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

:

[j_tull]

Oh no, the County Executive was just reelected!

[malarski]

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;"

This is exactly how the communists tried to rename X-mas season in the many countries under their occupation. This attempt did not work THERE, and it will not work HERE! For the curious ones, Santa in the communist vocabulary was renamed as the Grandpa Freeze

[Kermit the Frog Does theWatusi]

Or signs of things to come...

[j_tull]

Thanks for the ping. What say we get togther, make an appointment with the bastage, and once in, do nothing but sing religious Christmas caroles(sp)?

[Victoria Delsoul]

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.

This is so ridiculous! Good Lord!

[j_tull]

I said: I hope you'll give us a chance to get out first!

You said:WhatdidIsay?

Sorry, that should have been sent to #66 which said:Perhaps we could give both Washington and Oregon to Russia as a belated part of the sale of Alaska to the US?

[Quix]

"WHY YES, IT IS A HAPPY TIME TO CELEBRATE CHRIST AS KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS!"

"YES! IT IS A JOY TO SING 'GLORY TO GOD IN THE HIGHEST' WHILE SHOPPING."

"YES! GOD'S GIFT OF CHRIST AS OUR SALVATION IS THE ULTIMATE GIFT WORTH CELEBRATING!"

"YES! AND MAY THE HAPPINESS OF GOD'S LOVE THROUGH CHRIST BE YOURS ETERNALLY!"

"YES! AND MAY YOU AND ALL YOUR FAMILY EXPERIENCE HIS JOY UNSPEAKABLE AND THE FULLNESS OF HIS LOVE."

"WHY YES, IT IS A HAPPY TIME TO CELEBRATE CHRIST AS KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS!"

[eaglewatch]

Haven't been to downtown Seattle for many years. Do they still have a menorah in Westlake Mall where they won't allow a nativity scene?

[ppaul]

Don't know. But keep this bumped. Sims is supposedly a "Christian" man. Maybe, with enough e-mails & phone calls, he'll get a clue.

[Marysecretary]

Yes, I agree. I'm up to here (as she points to her eyeballs) with neutered pc folks. One day they will stand before God and, well, they won't be happy campers then. Too bad.

[Michael2001]

"As time goes by, I fear it will only get worse. Christians are under a full assault, and the government and judiciary are doing all they can to help."
<
You stole what I wanted to say. I'm getting sick of this; PC is our new religion

[SoDak]

That's it in a nutshell. Christianity is dying with a whimper. Not exactly what I expected out of armageddon. We're being marginalized right out of existence.

[Hail Caesar]

TRT BUMP!

[Angelique]

Well, I wrote to Mr. Sims, and urge everyone to do the same.

Dear Mr. Sims,

Your order regarding Christmas is essentially one of rewriting history. How strange, considering your heritage. The essence of Christmas is to praise the birth of Christ, and the giving of gifts originates from the WISE men.

Since you would like to neuter Christ, what will be your next order? Are you a descendant of Herod?

Merry Christmas!

[afraidfortherepublic]

As time goes by, I fear it will only get worse. Christians are under a full assault, and the government and judiciary are doing all they can to help.

Yesterday at Mass our priest labeled us (Catholics) "counter culture" because our beliefs, as Christians, are counter to the cultural trends of the nation. I think he makes a good point.

[SoDak]

Yeah, agreed. He is right on.

[Helix]

Bump