What does a tree have to do with religion?
Published Sun, Dec 10 2006 12:13 PM
Technorati Tags: Political Correctness
A Seattle Rabbi threatened to sue the Port of Seattle over Christmas Trees that have decorated the entrances over Sea-Tac airport every Christmas season for the last 25 years. So, after one complaint (coupled with threats) they took them down. From the Seattle Post Intelligencer:
There will be no more Christmas trees at Sea-Tac Airport this season after the Port of Seattle received at least one complaint about them.
For more than 25 years, the airport has celebrated the holidays with Christmas trees over its entrances. But overnight, the Port of Seattle ordered all 15 trees removed.
...
"It's a Christmas tree! It's not like they were displaying crucifixes or menorahs or anything religious, but Christmas trees that have been around here for years," said an airport employee who asked not to be identified.
The Port of Seattle said it had little choice. It said a Seattle rabbi with the Central Organization for Jewish Learning hired an attorney and threatened to sue if the airport did not erect an eight-foot menorah to balance the message of the Christmas trees.
One complaint and the trees are gone. Christmas is an official National Holiday. Hanukah isn't. The Christmas tree isn't a religious symbol either, and a menorah is.
The first Christmas tree was decorated in the 16th century. Long after the time of Christ. There are some stories that link the Christmas tree to pagan festivals, and others that claim that it was the invention of a monk in Germany in the 7th century, still long after the time of Christ.
The ACLU would be proud. I'm offended.
Trackposted to Is It Just Me?, Perri Nelson's Website, The Random Yak, 123beta, Madman Returns, Stuck On Stupid, The Bullwinkle Blog, The Amboy Times, The Uncooperative Blogger ®, Pursuing Holiness, Outside the Beltway, third world county, The HILL Chronicles, Woman Honor Thyself, The Uncooperative Blogger ®, The World According to Carl, Pirate's Cove, Blue Star Chronicles, and Culturetastic, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.
UPDATE: The Seattle Rabbi that threatend Sea-Tac with the lawsuit is shocked and appalled at the results... Yeah, right!
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Angel responded with: http://www.womanhonorthyself.com/
 | thanks for the link but somehow I have my doubts bout this story hun..no where does it even say the Rabbis name..and I have never known any Jews who were "offended" by Christmas trees..On the other hand, what would have been the harm to put up a Menorah as well?..It is after all a Judeo-Christian history. (p.s. can u enable the cookies to remember the names of the commentors so I dont have to resign each time?..lol) :) |
Perri Nelson responded with:
 | I think the story's probably legit... but I can't find anything other than this news story on the "Central Organization for Jewish Learning". I wonder if this isn't just some ACLU front group.
As for the cookie thing... I don't put any cookies on anyone's machine yet. I'll probably code it up this evening though. I'll probably have to write a privacy policy for the site while I'm at it, especially in light of the new feature.
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Perri Nelson responded with:
| Angel,
Per your request, I have added code to the site to enable cookies to keep track of commenter information. Thanks for the suggestion. |
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