Posted on 12/08/2006 9:51:16 AM PST by DogByte6RER
HOLIDAY BLUES
'Christmas' is 'semantics' to Democrat Sen. Murray Spokeswoman insists this is time to celebrate 'the season'
Posted: December 8, 2006 1:00 a.m. Eastern
The omission by Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., of the word "Christmas" when addressing those who watched this week's lighting of the 65-foot Pacific Silver Fir that this year is serving as the "Capitol Christmas Tree" apparently was no oversight.
As WND exclusively reported, Murray rebuffed instructions given last year by Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., that the national tree in front of the U.S. Capitol be referred to as the "Capitol Christmas Tree," after having been called the "Capitol Holiday Tree" since the 1990s. During the lighting ceremony, the Democrat senator from the tree's home state never used the word "Christmas" in her speech to the assembled crowd, opting instead for the term "holiday tree" twice.
"She was speaking to a crowd, and she said what she said. This is the holiday season, we're just thrilled that the tree is from Washington state. It's just a time to bring everybody together to celebrate the season," Alex Glass, Murray's communications director, told WND.
When asked if there were any objection to calling the tree a "Christmas tree," she said the senator doesn't have a policy.
"I think, you know, whatever people want to call it, we are accepting of all of it," Glass said. "It's a time to remember what the season is about."
And that is? Celebrating, of course.
And what are we celebrating?
"The season," Glass said.
And what is the season?
"I'm not going to get into semantics with you guys," she said.
(Story continues below)
Thus, Glass was as successful at keeping "Christmas" out of a discussion about "the season" as Murray was at keeping it out of her comments about the tree at the lighting ceremony.
"It is so wonderful and such an honor to be here tonight in the nation's capital as we light what we all believe from the other end of the country is the best holiday tree ever," Murray said at the event.
Sen. Patty Murray
"I am very proud of everyone in my home state who helped make this happen – all of our staffs who worked so hard; everyone who helped bring this tree out here; everyone who has worked incredibly hard, especially the young children who helped decorate this tree. So, tonight, we share with the nation what makes our state so spectacular: a bit of our spirit, a holiday tree."
Murray, who has been elected conference secretary of the Senate Democrat Caucus for the coming session of Congress, was called on to make comments when the traditional tree in front of the Capitol – not the National Christmas Tree which is a living tree at the White House – was illuminated this week.
Alan Hantman, the architect of the Capitol, also called it "the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree" and Murray's address was followed shortly later by a performance by the National Presbyterian School Chorus, whose members sang, "O Christmas Tree."
Then Hastert followed, saying:
"Well, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all of you tonight. It's one of the most wonderful nights of the year when we can come together and light our National Christmas Tree."
"This year, I'm honored to be here yet again to light the Capitol Christmas Tree."
"As we go into this Christmas season and begin the celebration with our family and friends, I would hope that this year we spend time reflecting on the true reason for the season of Christmas."
"The Christmas season really is about children. So we thought we'd bring some children along to help light the Christmas tree." According to a website about the tree, it is decorated with 10,000 lights and 3,000 ornaments handmade by school children from across Washington State.
The lighting of the tree, by the speaker of the House, is a tradition that was begun in 1964. This year's fir was chosen by Ted Bechtol, deputy superintendent of Capitol grounds, from the Olympic National Forest on Washington's Olympic Peninsula.
A report from the Capitol architect's offices said the Capitol Christmas Tree, after years with that designation, had been renamed the holiday tree "in an effort" to acknowledge the other holidays of Kwanzaa and Hanukkah, although no one could say who gave that order.
So last year Hastert ordered the change rescinded.
The issue has come up in other locations, too. Last year in Boston the city was threatened with a lawsuit if the Boston Christmas tree wasn't called the Boston Christmas tree.
"To rename a Christmas tree as a holiday tree is as offensive as renaming a Jewish menorah a candlestick," Mathew Staver, general counsel of Liberty Counsel, said at that time.
I suppose that next year when she really has some power in the dem majority, she'll be out there with a statue to honor and commend her saint, Osama bin Laden.
Sick...
It is hard to get mad at the Democrats when Laura Bush did the Happy Holiday nonsesne in the Barney Cam video.
She said 'holiday tree'???
*GASP!!**
It's a WAR on Christmas!!!
Anybody see the irony of a so-called "Mom in tennis shoes" unable to mention the word, "Christmas?"
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More from the 'Death to America' wing of Congress.
It is a wonder she didn't say OBL provides holiday trees to all those daycare centers he built in the middle east.
I guarantee you she spells it "Xmas" on purpose.
LOL.
"Democrat Sen. Murray" is semantics for "washed up in politics forever".
Buh,Bye Sweet Senator.
Have a nice forever.
Every time this idiot opens her mouth she shows more tellingly what an ass she is. Unfortunately since she represents Washington state it's very difficult to get rid of her.
No, it's freakin' impossible to get rid of her....
A town a live near puts up a menorah, and in the spirit of being politically correct would mean I have to wish them a 'Happy Big Candle Thingy Season'. Ah heck, Happy Hannukuh!
No surprise re the traitorous globalist _/Witch
I'm so thrilled and blessed contemplating, however,
that
THE KING IS COMING, RETURNING . . .
AND
then
their "new" world order will be wiped away without a trace.
AMEN!
The globalists will ban it and change the time references from 200X or 20XX to whatever . . .
AND
they will be short-lived. PTL.
But the hell they will spread in their short flash in the pan duration will be unprecedentedly horrendous.
Somehow, the mental picture of Murray dancing naked around the Sacred Solstice Tree does'nt bring the term "celebration" to my mind.
More like "RETTTCCHHH".
I am proud to announce that this year the official Capitol Christmas tree is coming to Washington D.C. from our great state. The tree will be lit in a ceremony on December 6th at 5pm. The tree originated in the Olympic National Forest and is currently in transit.
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