[beaversmom]

Related thread:

Airport's trees stoking "war on Christmas". (SEATAC Update)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1751685/posts

[The_Victor]

So what went wrong with this whole miserable affair?

The Rabbi let a lawyer in on the deal.

[PeteB570]

Oh, yeah, blame it on the lawyer.

Hey Rabbi, actions do have unintended consequences.

Q. Why were the trees removed? A. You!

[pikachu]

The Rabbi did not get what he wanted but he got what he asked for.

[camle]

triangulation: pitting one's enemies against each other.

[HuntsvilleTxVeteran]

I will bet this "Rabbi" votes only for left wing democrats!

[desherwood7]

Does this "Rabbi" come from the Reform sect?

[mockingbyrd]

Sorry Michael, not buying it. If Christmas trees are so non offensive why get the lawyer in the first place and why make the asinine threat of a lawsuit. Your friend stepped in it big time...

[Retired Chemist]

He should not have asked to hold a lighting ceremony which would have turned it into a religious celebration. The airport wanted to avoid a costly legal battle.

[SJackson]

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And it should be noted that underlying the issue is the fact that these were NOT CHRISTMAS TREES Seattle is after all inclusive by definition and the HOLIDAY TREES on display presumably represented all religions. Now there's a war on Holiday Trees. Should the H and T be capitalized now?

"What we have are holiday trees," she said. "If we are going to display symbols representing other cultures, we have to think what that means and what's respectful and what would make a good display. Maybe it would be 'Holidays of the World.'

"Or maybe it's snowmen."
Terri-Ann Betancourt , airport spokesman (spokeswoman, spokesms, whatever)

 

This is a Christmas Tree. Maybe someone can post a Holiday Tree. I'd like to see what they look like.

[Anitius Severinus Boethius]

Lawsuits because of offense are the root cause of all of this PC nonsense. Being offended is not something that should be eligible to bring suit against.

The lawyer who "threatened" the lawsuit should be the one to apologize. If the Rabbi told the lawyer to threaten, he should admit such and apologize. And the wusses at the airport should apologize for being so easy to intimidate.

Then put up the Christmas trees, a Nativity scene, a Menorah, and a festivus pole and be done with this nonsense.

[sockmonkey]

So did this Rabbi just give his lawyer carte blanche, or did he not give the attorney permission to use the words "federal lawsuit" for leverage to get his way?

[khnyny]

[After two months of indecision from the Port of Seattle (the quasi-governmental agency that runs the airport) concerning the request for a menorah, the rabbi’s lawyer made the mistake (yes, it was a mistake) of threatening a federal lawsuit and the airport people panicked and ordered the removal of the trees. “We’re not in the business of offending anyone and we’re not eager to get into a federal lawsuit with anyone,” said Craig Watson, chief lawyer for the Port of Seattle. Patricia Davis, head of the Port Commission said, “We didn’t have other cultures represented and rather than scramble around to find representations of other cultures at this late date, we decided to take them down and consider it later.” ]

The law of unintended consequences. Threatening a federal lawsuit was assinine.

[ConservativeStatement]

[vox_freedom]

If the rabbi's attorney didn't comprehend there would be the strong potential for a reaction -- such as what occurred -- he's either an idiot or a fool.
BTW, I don't think he is either. As an attorney he must have had the full and complete support of his client (the rabbi) to deliver the legal ultimatum which caused the Port to take the action it did. In making this legal move the rabbi did a disservice to all who felt these "holiday trees" offered enjoyment during this "holiday" season, and he indirectly insulted Christians who support and defend the Jewish faith. Bad move rabbi.

[PISANO]

A rabbi wanted to install an eight-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.”

These THREATENING WORDS do NOT comport with the INNOCENT portrayal of the Rabbi.

Our country has GONE stark raving mad. I thank GOD I grew up in a different age.

[NativeNewYorker]

the rabbi’s lawyer made the mistake (yes, it was a mistake) of threatening a federal lawsuit

Please allow *this* Jew to go on record that this rabbi AND his lawyer are idiots.

[WashingtonSource]

Good for Michael Medved for getting to the bottom of this!

[BluH2o]

So what went wrong with this whole miserable affair?

A lawyer was hired by the Rabbi and threatened to sue Sea-Tac ... that's what went wrong
with this whole miserable affair.

[technomage]

to apologize to the community at large for the totally unintended consequences

Ah yes, one of the most important things that no one thinks about, unintended consequences.