Posted on 12/10/2005 8:36:10 PM PST by LdSentinal
Supervisor apologizes after outcry over his angry response to prayer that invoked Jesus
MELVILLE, N.Y. When the Rev. Nick Zientarski uttered the name of Jesus Christ during his traditional blessing of the official Christmas tree lighting in Manhasset last week, he had no idea he had signed on as a soldier in the Christmas wars. Even as he spoke, the Roman Catholic priest said, he could hear North Hempstead Supervisor Jon Kaiman angrily objecting behind him, "this is inappropriate." Then, Kaiman got up and told the crowd, "I just want to make it clear that this is no way a religious ceremony."
A collective gasp was heard from the 200 adults and children gathered around the gazebo across from Town Hall. And nothing has been the same since in well-heeled Manhasset, which counts at least a dozen houses of worship in little more than two square miles.
"I have to tell you that Manhasset is in an uproar," said Christine Roberts, who is Jewish and attended the ceremony with her two sons. "It really was the wrong thing to say at the wrong time. There is a lot of hostility going around. Angry letters to the editor of the local paper. Angry conversations. Insanity has absolutely overtaken this town."
(Excerpt) Read more at insidebayarea.com ...
I'm gratified the priest got the support he did, but it's a little weird that this Kaiman has any constituency at all. I'm complaining about the idiots who would elect such a hideous wretch to office.
Understood. The WHOLE headline and subline is as below. Methinks the OP was trying to get some reactions.
Priest's tree blessing sends New York town into a tizzy.
Supervisor apologizes after outcry over his angry response to prayer that invoked Jesus
Well actually that's wrtong the subline is there on the original post so we all missed that.
I wish more cities would react this way instead of submitting to political correctness.
I know the boat you described. Beautiful! The Christmas Boat Parades are wonderful every year.
This is getting so ridiculous. The intolerant rule us. We must take a stand against these cretins.
The beautiful thing is so many people of faith defending this man of God against this beast of a politician. Thank God for a town like this. We all should follow their example.
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