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Title: Rabbi appalled by airport's removal of Christmas trees
Source:
www.king5.com
URL Source: http://www.king5.com/localnews/stor ... ABairporttreesSW.1663eccf.html
Published: Dec 10, 2006
Author: www.king5.com
Post Date: 2006-12-10 22:04:55 by robin
Keywords: None
Views: 2152
Comments: 138
Rabbi appalled by airport's removal of Christmas trees KING Rabbi Elazar Bogomilsky SEATAC, Wash. - 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. Rabbi Elazar Bogomilsky, who made his request weeks ago, said he was appalled by the decision. "Everyone should have their spirit of the holiday. For many people the trees are the spirit of the holidays, and adding a menorah adds light to the season," said Bogomilsky, who works at Chabad Lubavitch, a Jewish education foundation headquartered in Seattle's University District. 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. Maintenance workers boxed up the trees during the graveyard shift early Saturday, when airport bosses believed few people would notice. "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." Bogomilsky had hired a lawyer and threatened to sue if the Port of Seattle didn't add the menorah next to the trees, which had been festooned with red ribbons and bows. Hanukkah begins this Friday at sundown. "They've darkened the hall instead of turning the lights up," said Bogomilsky's lawyer, Harvey Grad. "There is a concern here that the Jewish community will be portrayed as the Grinch." 03:53 PM PST on Sunday, December 10, 2006
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Begin Trace Mode for Comment # 33.
#2. To: robin, lodwick (#0)
(Edited)
This country is fucked with political correctness and multiculturalist "sensitivity." I am sick of it. We are no longer free. Can anyone recommend a state we could take over, start a new country and seceed? [Preferably someplace without LaRaza brownshirt mexinazis] Regardless of how "religious;y" correct Christmas is, it is a tradition long held by many cultures including ours. Those who attempt to rabidly destroy the entire tradition by removing Christmas trees are assholes.
un-pc bump
Though I celebrate/observe Christmas I don't get too excited about this new found American dilemma about Christmas observances because I know Christmas was once banned by some of the pre Revolution colonies and it was not observed by the Federal govt until the early or mid 1800s. Another reason I don't pay any attention to this war on Christmas is because Protestants in America tend to be irrational nuts. Protestants go from having problems with Christmas observances (calling them Papist and pagan at times) to now demanding that Christmas get its proper due.
Do you have a link? I can't find this info anywhere.
An Outlaw Christmas In the early 17th century, a wave of religious reform changed the way Christmas was celebrated in Europe. When Oliver Cromwell and his Puritan forces took over England in 1645, they vowed to rid England of decadence and, as part of their effort, cancelled Christmas. By popular demand, Charles II was restored to the throne and, with him, came the return of the popular holiday. The pilgrims, English separatists that came to America in 1620, were even more orthodox in their Puritan beliefs than Cromwell. As a result, Christmas was not a holiday in early America. From 1659 to 1681, the celebration of Christmas was actually outlawed in Boston. Anyone exhibiting the Christmas spirit was fined five shillings. By contrast, in the Jamestown settlement, Captain John Smith reported that Christmas was enjoyed by all and passed without incident. After the American Revolution, English customs fell out of favor, including Christmas. In fact, Congress was in session on December 25, 1789, the first Christmas under America's new constitution. Christmas wasn't declared a federal holiday until June 26, 1870.
Oh for pity's sake. You're picking out something that Oliver Cromwell initiated as something to embrace!?! The Pilgrims (also gracing my family tree) were absolutely nutty about a few things. The Salem witch trials being among them. Now this Christmas nonsense. And that's not all, they were really strange about sex in general, wearing undergarments at all time. Do you suppose they knew what Gary Condit learned only centuries later? If that's all you've got, that's worse than nothing.
You think because it was not declared a federal holiday until 1870 that the birth of Christ was not celebrated until then? BTW, the shepherds on the hills indicates that Christ was born during the summer months (that's according to my 3rd grade Baptist Sunday School teacher).
It was not a holiday until 1870 - the fact Congress did business on Christmas is proof that Christmas was not observed by the founding fathers in a manner you would find acceptable in this 'war on Christmas' hysteria mindset I imagine.
It was not declared a federal holday until 1870, that does not mean Christians did not celebrate Christmas before that.
Excuse me - get back on track. The whole point of this conversation is the public celebration/observance of the holiday is in not?
#36. To: Destro (#33)
People are the public. Federally declared holidays follow the public observance. Get real. Read the history at the Wiki link. Americans before they were Americans celebrated Christmas. The original Grinch, Oliver Cromwell hated everything and everybody and of course Christmas. Maybe you like Cromwell, but no one else does.
Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/LatestAll nine Christmas trees have been removed from the Seattle- Tacoma International Airport instead of adding a giant Jewish menorah
#12. To: IndieTX, Destro, robin, all (#2)
Please fast-forward me to 2 Jan 07...
#18. To: lodwick, IndieTX, robin, ferretmike, all (#12)
(Edited)
#19. To: Destro (#18)
I know Christmas was once banned by some of the pre Revolution colonies and it was not observed by the Federal govt until the early or mid 1800s.
#20. To: robin (#19)
#21. To: Destro (#20)
#23. To: robin (#21)
After the American Revolution, English customs fell out of favor, including Christmas. In fact, Congress was in session on December 25, 1789, the first Christmas under America's new constitution. Christmas wasn't declared a federal holiday until June 26, 1870.
#24. To: Destro (#23)
#26. To: robin (#24)
You think because it was not declared a federal holiday until 1870 that the birth of Christ was not celebrated until then?
#30. To: Destro (#26)
#33. To: robin (#30)
It was not declared a federal holday until 1870, that does not mean Christians did not celebrate Christmas before that.
Replies to Comment # 33.
End Trace Mode for Comment # 33.