Monday, December 11, 2006
Sea-Tac Takes Down Xmas Tree
The Seattle-Tacoma Airport has removed their Christmas Tree after a local rabbi requested that a Menorah be put up, too. Airport officials believe that they will keep having to put up more symbols for more religions if they go down that road. Sounds logical to me. I think it should be all or nothing when it comes to government-sponsored public displays of religion.
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isn't it interesting that folks demand displays be installed or they'll sue. you never hear these "concerned' citizens working to create privately-funded displays which are then donated to a business, such as the airport.
ReplyDeleteand isn't the airport more a business than a government office isn't it? i can't blame the officials for just deciding to take all nine trees down, but then again, i kinda wish they had called the rabbi's bluff and just said, no, we only put up christmas trees.
Sea-Tac is part of a "municipal corporation" or "public enterprise created by the citizens of King County." Sounds like it is supposed to be more representative than private enterprise.
ReplyDeletei suppose so. does that mean we could challenge any similar such municipal organazations, like a ulitity company and demand they remove all christmas decorations too?
ReplyDeleteI think we could challenge local utilities either to provide space for many religious symbols or to display no religious symbols at all (although I have not). It's called fairness.
ReplyDeleteJoe, were the Christmas trees a gift? I'm betting that an airport that can afford to buy nine Christmas trees can spring for a Hanukah menorah, too.
ReplyDeleteHmm, I wonder where in the Christian Bible it mentions the evergreen tree decorated with lights and tinsel to celebrate the birth of a Jewish boy to a poor carpenter. Anybody got a different translation that me? Maybe it is right next to the passage telling of the visit of a fat, bearded man in a red suit being pulled on a sleigh by eight tiny reindeer, also there to celebrate the birth of the jewish boy born in the desert. Interesting, it's obviously a religious icon!
ReplyDeleteWell i read this a.m. that there were 14 trees, not nine.
ReplyDeleteAnd that they are all going back up as the rabbi is not suing and is in fact working with the airport and other outside benefactors to help plan the display for next year.
Sounds far more reasonable that way.
And two points for Anonymous - i had always thought the decorated tree was more of a pagan idea than a christian one.
And gift or no - complaining about christmas decorations has to be a sign of too much time on one's hands.