County Executive orders "religion-neutral" Christmas (and blames 9/11 Attack)

King County Executive ^ | 11/30/01 | Ron Sims, King County Executive

[ppaul]

TO: KC Global Announcement to All King County Employees

FM: Ron Sims, King County Executive

RE: Holiday Celebrations

With the post September 11 tragedy climate and the religious holidays starting, we at King County want to ensure that any upcoming holiday celebration at the workplace is held in a respectful, inclusive, and sensitive manner that does not favor one religion over another. Particularly in public areas, this means that any holiday recognition or celebration should be religion-neutral.

Examples of religion-neutral practices include: naming the celebration(s) "Holiday Celebration" or "Winter Celebration;"

using general greetings such as "Happy Holidays" or "Holiday Greetings;"

using decorations that are commonplace - poinsettias, evergreen boughs, lights - but not using religious symbols nor practices; and

obtaining the concurrence of all affected employees prior to holding a holiday social and/or food gathering. Care should be taken that employees who do not concur with holding a gathering are protected from retaliation.

Cultural information sharing about various religious holidays in the name of diversity is allowable when it is done in the context of employee education and is inclusive of various religious celebrations such as Ramadan, Hanukkah, Christmas, etc.

I encourage you to contact Maria Batayola, at (206) 263-7380, should you have any questions and/or comments.

cc: Robert S. Derrick, Director, Office of Human Resources Management (OHRM)

Maria Batayola, Manager, Diversity Management Division, OHRM

King County Executive, RON SIMS

:

[ppaul]

Well thought out, excellent letter.
Thanks for taking the time to write and send it.

[Right_Wing_Mole_In_Seattle]

And a Happy Festivus to you!!

A History of Festivus

[ppaul]

Boy, do I miss Pastor Pete!

So do I.
Why did they get rid of him?

[who knows what evil?]

We need to hide the word of God in our heart..the day may be soon when owing a Bible is not permitted as too devisive!

That statement holds more truth than most Americans realize. I am of the opinion that this nation was given a choice between two roads to follow after September 11th, and that we have chosen poorly. Time is running out.

[Cindy]

Did this "executive order" regarding holiday celebrations get pulled from the King County web site? Searching the site, all I can find is a "tolerance" memo from September 14th.

If not, can we have a link to the exact url of this memo? THANKS.

[Surge-on]

Is this the Seattle, Washington county ?

Perhaps we could give both Washington and Oregon to Russia as a belated part of the sale of Alaska to the US?

[DManA]

Happy Hannarammaquanzmass.

[Kevin Curry]

As secular as Europe has become in the past 100 years, even Europe hasn't gone this far.

[Elsie]

If we don't become defiant, then everyone loses

Amen, Bro!

[Marysecretary]

Hmm, that sounds like a winner!

[Virginia-American]

What religion has anything to do with 'Kwanzaa'? It's a secular Marxist-pseudo African observance invented by Ron Karenga, IIRC, a Black Panther thug.

[Marysecretary]

Religion NEUTERED is more like it. Ah, good think God sits in the heavens and laughs at their puny attempts to kick him out!

[xzins]

It's called Christmas.

Get over it.

[RnMomof7]

I fear you are correct

Harry Potter yes..the name of Christ no,toooooo divisive....May God have mercy on us!

[Snuffington]

Happy Hannarammaquanzmass.

How is the weather in Euphoria today?

[Snow Bunny]

Thank you for this important ping my friend. This truly angers me, I can hardly type.

[wattsmag2]

Maria Batayola, Manager, Diversity Management Division, OHRM

'bout sums it up.

[62chrysler]

Yes, it's Seattle.

[stainlessbanner]

I agree Kwanzaa sux - I'll bet Sims has it on his diversity calendar, though.

[swatter]

Do not ever forget that King County is not only home to Seattle, it is also the part of the State that put into office the famous Ditz Sisters- Murray and Cantdowell. It has also reelected Governor GridLocke. And do not ever forget that to the north of King County is the famous Snohomish County which needed to have an initiative passed to allow farmers to farm without getting a government grading permit- the Right to Plow Initiative. It is great to be from the Northwest.