All Holiday trees at Sea-Tac Airport were removed this morning after several community member complaints. They say the trees don't represent all cultures and religions...The trees will not go up again...the airport policy on decorations will be reviewed after the holidays.I don't celebrate Christmas, but this is beyond stupid. The Winter Solstice is a time to celebrate the return of sunlight, whether or not the trees are associated specifically with Christmas. I enjoy the decorations. The complaining community members would do well to impale themselves on a nice, sharp tree. Does anybody know who they are? Does anybody CAIR?
UPDATE: The person complaining was identified as "a Seattle rabbi with the Central Organization for Jewish Learning who hired an attorney and threatened to sue if the airport did not erect an eight-foot menorah...." I couldn't find an organization by that name, but I did find Chabad-Lubavitch Central Organization for Jewish Education. Chabad puts up those humongous menorahs on town greens. They're usually pretty cool, but somebody is not playing well with others.
UPDATE: CNN has more. Even Rabbi Elazar Bogomilsky, who made the original request, is upset. (It didn't help that he lawyered up.) The Port of Seattle apparently fears problems with identity politics and grievance mongering, and decided to remove all decorations.
Technorati tags: Chabad, Seattle, Sea-Tac, identity politics
2 comments:
Not CAIR this time.....
"The Port of Seattle says it had little choice. It says a Seattle rabbi with the Central Organization for Jewish Learning hired an attorney and threatened to sue if the airport did not erect an eight-foot menorah...."
after two-plus months of being given the runaround, the rabbi finally threatened them with a lawsuit. what else was he to do?
please see ap's take here: the rabbi says he's appalled at what evolved!.
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