Sunday, December 10, 2006
Treeless--and clueless--in Seattle
John W. Lillpop
In another outrageous surrender to PC foolishness, 15 Christmas trees inside a terminal at SEA-TAC airport in Seattle have been removed because of religious intolerance.
This controversy bubbled over into complete insanity when a local rabbi demanded that a menorah be installed and dedicated at a public lighting ceremony at the airport.
In the spirit of the season, the rabbi gave a two-day deadline for his demands to be met; proving once and for all that the message of Christmas has an amazing potential to heal.
Go here:
Sea-Tac public affairs manager Terri-Ann Betancourt, explained that the trees were removed because “they did not properly represent all cultures.”
Excuse me, Ms. Betancourt, but where in Hades does it say that Christmas trees have to represent ALL cultures? Buying, decorating, and displaying Christmas trees is a fundamental part of American culture that dates back more than 200 years, and is observed by an overwhelming majority of Americans to this day.
Why in the world are the demands of a disgruntled rabbi more important than the overwhelming majority of Seattle residents and others traveling through SEA-TAC airport?
Why not tell the rabbi that Christmas IS, in fact, quite Jewish because the main character (Jesus) and all supporting characters (Joseph, Mary, et al.) are Jews.
If that answer fails to sway the rabbi, advise him and all other Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, atheists, agnostics, ACLU lawyers, and other anti-Christmas grinches that America celebrates Christmas as a part of our culture, and we do so for about four weeks every year, starting around Thanksgiving Day.
That’s just the way it is here.
If our Christmas music, decorations, trees, lights, food, drink, celebrations, happy spirit, and other signs offend you, then YOU obviously need help.
Such help should include attention to cultural diversity, religious tolerance, and perhaps even anger management for those offended by the beautiful message of hope and good will that is Christmas in America.
Oh, and by the way, just so we do not forget: Merry Christmas!