Christmas Trees Removed From Sea-Tac

Don't know if this has been posted...

SeattlePi.com

There will be no more Christmas trees at Sea-Tac Airport this season after the Port of Seattle received at least one complaint about them.

For more than 25 years, the airport has celebrated the holidays with Christmas trees over its entrances. But overnight, the Port of Seattle ordered all 15 trees removed.

The Port of Seattle said it had little choice. It said a Seattle rabbi with the Central Organization for Jewish Education hired an attorney and threatened to sue if the airport did not erect an eight-foot menorah to balance the message of the Christmas trees.

According to airport spokeswoman, the two sides could not reach an agreement before the lawsuit was to be filed, so the trees were removed instead.

The airline companies that lease space in the airport are not being required to remove decorations from their check-in counters.

Balance! Is this right? It seems like everyone wants to get in on the act these days.

[edit on 10-12-2006 by KhieuSamphan]

May the Rabbi burn in hell.

That might be a little harsh but to complain like that, oh what I would give to be able to punch that jerk in the face..

They should have called it a Holiday Tree...



Really, as long as the tree is associated with a religion, which it is if it's called a CHRISTmas tree, that leaves the door open for people to request or demand equal treatment for their religion. Which only seems fair to me. If we called it a Holiday Tree, then it could represent ALL religions AND secular celebrators!

You can't have it both ways. If you want it to be called a CHRISTmas Tree, then somebody's going to complain...

Going with the little information I have here, why didn't the city just put up a Menora like the rabbi requested? They had 15 trees, according to the article, and the rabbi apparently asked for only one menora.

Yeah that's just plain nuts. Glad no one tells me how to decorate my place....at least not yet that is! Dear God...what's next??

I suppose 'what's good for the goose...' etc. is the correct attitude to adopt, but where does it end? I don't know how many 'religions' are officially recognised in the US...should they all have their specific 'festival' symbolism displayed in public places, as and when they occur?

As BH says, someone will always complain. You can't please everyone, I guess.

I propose a 'Humanity Tree', with little baubels in the images of the men and women of the world.

The history of the "christmas tree" should alleviate any concern over its usage by any but those who are really persnickety about the entire thing.
Numero uno, it was based on the pine tree planted by Inana (Akkadian) at the death of her husband, who had gone to the underworld (See Inana's Journey). She is the same as Isis,. so the tree was originally to commemorate not the birth of the Savior but the death of Osiris (who was in one of their stories, buried in a cedar tree).

Anyway, it's a really old symbol for death (the death of nature at the winter solstice). It's not even remotely a christian symbol jesus was born sometime in september, based on the hebrew calendar, so even the date is wrong for the tree to represent him.

Now REPEAT after me: The Catholic church adopted PAGAN traditions in an early attempt at ecumenism. The date and trappings of christmas are pagan dates and trappings. Jesus can still be celebrated on that day, because frankly, we can celebrate him every day of the year. But, in truth, christmas is about as christian as halloween.

[edit on 10-12-2006 by undo]

The rabbi had no right to complain, imo, unless he had made a request for a menorah and it was denied.

On one hand I feel disgusted but on the other...i'm not so sure....

Perhaps the world would be a better place if religions and their symbols were taken out of public life and moved back into the homes of the believers. Each person or family could celebrate or worship as they please without it being in the face of everyone else. Places of worship would ofcourse be exempt.

Frankly, i'm a spiritual anarchist and don't care if you worship a turnip. I'm just tired of seeing human beings killing each other over symbols and beliefs that should reside in their hearts and not in their outrage.

Religion is a chip that all of mankind walks around with on his shoulder.

It saddens me.

you guys, we can play this game as well....

any mention of any religion such as kwanzaa, hanaka, or whatever should not be allowed. Religous specific menus should not be allowed (i.e. no beef for hindus and no pork for muslims and jews)

Originally posted by jsobecky
The rabbi had no right to complain...

I'm not sure. There seem to be lots of procedures and legislation in place to deal with, nay encourage, people who have 'grievances' such as this, and just as many people willing to enact these procedures. Over here these people tend to be identified by the label 'human rights lawyers'.

Now while this all seems well and good on paper, in practice, two things seem to happen as a result. i) The hoi-polloi get antagonised somewhat by the invariably loud protestations of the few, and ii) rather than attempt compromise or the implementation of a little common sense, sanitisation and dumbing down takes place, leading to further antagonism.

Yet another example of too many lawyers.

I feel there should be a "Festivus" aluminum feats of strength pole at the airport also.

Politically correct is a bunch of crap. It is a few whiny people looking for attention.

Why are there no Christmas trees in a Jewsish Temple. I am going to sue! My rights are being violated.

And they wonder why everyone hates them..

I can't believe they actually bowed, one freaking stupid rabbi,
and they have to take down all there Xmas trees, just because
he's offended.

Man, Political Correctness in this country has gone way to far.

I mean it's a freaking airport.


I'd like to knock this guy out, I may just do that to..

Not like I visit the airport a lot, but this seriously has to stop.

Why are people offended by other peoples happiness?

It brings joy to my eyes when I drive around my neighborhood and actually see lights up and decorations everywhere. I feel like those people really put in an effort that looks really nice, and i'm sure i'm not the only one that thinks this.

I think it makes the kids feel like theres still hope, and I also think that telling your kids that there is no santa clause too early in their life can possibly make them become agnostic.

I do think these types of things should be kept yourself because, the way you celebrate things is personal, and shouldn't be offensive to anyone else. People should just be able to listen to other perspectives and not always agree, but at least not argue or fight.

On the other hand I think it would've been wise just to have put up a Menora like the Rabbi requested, it would've solved everything and people would've been happy both ways.

They could have just put up a Mennorah, number 9, number 9.

I say we go back to the Roman practice of decorating all our doorways and public squares with large erect phalluses.

Everyone will agree.

No wait, that's San Francisco.

A litiginous nation, America. Seatac must have wanted to avoid the expense.
Shame.
Christmas trees are pretty, green all year round - except for the rusting pine beetle ridden ones and all the ones dying from pollution.
Opps, that's another thread.

What a stupid Rabbi, jeezes christ.

Don't come to other countries and try to force people to stop doing what they usually do.

I am a proud Pagan and have no problem with having Christmas decorations. They used to burn Pagans at the stake but I still don't have any problem with it.

You have to be a real jerk to do something like that Rabbi did. Man if this keeps up we are not going to be a very happy country anymore. People need to stop pulling useless crap like this to make a point.

And they wonder why everyone hates them..

They who? Headline seeking Rabbis? A larger group? Please clarify?

Don't come to other countries and try to force people to stop doing what they usually do.

Is this a serious statement or are you attempting to win the ridiculous comment of the week award? Believe it or not there are Jewish people that were born in the United States too.

I think some of you need to get over your ridiculously preconceived ideas that you let run wild as soon as you saw that it was a Rabbi who complained.

Did you tell the atheist who wants the pledge to drop the word God to go back to his country too?

Funny enough, as someone who lives in NYC I have never heard anyone Jewish complain about Christmas trees, which is funny because besides the 100 foot one in Rockefeller Center, nearly every office building and apartment building has at least one in their lobby.

One guy has something up his rear and suddenly we get comments like "go back home" or "they wonder why people hate them".

Think before you speak, it's healthy as a general rule in life.

Some of the comments here were disgraceful and actually unpleasant to read. Wow.

[edit on 12-10-2006 by Djarums]

Originally posted by Djarums

And they wonder why everyone hates them..

They who? Headline seeking Rabbis? A larger group? Please clarify?

The pompus rabbis and other jewish religiosu church type people,
like the ones who make a big deal over something, than call
anyone who disagrees with them anti-semitic.

And I mean the jewish equivalent of fundie pastors and church
leaders.

Lets see who's Icon is the most important contest and who has the most religious pull on the government level.