state-wide office. What kind of representation would we have had from him had he won? His campaign site claims he is:
devoted to our families, committed to our Republican values, and determined to win a conservative future for North Carolina.
Well, his own family missed the mark badly this time.
I am embarrassed parade organizers could not find a way to deny this evil a forum to spew its vile and depraved ideology. We all know a Nazi float would never have been approved, so why approve a demon float? The merits of this matter are easy to discern. All we have to do is to judge by the organizer’s own standards.
First, does the diversity of new belief systems, including demons and Krampus, improve the Christmas season? Does it make us appreciate new ideas or expand our horizons? That’s a big stretch.
Do these demon characters present an “attractive holiday theme appearance” and “add to the parade’s overall entertainment value”? That’s a judgment call certainly, an easy call for many of us, but perhaps a difficult call parade organizers grappled with. In any case, organizers should explain how this criteria was met by our local demon worshipers.
Twice in their message to parade participants, organizers reference family. Do demons in black hoods wrapped in chains promote “a family friendly message.” Surely, nobody believes that? This “family friendly” criteria was clearly violated. Those who wish to claim this is a “family friendly message”, should be confronted with this contradiction. This is not even a close call. Organizers should explain their actions this year and tell us all what they will do if the situation arises again next year.
I have heard from many who believe the parade was significantly diminished by these displays. I now share these pictures with as many as I can. Many are still not aware of what happened this past November. These pictures came from a holiday parade in our downtown, I tell them. Nobody yet has provided a positive response.
Again, if Krampus aficionados and demon worshippers wish to promote their beliefs, let them have their own parade and do not glom on to one that promotes Christmas and appeals to families and children. They don’t deserve to be placed on this stage.
Have I then become your enemy by telling you the truth? Galatians 4:16
You must warn each other every day, while it is still ‘today,’ so that none of you will be deceived by sin and hardened against God. Hebrews 3:13
To those of you living in Salisbury, NC and the surrounding area, please reach out our mayor and city council members. They need to weigh in on this:
Tamara.Sheffield@salisburync.gov;
Harry.McLaughlin@salisburync.gov;
David.Post@salisburync.gov;
Carlton.Jackson@salisburync.gov;
Susan.Kluttz@salisburync.gov
Update 1/21/2025
I spoke at the Salisbury City Council meeting on January 7. Last week, a representative of the city manager reached out to me regarding my concern. I subsequently spoke to one of the “Tis the Season” parade organizers.
I accept from the organizer the difficulty of previewing all floats before the parade. The approval process is not extensive and she told me they were as surprised as everyone else by this particular float. They had more than 150 parade entries to review in a short period. Furthermore, organizers are volunteers and can devote only limited time. They rarely see controversial entries in any case. I told her this was understandable. I was on board with all she said to this point.
I asked next if this type of entry would be approved again next year. In other words: now that they were aware of the group’s intentions would it be denied if re-entered next year? She seemed surprised by what I thought a straightforward question. What’s past cannot be undone, but my concern remained ensuring this does not recur. There should be some understanding about that point.
She did eventually say that the group had “misread” the audience and that they would not be entering this float again next year. Ok, good. However, the response seemed a bit evasive, and she became more evasive and defensive as our discussion continued. She emphasized repeatedly what a great group of folks presented this float. Sure. They are engaged in demonic worship, so I would not have emphasized their friendly nature when explaining what happened. She also emphasized diversity and inclusion, attempting to instruct me how very important it is not to lose these features. It is a Christmas parade. Making it more diverse and including all belief systems does not make it better. In fact, it significantly detracted from the parade. I always cringe when I hear “diversity” and “inclusion” because they are not actually values and often not what they purport to be, but she did not seem interested in a discussion along these lines.
She also emphasized she had learned much about German folklore and that Krampus was a very interesting figure with a lengthy folklore. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krampus
The Krampus (German: [ˈkʁampʊs]) is a horned anthropomorphic figure who, in the Central and Eastern Alpine folkloric tradition, is said to accompany Saint Nicholas on visits to children during the night of 5 December (Krampusnacht; “Krampus Night”), immediately before the Feast of St. Nicholas on 6 December. In this tradition, Saint Nicholas rewards well-behaved children with small gifts, while Krampus punishes badly behaved ones with birch rods
Sure, there is a tradition here, but the float went well beyond the folklore or this one character. Another float character was adorned with goat horns, a common representation of the devil. There were others in black hoods and chains. If they had limited the float to the folklore, I would be a bit more understanding. However, Krampus was the opening to introducing demonic figures. The float was clearly intended to be demonic and I think the parade organizer I spoke to was taken in by these folks pleasant nature. The float participants are from a local business which has a séance room, engages in voodoo, and posed for photographs (in the local paper) holding a skull and featuring an Ouija board. Of course, they would deny their float was ever intended to offend anyone. They are just well intentioned folks of the community like everyone else. When committee organizers opened the parade up to diversity and all belief systems this sort of result is not surprising. Still, parade organizers did not knowingly approve this float and they were also taken aback–a little bit at least–by this as well.
Apparently, others had complained previously and there was a Facebook discussion afterwards. However, I had no idea before jumping into this that organizers had already received similar feedback from others.
My next step is to reach out to sponsors https://tistheseasonspectacular.com/thanks-to-our-sponsors/ and local pastors. I hope to enlist clerical support for delivering this message to sponsors, and ensuring this type of thing will not recur in 2026 or beyond. We can at least make sure sponsors are aware of what happened, so they can also hold the parade organizers accountable in the future.
Letter to Sponsors:
To Salisbury’s 2025 “Tis the Season” parade sponsors:
This past year parade organizers approved a float for a belief system antithetical to Christianity, demons no less. As sponsors you may not have been aware of this entry.
I spoke with parade organizers after the parade and they too were surprised by the entry. I was told this type of float should not be included again in 2026.
Hopefully, you are as concerned as I am that an entry for an “alternate belief system”, is not appropriate for a Christmas parade in Salisbury. The representative I spoke to emphasized the importance of diversity and inclusion for such events. Certainly, the parade has been made more diverse by such an entry, but this entry also detracted significantly from the parade and should not be considered an improvement.
Parade organizers placed reasonable boundaries on the event page, requiring parade entries to provide “appropriate family entertainment” and to promote “a family friendly message”. However, that criteria was not met for this particular entry.
As 2025 sponsors of this event, you may be asked again to sponsor the event in 2026. If so, please ensure that parade organizers take appropriate precautions this year to allow only entries which meet parade’s criteria.
Dave https://seek-the-truth.com/about/
https://seek-the-truth.com/category/faith/
seek-the-truth.com
https://seek-the-truth.com/2026/01/01/why-tolerate-this/
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