The internationally known fireworks company, Grucci, has pulled out of an annual Christmas event on Long Island because the town of Patchogue decided to break with its 15-year tradition of holding a Christmas Boat Parade: This year it decided to rename the event the Patchogue Holiday Boat Parade.

Grucci vice president Phil Butler, a vocal critic of the secularization of Christmas, accused the parade’s organizers of “using all the themes of Christmas and plagiarizing all those themes.” Grucci is headquartered on Long Island.

Catholic League president Bill Donohue commended Butler’s decision:

“If more people like Phil Butler stood up to the high priests of political correctness, the dumbing-down of Christmas would cease. Christmas is the only holiday that is singled out by these authoritarians. They do not object to Jewish or Muslim holidays, nor do they object to holidays like Martin Luther King Day. And they relish Kwanzaa celebrations. But when it comes to Christmas, they quickly become censors.

“So Kudos to Grucci. Let this be the first of many counterpunches thrown at the cultural fascists this year.”

Contact Phil Butler at: pbutler@grucci.com