Posted on 12/11/2006 5:52:47 PM PST by Mr. Mulliner
Well here we go again. It is so utterly predictable. Like clockwork. Its December and time for another skirmish in the annual battle against Christmas. What compels me to comment is that this time it's not the usual secular fanatic who's responsible for doing things that evict Christianity from the culture. No, on this sad and alarming occasion it's a deeply religious, well-intentioned rabbi who has unwittingly stumbled into a situation that will place his denomination (and mine) Orthodox Judaism in a terrible, negative light.
For at least ten years, Sea-Tac Airport near Seattle has displayed several large, beautifully decorated Christmas trees each December. With lawyer in tow, a local rabbi recently threatened to sue the Port of Seattle if the airport didn't add a Chanukah menorah to the holiday display.
Yielding to the ultimatum was not an option for airport management, skittish at the best of times since 9-11. Understandably, they interpreted the rabbis threat as only the first. It would not be hard to imagine Seattles Islamic community stepping forward with their own lawyer to demand a Moslem symbol be included as well.
With deft turn of phrase, Sea-Tac public affairs manager Terri-Ann Betancourt explained that at the busiest travel time of the year, while Sea-Tac was focused on getting passengers through the airport, she and her staff didnt have time to play cultural anthropologists.
Threatening a lawsuit, I feel, violates the Jewish principle known in Hebrew as Kiddush HaShem, interpreted in the Talmud, part of ancient Jewish wisdom, as an action that encourages people to admire Jews. One need only read the comments on the Internet following the news accounts of the tree removal, to know that most people are feeling indignant and hurt. They certainly are not feeling more warmly toward Jews as a result of this mess.
Here I disclose that I know the rabbi involved, am friendly with him, and am sure that he didnt intend this outcome. I like him, which makes it painful for me to point out that when one throws a punch (which is what bringing a lawyer and threatening to sue is equivalent to) and one gets decked in return, one cannot plead that one didnt intend that outcome.
The outcome, whether intended or not, is that now vast numbers of passengers, most of whom are probably Christian, will be deprived of the cheerful holiday sight of pretty Christmas trees. What is more, they will know that their deprivation was caused by a Jewish rabbi. The rabbis lawyer told a television reporter, There is a concern here that the Jewish community will be portrayed as the Grinch.
No, Mr. Lawyer, it is not that Jews will be portrayed as the grinch. Sadly, now we are the grinch. You made us the grinch.
Now what is to be done? I have three requests:
I am asking every reader of this column to sign a petition on the Toward Tradition website beseeching Sea-Tac management to restore the Christmas trees.
I am asking every reader of this column to forward it to others who might be willing to sign this petition.
I am asking Jews in the Puget Sound region to join national radio host, Michael Medved, and me in offering our volunteer labor to Sea-Tac. We hope they will allow us to provide the labor necessary for replacing the trees so that airport staff need not be deflected from their important duties.
God I love my country.
Who's "they"? If you're under the impression that more than a handful of American Jews agree with the actions of this rabbi you're quite uninformed.
"If the Religious Right in this country perceives that the Jewish religion is assaulting it (as opposed to the notorious liberal jewish lawyers that routinely do so), support for Israel itself will plummet like a rock."
As a member of the "Religious Right," I disagree. Those in my camp who support Israel, do so for reasons eternal, and certainly convictions much more deep that our dedication should be swayed by what amounts to a temporal skirmish in America's culture wars.
That being said, the on-site rep. for Chabad.org, Alouette, has gone to great lengths apologizing for this misunderstanding in behalf of Orthodox Judaism (which I'm sure the one Rabbi who started this has already heard an earful from his peers).
She represents Judaism in our eyes, especially here at Free Republic. Not this gentleman.
If you'd like to be on or off this
Christian Supporters of Israel ping list,
please FR mail me ~
There failed not ought of any good thing which the LORD had
spoken unto the house of Israel; all came to pass. (Joshua 21:45)
Letter To The President In Support Of Israel ~
'Final Solution,' Phase 2 ~
Warnings ~
"The West has given more significance to the myth of the genocide of the Jews, even more significant than God, religion, and the prophets...."Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
The Holocaust Chronicle ~
" ... It's time we recognized the nature of the conflict. It's total war and we are all involved. Nobody on our side is exempted because of age, gender, or handicap. The Islamofacists have stolen childhood from the world."FReeper Retief
"Palestine is the wrong name for their State. It should be called Anarchy."FReeper sgtbono2002
"Then let's wait and see what the Arabs do after they take Gaza. There's nothing like Arab reality to break up a Jewish fantasy."FReeper Noachian
A student told his professor he was going to "Palestine" to "fight for freedom, peace and justice,"Orwellian leftist code words that mean "murder Jews."
The Nature Of Bruce ~
I want to see Christmas trees, nativity scenes, and menorahs at Christmas. It's how I grew up. What scares me is the idea that the next thing we're going to see is a request that all public places be adorned with the crescent and star during Ramadan. Any idea how we get around that one?
Rabbi Lapin understands very well all that is at stake. God bless him.
You're an idiot.
He's full of crap. Don't listen to him.
Chin up. It's conservative Jews and Christians against the world.
"so taking it out on the jewish population as a whole is rather ludicrous."
expressing one's opionion is not scapegoating.
You seem ever ready to constantly condemn Christians, as if they are the eternal "enemies" of the Jews.
Amazing that you are still allowed to spew your constant anti-Christianity rants here.
I presume it's der Juden of whom you speak.
Yapping dogs, that works though sons of monkeys and pigs is more current.
5%, naah, those who self identify are a lousy 1.2% or so, 2% would be a high estimate. You're letting your fear overtake you.
And yes, those Muslims (it's capital M), they're learning everything from the yapping dog Jews.
Lot's of them out there.
If the situation was reversed, I wouldn't stand for it either...See also, from www.beliefnet.com:
...Children learn in many ways: sometimes by example, sometimes by the power of a compelling story, and sometimes by the realization that human beings can be capable of extraordinary acts of courage and goodness.
All three elements came together in Billings, Montana, during the holiday season of 1993.No one knew why it started, but 12 years ago the town of Billings began to be infiltrated by skinheads and members of racist groups. The tiny minority of Jews, African Americans, and mixed-race families who lived there were immediately targeted for acts of hate.
Though the vast majority of residents were white and Christian, they chose to take a principled stand based upon their conviction that an act of hate toward one citizen was an act of hate toward all. Many individuals and groups rose up to respond. For example, the Billings Painters Union offered to repaint for free any houses or businesses that had been spray painted with racial or religious epithets. And members of churches with predominantly white congregations came to the African Methodist Episcopal Church to pray with black neighbors when menacing skinheads began to show up at church services.But then, as the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah approached, Jews became a special target. Windows in Jewish homes displaying Hanukkah menorahs began to be smashed. Jewish families were advised to remove their menorahs until the perpetrators were caught, but they resisted.
And so menorahs continued to be displayed and windows continued to be smashed. Ultimately, in a show of solidarity and support, tens of thousands of Billings residents displayed paper menorahs in their windows...
He's really not Anti-Christian but a very fair poster to all, plus he loves animals...:)
You're post is paranoid and stupid. SJackson does no such thing.
Simple, get rid of all displays on public property.
Christmas trees are not religious symbols. Sure, folks will try to assert religious meaning, however, they are areligious.
I'm sure some armchair cultural anthropologist will point out where I'm wrong.
Beyond that, if the rabbi didn't want to make trouble then why bring a lawyer?
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