Councilwoman who quit over 'Christmas' tree rescinds resignation

NJ.com ^ | 12/4/15 | Tom Haydon

[Impala64ssa]

The Roselle Park councilwoman who resigned Thursday after the council voted to change the name of the borough's "Tree Lighting" to a "Christmas Tree Lighting" is now rescinding her resignation.

Minutes after the council voted 4-2 Thursday night to change the name, Councilwoman-at-Large Charlene Storey walked out of the meeting. She later submitted her letter of resignation to the municipal clerk's office.

"I cannot in good conscience continue to be part of a council that is exclusionary or to work with a Mayor who is such," Storey said, adding that the change "cuts non-Christians out of the loop and favors one religion."

Storey, who was raised Catholic but is now a "non-believer" and has never hidden that fact, said the issue was a matter of principle. Changing the ceremony, she said, "turned it from a non-religious event to a religious one."

Roselle Park councilwoman quits over tree lighting

Roselle Park councilwoman quits over tree lighting

Roselle Park Councilwoman Charlene Storey resigned from office minutes after the council voted to include the word "Christmas" in the tree lighting ceremony.

The story of the dispute and Storey's resignation went viral, with more than 1,200 comments on NJ.com and TV media descending on the borough today.

"I can't believe that people are going this crazy over this," Mayor Carl Hokanson, who proposed the renaming, said Saturday. "There are more important things going on in this world."

He said he's received dozens of calls and emails, most of them in support of the renaming of the Dec. 11 event.

Hokansan said he had no intentions of being exclusionary, but that "a Christmas tree is a Christmas tree."

"Just like the Easter Bunny is the Easter Bunny and not the Holiday Bunny," he said. "It was never my intent to insult anyone's beliefs or religion."

[KarlInOhio]

It's ok to say kwanza and publicly light a kwanza menorah and ok to say happy hannukah and publicly light a hannukah menorah, but utter the dreaded 'christmas' word or display a tree or manger scene and the liberal world seems to shatter and cry for removal. These people need a safe area that they can be locked in so nothing can offend them.

But it is OK to say Merry Christmas if you say it in Spanish. Just look for all of the bilingual Happy Holidays/Feliz Navidad signs. Not Felices Fiestas. I guess Spanish people just aren't inclusive to Día de Año Nuevo.

[csvset]

As a child, we'd say, "Black black no take backs" prior to engaging in a trade of some sort. Don't recall the origin it.

Today, no doubt it would be considered racist.

[FlingWingFlyer]

Let her “rescind” her resignation and then fire her ass. She can live on Food Stamps.

[billyboy15]

Next year I want the pole added so I can celebrate Festivus.

[az_gila]

Next year I want the pole added so I can celebrate Festivus.

---

Yes, and they can use the same pole for Spring celebration dances...

[Skywise]

So they made her a “diversity” officer...

Diversity is the defacto name of the Soviet party these days...

The town now has a “party official” who will ensure the actions of the party are carried out.

[hal ogen]

Typical LIB mental case. Typical.

[5th MEB]

Did they accept her resignation?
If the answer is yes “YOUR OUTTA HERE SCUMBAG”.

[5th MEB]

Somebody needs to tell the stupid twit that GRACE implies the blessing of GOD!

[Starstruck]

Look I'm a Christian and have come to the conclusion based on various reasons Jesus probably was not born on December 25th. I also realize that trees, lights, tinsel, colored balls, Santa, elves, sleighs, bells etc. have nothing to do with the birth of the Son of God. But we do it anyway. It's fun. People seem more giving and friendlier. Families get together. I like the music. It takes me back to my childhood. My mom and dad are deceased but I especially remember them at this time of the year.

And the great thing about it is that the good feelings usually extend from Thanksgiving to January 2. Liberals are supposedly about charitable acts and feelings. Why would they want to do away with 6 weeks of the best?

[mrsmith]

‘Hokanson and Storey are both Democrats’...
And word came down from ‘on high’ that diversity is more important than Jesus.

[Blue Collar Christian]

“Uh, can the council tell her “STFU”. You quit, you gone. Bye Felicia.”

The probably can but they won’t. She’s one of them.

Gov’t seats must require ceremonial KOOLAID drinking.

[Coleus]

too bad, another politically-correct, idiot democrat in office.