Jews Strive To Restore Christmas Trees At Seattle Airport
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From: Al Klein on 13 Dec 2006 17:53 On Thu, 14 Dec 2006 08:15:26 +1000, James A. Donald <jamesd(a)echeque.com> wrote: >Mike Hunt >> > > The issue isn't that the Rabbi wanted the >> > > Christmas ornaments removed, but he wanted >> > > representation of his religion a this public >> > > facility. > >James A. Donald: >> > Christmas is a universal celebration, > >flaviaR(a)verizon.net >> No, it is not. The fact that some people have >> secularized it changes nothing. > >So you are worried that people might look at the >Christmas tree and THINK of a manger? What part of "NO law" confuses you? It doesn't say "no law that makes people think of mangers". -- rukbat at optonline dot net "For aught we know a priori, matter may contain the source, or spring, of order originating within itself, as well as the mind does." - David Hume, Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion (random sig, produced by SigChanger)
From: Mxsmanic on 13 Dec 2006 19:09 James A. Donald writes: > It is like negotiating with the Palestinians. Maybe. It can't be like the Israelis, since they refuse to negotiate. -- Transpose mxsmanic and gmail to reach me by e-mail.
From: Tchiowa on 13 Dec 2006 19:19 Anarcissie wrote: > Tchiowa wrote: > > Mike Hunt wrote: > > > The issue isn't that the Rabbi wanted the Christmas ornaments removed, > > > but he wanted representation of his religion a this public facility. > > > > > > That request was denied, even though the last Supreme Court case on the > > > subject agreed with the Rabbi. > > > > > > The fact that the airport management took down the Christmas ornaments > > > leads me to believe that they knew they were in violation of that ruling > > > . Why didn't they simply allow the Menorah to be displayed? Could it be > > > they are anti-semitic > > > > Could it be because the official national holiday is Christmas, not > > Hannukah? Putting up a menorrah for Christmas makes no more sense than > > putting up an Easter Bunny for Halloween. Wrong holiday. > > > > Should there be a Jewish holiday? Should the US have a holiday for the > > Eid that ends Ramadan? Maybe. But that's another issue. We have a > > holiday that celebrates Christmas and like it our not this is a > > Christian holiday. If someone doesn't like it he doesn't have to > > participate. But unless you want to try to ban Christmas then people > > should grow up and leave it alone. > > How can you not "participate"? Christians and other fans of > the holiday -- especially merchants -- run the holiday down your > throat, starting in late October. It's a national holiday in the US. If you don't want to participate then stay home. But it is absurd to suggest that the country has to hide while it celebrates a national holiday. If you don't like Christmas being a national holiday then ask your Congressman to change the law.
From: Robert Cohen on 13 Dec 2006 19:30 More undisputed facts that the Christmas Tree at SeaTac Airport is a very big deal 10. If the tree is plastic or aluminum , then that's greatttt, because plastic or aluminum is sooo coool 9. The beautifully-wrapped boxes under the tree make Warhol collector hearts a-flutter 8. The elegant fake tree, the terrific tinsel, the semi-gaudy lights, the sugar plum fairies attached to mini-snowmen with candy canes, and all the other swell, imaginative doo-dads are so much about our global world's ...ornament sweat-shops including child labor. 7. Hey, if somebody insists on seeing a Menorah on display, then go to a kitchy synagogue with colorful shammes. Sound of Trumpet wrote: > http://www.towardtradition.org/index.cfm?PAGE_ID=235 > > > > 12.11.2006 Jews Strive to Restore Christmas Trees > > > Jews Strive to Restore Sea-Tac Airport's Christmas Trees > > By Rabbi Daniel Lapin > > > > Well here we go again. It is so utterly predictable. Like clockwork. > It's December and time for another skirmish in the annual battle > against Christmas. What compels me to comment is that this time it's > not the usual secular fanatic who's responsible for doing things that > evict Christianity from the culture. No, on this sad and alarming > occasion it's a deeply religious, well-intentioned rabbi who has > unwittingly stumbled into a situation that will place his denomination > (and mine)-Orthodox Judaism-in a terrible, negative light. > > For at least ten years, Sea-Tac Airport near Seattle has displayed > several large, beautifully decorated Christmas trees each December. > With lawyer in tow, a local rabbi recently threatened to sue the Port > of Seattle if the airport didn't add a Chanukah menorah to the holiday > display. > > Yielding to the ultimatum was not an option for airport management, > skittish at the best of times since 9-11. Understandably, they > interpreted the rabbi's threat as only the first. It would not be > hard to imagine Seattle's Islamic community stepping forward with > their own lawyer to demand a Moslem symbol be included as well. > > With deft turn of phrase, Sea-Tac public affairs manager Terri-Ann > Betancourt explained that at the busiest travel time of the year, while > Sea-Tac was focused on getting passengers through the airport, she and > her staff didn't have time "to play cultural anthropologists." > > Threatening a lawsuit, I feel, violates the Jewish principle known in > Hebrew as Kiddush HaShem, interpreted in the Talmud, part of ancient > Jewish wisdom, as an action that encourages people to admire Jews. One > need only read the comments on the Internet following the news accounts > of the tree removal, to know that most people are feeling indignant and > hurt. They certainly are not feeling more warmly toward Jews as a > result of this mess. > > Here I disclose that I know the rabbi involved, am friendly with him, > and am sure that he didn't intend this outcome. I like him, which > makes it painful for me to point out that when one throws a punch > (which is what bringing a lawyer and threatening to sue is equivalent > to) and one gets decked in return, one cannot plead that one didn't > intend that outcome. > > The outcome, whether intended or not, is that now vast numbers of > passengers, most of whom are probably Christian, will be deprived of > the cheerful holiday sight of pretty Christmas trees. What is more, > they will know that their deprivation was caused by a Jewish rabbi. > The rabbi's lawyer told a television reporter, "There is a concern > here that the Jewish community will be portrayed as the Grinch." > > No, Mr. Lawyer, it is not that Jews will be "portrayed" as the > grinch. Sadly, now we are the grinch. You made us the grinch. > > Now what is to be done? I have three requests: > > I am asking every reader of this column to sign a petition on the > Toward Tradition website beseeching Sea-Tac management to restore the > Christmas trees. > > I am asking every reader of this column to forward it to others who > might be willing to sign this petition. > > I am asking Jews in the Puget Sound region to join national radio host, > Michael Medved, and me in offering our volunteer labor to Sea-Tac. We > hope they will allow us to provide the labor necessary for replacing > the trees so that airport staff need not be deflected from their > important duties. > > Why am I, an Orthodox Jewish rabbi, so concerned about a few Christmas > trees? Not for a moment do I believe that American Christians will > react to this insult with a flurry of anti-Semitic activity. But I do > feel certain that perhaps in some small way, expelling Christmas > symbolism from the airport makes it just a little harder to protect > America's Christian nature. > > For centuries, we Jews suffered in a Europe governed by ecclesiastical > authority. We suffered no less under the secular tyrannies of > communism. Now, in post-Christian Europe, where both government and > population are increasingly secular, anti-Semitism is dramatically on > the rise. In short, we have never thrived under religious government > or within secular cultures. > > During the past two thousand years of Jewish history Jews have never > enjoyed a more hospitable home than we enjoy here in the United States > of America. > > This is because we have a religiously neutral government and a largely > religious Christian population. Most American Christians love Jews and > support Israel unconditionally because of their commitment to the Bible > and the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Evidence from across the > Atlantic persuades me that our lot will deteriorate if America's > population gradually becomes secularized and removing the Christmas > trees makes that disturbing likelihood, over time, more probable. Yes, > public symbols are very important. > > Years ago we Jews advocated for full equality. Today, with thirteen > Jewish United States senators, over thirty Jewish congressmen, two Jews > on the Supreme Court, and disproportionate Jewish representation in > media and entertainment, one could reasonably say we have achieved it. > But back then, the only culture in America was Christian. Today, > however, America is home to many faiths, not all of them friendly > towards Judaism. > > Today, agitating for Jewish religious representation in the culture > inevitably results not in equating Judaism with Christianity but the > removal of both Judaism and Christianity. In other words, pushing for > the menorah means removal of the Christmas tree and the triumph of > secularism. Europe, both past and present, teaches us that if America > becomes secularized, Jews suffer. > > For fifteen years I have insisted that for Jews to oppose Christianity > in America is a mistake. The world today is populated by millions who > harbor festering hatred for Jews. There remains one group of people > who love and support us and they are America's Evangelical > Christians. What possible sense does it make to fight your friends by > stripping their symbols from sight? > > When the Moslems invaded Spain, one of their first actions was the > removal of all Christian symbols from public view. Secularism's > invasion of America is attempting exactly the same strategy. I implore > American Jews not to ally themselves with this ill-fated campaign. > > We are less than a week from the Jewish holiday of Chanukah during > which our most important religious observance revolves around the > blessings we say over the Menorah. In doing so, we oppose the still > prevalent and ever more dangerous force of secularism. > > When times change, unlike dinosaurs, wise organisms adapt. We should > recognize that we all have a stake in protecting Christian symbolism in > the village square (or the airport). The only alternative will be no > religious symbolism at all and make no mistake, secularism's rise is > Judaism's decline. > > I spoke to the rabbi involved today and he is genuinely unhappy with > the decision of Sea-Tac airport. I invited him to join the Toward > Tradition petition and I hope he will do so. I urge you also to do > whatever you can to help bring back Sea-Tac Airport's Christmas > trees. Let us all show that we care. > > Exactly thirteen years ago, a brick was thrown through a Jewish > home's window in Billings, Montana because inside that window was > displayed a menorah. Within days, over six thousand Christian homes in > Billings protested that anti-religious bigotry by displaying menorahs > in their windows. > > I am not suggesting that Jews express their support by displaying > Christmas trees in their windows but I am suggesting that Jews fulfill > the spirit of Chanukah by supporting public expressions of the other > Biblical faith. I don't think that the airport was guilty of > anti-religious bigotry but a weakening of Christianity in America could > become a huge threat. For a start, let us try to restore Sea-Tac > Airport's Christmas trees. > > > > > > Toward Tradition president, Rabbi Daniel Lapin, is a noted rabbinic > scholar and national public speaker. His radio show broadcasts live > over the Internet on KSFO San Francisco each Sunday 1-4pm PST and is > the author of three best-selling books, Thou Shall Prosper, America's > Real War and Buried Treasure.
From: dsharavii on 13 Dec 2006 20:10
Tchiowa wrote: > It's a national holiday in the US. If you don't want to participate > then stay home. But it is absurd to suggest that the country has to > hide while it celebrates a national holiday. > > If you don't like Christmas being a national holiday then ask your > Congressman to change the law. Better still -- buy a one-way trip to Saudi Arabia. There are NO Xmas trees in their airports -- or anywhere else. Deborah |