I don't think there's any question that a Menorah is religious in nature. The secular qualities the courts attach to the Menorah are ludicrous.
My disagreement with mrsmith, and we'll have to agree to disagree, pertains to the religious nature of the Holiday Tree, which has no religious connection, which I'd call a Christmas Tree, still retaining some Christian symbolism.
Clearly a Priest demanding a Cross be put up would also be making a religious statement. As the Menorah does, as the Holiday Tree doesn't.
It's all nonsense to me, as long as there is no coercion public bodies are free to be as religious as they want.
Making passengers light the menorah, or kiss the creche, or do a December Bow to Mecca- now that would be going too far...
Well, I think we all need to be honest here.
So first I will say I was raised a christian in a pretty traditional family with trees and all. But we didn't go to church, and I cannot say really we were any particular denomination.
Christmas, as a holiday, is most certainly religious in nature.
My PERSONAL feeling about the incident is that it wouldn't bother me one single iota if there was a menorah there. And I haven't seen a single post on any of these threads from somebody I guess was a Christian who condemns the idea of there being a menorah there or who condemns Judaism in general.
The press release from the port of Seattle said that they had received thousands of responses, from ALL DENOMINATIONS, and 99 percent wanted the trees back.
What people objected to, and what the Port responded to, were the TACTICS that were used.
Now I hope and believe that there will be a resolution. I have little faith left, but I have enough that it seems reasonable.
But I am upset that in a time that is supposed to be emphasizing peace and good will and foregiveness and hope for the future, that there is so much vitriol coming out, ON BOTH SIDES. For cryin out loud, post #309 on this thread all but accuses anybody of having a tree of being an Al Queda supporter.
Americans (I mean WASP types) have, in the past, been accused of being intolerant. And Americans have actually BEEN intolerant in the past.
But we are now a very open society. America now is just about the most diverse country in the world. And I hate to foresee a time when the WASP types get so fed up with being accused of being intolerant that they actually DO become intolerant. It could get ugly.
None of us want to see that.
We need to focus on our goals and shared visions about what a healthy society is. A society where people can contribute to the best of their ability and have opportunities to learn new abilities. A society where families have an emphasis and no one is denied their cultural heritage, as long as that heritage is not one of hate and discrimination.
A society where a hundred years from now, our children and grandchildren can read books about what we did and be proud and inspired instead of ashamed.
Merry Christmas and Happy Hannukah,
djf