Posted on 12/11/2006 6:37:44 PM PST by kellynla
SEATAC, Wash. — The official Christmas trees may still be missing from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, but a few individual airline employees have decided to try to put some spirit back into the holiday.
Employees at both Delta and Frontier airlines took up a collection on Monday and bought a few foot-tall decorated trees for the check-in counter.
The airlines employees' move came after airport officials removed all nine Christmas trees in the building in response to a rabbi's request to add an 8-foot menorah to the holiday decorations.
Rabbi Elazar Bogomilsky made the request weeks ago, when he demanded officials add a menorah next to the trees and threatened to file a lawsuit if his request wasn't honored.
Instead, officials decided to remove holiday decorations as a whole. Maintenance workers boxed up the trees during the graveyard shift early Saturday, when airport bosses believed few people would notice.
"We decided to take the trees down because we didn't want to be exclusive," said airport spokeswoman Terri-Ann Betancourt. "We're trying to be thoughtful and respectful, and will review policies after the first of the year."
Bogomilsky said he was appalled by the decision.
"Everyone should have their spirit of the holiday. For many people the trees are the spirit of the holidays, and adding a menorah adds light to the season," said Bogomilsky, who works at Chabad Lubavitch, a Jewish education foundation headquartered in Seattle's University District.
After consulting with lawyers, port staff believed that adding the menorah would have required adding symbols for other religions and cultures in the Northwest. The holidays are the busiest season at the airport, Betancourt said, and staff didn't have time to play cultural anthropologists.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
What are you? Grammar police? Anyway, a contraction sometimes merely eliminates a space, like "does not" becomes "doesn't". Both contain seven characters, but one eliminates the space. Same with "do not" = "don't", "you are" = "you're", etc., etc.
Anyway, I'm sure you'll do well next year in the eleventh grade.
Meanwhile, I hope you're having fun arranging your socks just right or whatever it is you do when you're not picking nits.
Since, I'm Jewish, let me say,
I enjoy looking at the beautiful
Christmas trees both at work
and throughout America when I
travel. I feel sad that one Rabbi
and the response of many posts
can bring out such anger.
I just wonder what Jesus would
say about all the commotion.
Peace.
If I'm not mistaken, the rabbi in question is Chassidic and most assuredly not liberal.
Aw, those little foot high trees are like "Charlie Brown's Christmas". Sweet and kind of pathetic, all at the same time. Kudos to the employees at Delta and Frontier, though.
[What are you, stuck on stupid? ]
What are you, stuck on crazy?
Saw a guy on the news tonight that was dressed in a Christmas tree costume at Sea-Tac. Bring our Christmas Trees back now!
The rabbi agrees with you.
Not quite. You might want to read this."The Puritans banned Christmas in New England. Even as late as 1851, a Cleveland minister nearly lost his job because he allowed a tree in his church. Schools in Boston stayed open on Christmas Day through 1870, and sometimes expelled students who stayed home."
From what I've read, Christmas trees were a German custom, and pretty much imited to German immigrants and their descendents in America until about 1850.
You keep repeating the same nonsense. The rabbi threatened SEATAC with a Federal lawsuit. He gave SeaTac an ultimatum. Put up a menorah and let us hold a religious ceremony or tear the Christmas trees down! If you do not comply with my demands I will sue your ass off.
SEATAC removed the Christmas trees and the Rabbi removed the threat of the lawsuit. There is no more lawsuit involved here. Unfortunatley, millions of Christians will not be able to enjoy the sight of Christmas trees this year at SEATAC.
For 25 years SEATAC had a Christmas tree display. This year they will not have one because this idiot Rabbi threatened SEATAC with a Federal lawsuit. The Rabbi must be real proud of himself. Did you notice now that the
Christmas trees are gone he is no longer screaming for a Federal lawsuit. He has withdrawn his threats.
The Rabbi is now reaping a whirlwind of anger from those who will be denied the sight of Christmas trees. He is now in serious backpedalling mode. However, it is too late. His threat of a Federal lawsuit and financial ruin a la ACLU gangster tactics will prevent the Christmas trees from being displayed. He is a mean-spirited bully.
Screw the "Menorah"
If we can't have "CHRISTMAS Trees" then the best the Jews can hope for is "Holiday Candelabras"
" stuck on stupid" is threatening the airport with a lawsuit...
What response did you expect?
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1752114/posts
You mean the constitution that govt can't take money at gunpoint to fund another guy's religion? Actually, I think that's pretty neat.
Yes, travel these airlines!
Yep, they showed them replacing the trees on the local 10:00 news, hooray!
As I'm sure you know, that doesn't prohibit states from establishing religions, as they had state religions when the country was founded/the Constitution written. Also, putting up a Christmas tree is not congress passing a law establishing a federal religion. It does cause some to run in circles shrieking in horror, though.
Regarding your paying taxes by gun point. Yes, taxes are terrible but we have to fund the government somehow. I would hope that no one on FR wants a large government. Do you prefer no government at all?
I'm sorry that the Constitution is so disturbing to you.
1850 was a little before my time.
Our family of 5 is flying Frontier this coming summer from Chicago/O'Hare to Denver. They're offering some of the best rates out there.
Oy Vey?
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