Posted on 12/09/2006 7:45:53 PM PST by XR7
SEA-TAC Airport - All of the Christmas trees inside the terminal at Sea-Tac have been removed in response to a complaint by a rabbi.A local rabbi wanted to install an 8-foot menorah and have a public lighting ceremony. He threatened to sue if the menorah wasn’t put up, and gave a two-day deadline to remove the trees.
Sea-Tac public affairs manager Terri-Ann Betancourt said the trees that adorn the Sea-Tac upper and lower levels may not properly represent all cultures.
She said that since this is their busiest time of year and they don't have time to add a fair representation of all cultures, her department decided to take down all of the decorations, review their policies, and decide if they need to make a change for next year.
"You know, our focus is on customer service, getting our passengers through the airport, and we thought if we could take the trees down and avoid litigation because we don't want to littigate with this individual, we want to reach some kind of solution," Betancourt said. "But that is going to take some thoughtful discussion and we would like to have time to have that thoughtful discussion."
Until then, no Christmas decor at Sea-Tac.
The same decorations have been put up for at least 10 years, she added.
I was kinda trying to point out that it was the MAYOR of Philadelphia, now governor of Pennsylvania, who participated in the ceremony on public property. (I can't remember whether he's of Jewish ancestry.) Guess I don't write the Queen's English so good as to make that point. :-)
I agree with you, Christmas Trees represent Christmas, and of course the Rabbi was correct.
Sea-Tac's position appears to be that the trees were Holiday Trees representing all faith, ludicrous, thus the Menorah didn't need to be displayed. When confronted they removed the Holiday Trees, a bizarre action if they are in fact multi-religious trees.
Bringing in a lawyer is foolish, but the problem here lies with Sea-Tac.
His column.
Not at all. I totally knew he was an elected official. ;o)
I heard the lady who was with Sea-Tac say this morning that they have a 70 foot Christmas tree and the Rabbi wanted a 70 foot mennorah. They searched the internet for 4 hours and could not find a 70 foot mennorah.
He also gave them 12 hours to comply and have a lighting ceremony, which obviously would have been religious.
Rather than spend tens of thousands in legal fees at the public expense, the did the expediant thing and took down the trees.
What a Scroogie Rabbi. Bah Humbug.
That sheds a LOT more light on the subject, hmmm?
They've never had a request like this before, as I understand it.
Google Search results: Did you mean: 70 foot menorah
According to all other media reports, the menorah in question is 8 feet high, not 70.
I suppose it's irrelevant to the question at hand, but I remember Mayor Floyd Adams, Savannah Georgia's first black mayor, attending and participating in the festivities on Southern Memorial Day at the monument to Confederate Veterans. When he was criticized by some blacks for so doing, he replied that he was mayor of all Savannians, not just the black ones.
I apologize, I must have heard incorrectly. When I thought she said 70 foot menorah I thought 'Holy Cow!! That's a big menorah!'
SEATAC, Wash. -- Every holiday season for 25 years there were Christmas trees at the airport serving Seattle. But one complaint -- accompanied by the threat of legal action -- was enough to get them removed.
Officials at Sea-Tac Airport said a rabbi with the Central Organization for Jewish Learning calls them offensive. He hired a lawyer and threatened to sue -- demanding the airport put up an eight-foot menorah to balance the message of the Christmas trees.
An airport spokeswoman said the two sides couldn't reach an agreement before the suit was to be filed. So all 15 trees were removed, though other holiday decorations remain.
From Indychannel news
The Rabbi was on BOR tonight. He said that he was not offended by the Christmas Trees but I didn't hear BOR ask him about the lawsuit threat.
Bump
BREAKING NEWS
Monday, December 11, 2006 8:07 PMThe Christmas Trees are returning to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.
Port of Seattle officials said they decided tonight to put the trees back up after Rabbi Elazar Bogomilsky and his Central Organization for Jewish Education Lubavitch said they would not file a threatened lawsuit.
For more, see http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003473083_webtrees11.html
I generally applaud Christian individuals and groups who publicly stand up for their God-given rights. Whatever the Port of Seattle intended...a beautiful winter atmosphere... or Christmas trees, I am GLAD they removed all traces of them.
They refused to cave in to an arrogant, self-important rabbi who threatened a lawsuit. And what a surprise THAT rabbi received!
I can well believe he feels like the Grinch he is. "I am devastated, shocked and appalled at the decision that the Port of Seattle came to", said Rabbi Elazar Bogomilsky.
Make no mistake about it, this man knows where any guilt lies; he knows it's on him, not the Port of Seattle. In a backhanded way, Christianity was upheld.
NO,Biblically based Christianity was disgraced by this mean-spirited attitude of the airport and the attitude of many of the commentators on this thread. (1)Jesus himself was present at the celebration of Hanukah at the Temple (John 10:22ff--"Hanukah" means "dedication") (2)Since Hanukah celebrates the DEFEAT of an attempt to destroy the Jewish people, Christians should rejoice in this celebration and remembrance of God's faithfulness of His promise to the Jewish people. Given the disrespectful attitude of the airport management, I, for one, as a Bible-believing Christian have absolutely no problem with the rabbi suing them to include his religious symbol in a display of (other) religious symbols. (Even if a "Christmas tree" has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with true Christianity.) In point of fact, a menorah is more Biblically based than a "Christmas tree".
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