This is one of those stories in which each reader can choose the villain, depending on one's philosophical predilection.
All nine Christmas trees have been removed from the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport instead of adding a giant Jewish menorah to the holiday display as a rabbi had requested.
[. . .]
"We decided to take the trees down because we didn't want to be exclusive," said airport spokeswoman Terri-Ann Betancourt. "We're trying to be thoughtful and respectful, and will review policies after the first of the year."
[. . .]
After consulting with lawyers, port staff believed that adding the menorah would have required adding symbols for other religions and cultures in the Northwest. The holidays are the busiest season at the airport, Betancourt said, and staff didn't have time to play cultural anthropologists.
You can blame the rabbi for demanding equal treatment. Or you can blame the airport for choosing not to be inclusive. This isn't about church and state, since both the Christmas tree and, increasingly, the menorah are more symbols of a secular nature than a religious one. I think the lack of good will in this incident is sufficient to be passed around. The rabbi threatens a lawsuit and is "horrified" at the outcome? But that "cultural anthropologist" crack as just a little snippy.
Comments
Well, if you study world religion, it was the Jewish people who demanded that Christ be crucified. Pontius Pilate was willing to let him go, but the crowd, many of whom were Jewish, yelled "crucify him, crucify him". It is the same disagreement drama today, only the actors are different. We're better off to have ZERO public displays of religion. Take your faith and beliefs home, and hold them close in your heart. In that place, no one can offend you, and no one can take it away... ever. "Christmas" has very little to do with the "babe in the manger" story anymore. It is more important that the retail stores celebrate "Black Friday" the day after Thanksgiving. The day retailers all come out of "the red." It doesn't seem to matter to people that innocent lives are trampled at retail outlets, just so that someone can get their hands on the latest toy craze. It happens every year. This year, it was people getting stampeded like cattle because folks wanted to buy the new Sony Playstation 3. It's not Sony's fault. Twenty or so years ago, Christmas shoppers trampled people for Cabbage Patch dolls. People really need to take a serious look at these things. This is a major dysfunction in our society, and it gets white-washed as "Christmas Giving." What would that babe in the manager think if he knew people were being trampled in order to buy presents for his birthday? He'd know the truth... that folks weren't really celebrating his birthday at all. He'd know that they had long since forgotten the reason why they celebrate this season. The greed of materialism has completely polluted one of this religion's most sacred of days. I agree with the airport people, take the trees down. Let the people bicker and complain amongst themselves, and get back to doing business. The airport's business is transportation. Taking out the trees helps them concentrate better on the business at hand. Shuttling thousands and millions of travelers during the holiday season. They are right, and not snippy at all, they don't have time right to perform the duties of a "cultural anthropologist." They have got to get the passengers to their destinations as quickly and efficiently as possible. If two children were fighting over a toy, the best way to end the argument is to put the toy on a shelf, out of both of their reach. No toy, no argument. At the Seattle airport, it is the same good thinking, no trees, no arguments. Good going. I commend them for not buckling to religious fools. And the blame goes to the Rabbi. Should we be surprised? He played the part of the twin brother who wanted to play with the same toy, thus creating the disturbance in the first place. The airport did the right thing, put the tyos on the shelf, and neither side can fight anymore. AMEN.
I will have to side with the airport - with our ever-increasing litigious society, the threat of a suit does give one pause. Even though it is a stupid (yes, I said stupid) reason to file a law suit, a lot of those cases are won nonetheless, ... and you know damn well if the airport added the menorah, they would have been inundated with demands from other religions,
If you went to Israel and complained about the fact that they had menora's hanging in the airport and no christmas trees - do you think they would take down their menoras or put up christmas trees? NO WAY! No other country would respond to complaints by the minorities the way the US does.
This is a christian nation and yet we continue to bend over backwards to please one or two people who might be offended.
If the Rabbi does not like the christmas or christmas trees - he is welcome to go live in a Jewish country.
Well, I am offended that we, as a nation, are conforming to the feelings of the few over that of the many.
In India, there are many Christians as well as Hindu. The nation does not conform to the christians in that country because it is primarily a hindu nation. The same should apply in the US and all countries. You should uphold the values the country has been based on for hundreds of years.
We teach our children to be themselves, regardless of whether or not someone else may not like them for it - yet as a nation, we refuse to live by that example. We conform ourselves to whoever happens to be complaining at the moment. Personally, I think it is pathetic.
KS Dallas
To argue that in Israel authorities would not take down a menorah or add a Christmas tree is a logical fallacy. Israel has an established state religion, which means it would be appropriate to display a menorah, or any other symbol of the faith. The US, however, does not sanction any religion as it's official religion. Furthermore, in a country that is is comprised of individuals from various ethnic and religious backgrounds, sensitivity to the minority is essential to prevent tyranny of the majority.
I do not intend to side with either the airport or the rabbi. I think it is important, however that conversations about what should and should not occur in the US be based on the US, and not what other countries choose to do. This country is not Israel, or India, or any other country. The US is unique in many ways, and thus should be evaluated as such.
The problem is too many lawyers. If the rabbi had simply requested a menorah, that would have been a reasonable request and I hope the airport would have complied (if they weren't afraid of lawyers). But when the rabbi threatened to sue, that was unreasonable initiation of force. That rabbi gets coal in his stocking this year. I'm an agnostic. I like Christmas trees, but I have no objection to menorahs, or any other religious symbols, as long as they're voluntary, not coerced by threats of lawsuits and not paid for with taxes.
KS, this is not a Christian nation. This is a secular nation with a Christian majority, a majority of whom don't give a rat's ass whether retailers say "Merry Christmas" or "Happy Holidays" or whether airports put up trees, menorrahs or Andy Warhol soup can paintings.
But you're right -- this country often does capitulate to the demands of the few over the many. And quite often the few making those demands happen to be Christian.
I don't take exception to displaying whatever religious icons are warranted for the holidays...
What I do take exception to is this "lawsuit mentality" we're having to deal with anymore.
A few people become "offended" by the most miniscule thing...and the masses bow down (and cave in )to THEM? What's wrong with that picture, people?
What message are we sending to our future generations? Better yet...what message SHOULD we be sending to them instead?
B.G.
This country is NOT a Christian nation at all! The Founding Father's made quite sure they did not repeat the mistakes of England and intentionally created a SECULAR country based on laws. The reason why Israel has no obligation to put up a Christmas tree is because that country is a theocratic state. That is not something to aspire to.
I'm proud that my country has, at least in its laws, the idea of not shoving someone else's religion down my throat. Read the first amendment of the Constituion.
If only the Christians could keep their faith to themselves instead of trying to get everyone else to proclaim it for them.
Happy Holidays!
Religion!
For the weak.
To make money and control the weak.
Look around,Religion has,is, and will destroy this world.
The christmas tree is a nordic symbol from the old pagan gods, the middle eastern holiday of rebirth is actually in spring like so many other religions, but the tradition in northern Europe of gathering in the middle of winter became popular due to norman influence in about 1000CE.
So christmas is not about the birth of Jesus. As far as christianity is concerned the christmas tree is irrelevant. Christians used to be jews,yet for thousands of years mystics have taken it apon themselves to personally transform themselves into 'christs, those who are reborn, taking away the authority of the church and living buy thier own interpretation of nature, remember all that is prebiblical.
I am tired of hearing people associate modern christian dogma with the beauty of jesus christ 'personal tranformation' jesus was not a person and he was never suposesd to be. he is a metaphorical character who has been created to help to show us all a better way to live, jesus is not a historical figure. jesus christ translates directlly into greek not as a 'proper name' but as an 'action'. being christan means being aware of your 'self' and your own 'place in the universe'. the cross represents that 'place' Read between the lines people.
I used to hate religion but now I am 'christian' but i do not take the bible as history, it is just a book of stories of people who have gone through lifes trials and if read with a true open mind its an alright guide but certainly not better than what good is telling me right now... a true 'self transformed'(jesus christ) person needs no book because nature tells us all the time what we should do. everyone have a perfect day.
Hi:
The Menorah is a symbol used by the Jews to commemorate the overthrow of the Syrians.
Why should the People of the United States Commemorate the overthrow of the Syrians?
The Jews should be more concerned about the Zionist inhuman treatment of the Palestine people.
100% American Citizen
Have a good day
Tony
Does anybody else find it the least bit ironic that in our never ending struggle to include as many people of all faiths and ethnicity we have actually come full circle and achieved the opposite?
One or two people here try to blame "the Arabs" for this catastrophe, for not surrendering their land in 1948 simply because the Zionists wanted it and Britain had promised it to them (as well as to the Arabs!). Breathtaking. Is the creation we call Israel facing an "existential threat"? Perhaps she should be. By what right does this terrorist state flail about, spilling the blood of those among whom its people had lived in peace for hundreds of years? The Zionists, the British and the French - not the Arabs, and not the Jews, are the villains here. Would America countenance an American Indian state in Nevada? Why not? They suffered a holocaust too, on their own land. Land they have never left and land that is rightfully theirs. No, if you have no moral compass and want to defend Israel then by all means do so, but be honest with yourselves: the imposition of an alien Nation on others' land, and the stealing of their homes, farms and heritage was inevitably going to cause people to resist, and Israel's conscripts will be spilling the blood of innocent children for decades. Israel exists only because it CAN, not because it SHOULD. It is an illegitimate Nation, built on theft and soaked in innocent blood. What an achievement. What a legacy. Can anyone forsee a time when the arabs will not resist this atrocity? Does anyone blame them? Israel will have to devestate the region. Deep down, she knows she has no right to the land and so simply cannot afford a conscience. If she had one she would die. THAT is the real existential threat. So Israel will do anything to avoid acquiring a conscience, and anything to survive. Are we prepared to coutenance another holocaust, this time visited by Israel upon the innocents?
Wow, quite a progression from a Rabbi bitchin' about an evergreen, eh?
I have to disagree with all who say this is not a Christian nation. It most certainly is! And how sad that you don't believe that. That being said, I agree, the meaning of Christmas has been lost to the focus on materialism. I don't see the big deal in having Christmas trees up and the Rabbi being offended. In the US this is how the overwhelming majority of people celebrate the holiday regardless of the ethnicity. So, yes using how other countries celebrate their holidays is a perfect way to compare this situation. Instead of people worrying about their special symbol being in the airport and threatening a lawsuit, why not do something nice for someone else? Instead of buying someone a toy they don't need, donate one to a child who doesn't have one. THAT is the real meaning of Christmas. GIVING.
This story follows a long tradition of religious equality being advocated in the U.S. by the same religious group that destroys modern humanism by state sponsored theft, murder, and oppression.
wow, we did stray, didn't we, ...
Stray hell....we got on the damn bus with no destination in mind and no compass in hand AT ALL...ROFLMAO!
B.G.
how can a nation be christian? it is an individual decision. All state religions are manipulations of spiritual teaching to control people.