In a word, no. I didn't know about it until now and don't give a crap about O'Reilly. The note I wrote was polite and respectful. I offered the understanding that the city may have been trying to avoid a lawsuit but that they should then just say so if that is the case. Unfortunately, the result is religious discrimination: advancing paganism at the expense of Christianity, seeing as the Ishtar egg and rabbit fertility symbols are both emblematic of pagan spring festivals.
As to knicker snickers, I have no religious interest in this fight sirrah, other than the obvious bias on the part of the bureaucrats taking over my childhood home town. I also know that the bureaucrat will simply dump the email while the politician may actually read a few.
wouldn't this qualify as a tempest in a teapot?
Maybe, but then the Chronicle story is new so they'll have the opportunity to revisit the whole thing perforce anyway. I'm sick of the way leftists are running that area and don't mind a bit the opportunity to politely poke them with a sharp stick. Frankly, I'd prefer no state sponsored festival at all.
Well, annoying one's elected leaders is a time honored tradition.
I don't see how the city officials could have legitimately feared a lawsuit in any case, so it was a dumb move on their part.
The egg celebrations and the Easter name both predate Christian usage, from all that I've read. It would be like claiming a Yule log was a "Christian" imposition. Ridiculous beyond words.
The Easter egg is symbol of rebirth. The rebirth of plant growth and animal life that comes after a cold winter. Undoubtedly this has pagan roots. But this was well absorbed by European Christian tradition to symbolize Christ's resurrection.
Easter eggs and the hunts are a fine way to educate little children in Christianity
Walnut Creek obviously has no respect for this long tradition when it renames an Easter egg hunt