SEATAC, Washington (AP) -- All nine Christmas trees have been removed from the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport instead of adding a giant Jewish
menorah to the holiday display as a rabbi had requested.
Maintenance workers boxed up the trees during the graveyard shift early Saturday, when airport bosses believed few people would notice.
"We decided to take the trees down because we didn't want to be exclusive," said airport spokeswoman Terri-Ann Betancourt. "We're trying to be
thoughtful and respectful, and will review policies after the first of the year."
Rabbi Elazar Bogomilsky, who made his request weeks ago, said he was appalled by the decision. He had hired a lawyer and threatened to sue if the Port
of Seattle didn't add the menorah next to the trees, which had been festooned with red ribbons and bows. (Watch how the rabbi's complaint left them
treeless in Seattle )
"Everyone should have their spirit of the holiday. For many people the trees are the spirit of the holidays, and adding a menorah adds light to the
season," said Bogomilsky, who works in Seattle at the regional headquarters for Chabad Lubavitch, a Jewish education foundation.
After consulting with lawyers, port staff believed that adding the menorah would have required adding symbols for other religions and cultures in the
Northwest. The holidays are the busiest season at the airport, Betancourt said, and staff didn't have time to play cultural anthropologists.
Hanukkah begins this Friday at sundown.
"They've darkened the hall instead of turning the lights up," said Bogomilsky's lawyer, Harvey Grad. "There is a concern here that the Jewish
community will be portrayed as the Grinch."upyerbum - 12-11-2006 at 12:25 PM
"There is a concern here that the Jewish community will be portrayed as the Grinch."
Maybe they should shut their fucking mouths then. And the "Christamas" tree has absolutely nothing to do with Christianity.Discipline - 12-11-2006 at 12:30 PM
Read my holidays in schools thread to see my feelings on the matter.Voodoobillyman - 12-11-2006 at 01:00 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by upyerbum
"There is a concern here that the Jewish community will be portrayed as the Grinch."
That part caught me as quite funny too. Imagine I walked into an airport and saw a Menorah and tried to sue because it offended me, what would the
Jewish community be so quick to call me???????????? Racist anyone? Racist? Maybe I am, a bit.godabandonedme - 12-11-2006 at 01:17 PM
"There is a concern here that the Jewish community will be portrayed as the Grinch."
I got that impression after you killed Jesus. Dicks.JawnDiablo - 12-11-2006 at 01:50 PM
we have had to remove all references to xmas in my company due to Jehova Witnesses that work here complaining.
I dont take offense to peoples religions why should they.JUICE MAYNE MSHC - 12-11-2006 at 01:57 PM
you guys should move down south, nobody gives a rat's ass about anything but Christmas here. The whole floor of the office I work in is covered with
Christmas shit...trees, bows, ornaments, anything that is square shaped is wrapped like a present...a huge Christmas tree in the lobby with presents
under it..."14 Days til Christmas" sign there as well.Voodoobillyman - 12-11-2006 at 02:49 PM
Being in Virginia I know exactly what your talking about. Aint no one gonna stop the Rebs from havin their Christmas!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Discipline - 12-11-2006 at 02:59 PM
Toronto is known as the most multicultural city in the world. So therefore we have to celebrate everybodies beliefs except for our own.moron - 12-11-2006 at 03:05 PM
I work for a Jewish agency, but my office is decorated for Christmas. We dont have any Jews in my particular office, and I dont think the management
really cares what or how we celebrate. We have "Holiday Party" though instead of a Christmas party for obvious reasons. Works fine with me.moforn - 12-11-2006 at 06:27 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by godabandonedme
"There is a concern here that the Jewish community will be portrayed as the Grinch."
I got that impression after you killed Jesus. Dicks.
What, you don't like Easter?
On topic- I find all religious symbols offensive, but only mildly- on par with, say, ugly cars. People need to realize that being offended is part of
life and get over it.Siczine.com - 12-11-2006 at 08:04 PM
This is just as bad as when the jews wanted to build a eruv on venice beach so they could go out on their sabbth.Discipline - 12-11-2006 at 08:15 PM
What's an eruv?upyerbum - 12-11-2006 at 08:38 PM
You know though, you'd think an international airport would have decorations representative of the world just out of sheer virtue of what they do. Not
out of any effort not to offend but just because they have international travellers on a daily basis.Siczine.com - 12-11-2006 at 10:50 PM
Essentially it is an enclosed area that allows for movement of jews during their sabbath, although it has various meanings depending upon the context.
Essentially an outside eruv is a section that is enclosed by strings or wire which allows the jews to move about outside instead of moving forced to
reside inside of their domiciles.clevohardcore - 12-11-2006 at 11:38 PM
That Rabbi is now upset by what the AIRPORT did. He thought he was jsut making a fuss but then they pulled the triggler and said FUCK ALL ORNAMENTS.
Now the Rabbi is getting dissed by everyone.clevohardcore - 12-11-2006 at 11:38 PM
Even so Jewish peoples.tireironsaint - 12-11-2006 at 11:56 PM
I think it's ridiculous and even a bit of a cliche that the guy was suing them to put up a menorah, but I think it's even more bullshit that their
response was to just take down the trees. For one thing, the guy wasn't saying he was offended by the trees, he wasn't asking them to remove that and
for them to react that way seems childish to me. I could give two shits what some religion wants to put up to celebrate their holiday, no matter what
religion it is. I find religion in general a pretty offensive concept, but that's my perception and not something I think needs to be enforced by
removing all symbols of all religions from any place where I might encounter them. We're supposed to all be free to believe whatever we want, not free
to allow everybody else to overrun our beliefs.
I'm sure you've all heard of the neighborhood association here in Colorado that is suing a homeowner for hanging a peace symbol on his house. That
town is about an hour away from me and we hear tons of shit about that. Frankly, I'm amused that people were offended by a hippie symbol, but at the
same time, I'm pissed that someone is being persecuted for displaying a symbol. I find it particularly hilarious that not only do the people suing
this man know full well what the symbol stands for (they claimed that displaying a peace symbol in a time of war is unpatriotic), but at the same time
they claim it to be an "anti-christian" symbol.clevohardcore - 12-12-2006 at 01:13 AM
I think what they did was good. It said. You have a problem with our Catholic celebrations? Fine, we'll not celebrate any of them. It only takes one
bad apple to ruin a whole bundle. Now I am not calling him a bad person but what I am saying is. If you want to get bitch then be prepared for what
the reaction might be. they chose to react in a "fine we'll show you fashion" I think it was good. Now maybe people will get off the high horse and
celebrate christmas as it should be celebrated. If your catholic and you own a business i.e airport you can decorate as you wish. The investors of
the airport had no issues.clevohardcore - 12-12-2006 at 01:14 AM
I have been to a Jewish synogogue and enojyed it. they are great people and I really like the beliefs they carry. I jsut see this complaint as a
excuse to get your name out.brooklyn - 12-12-2006 at 03:23 AM
when humans get into their narrowmindedness and add some religion to it, it often gets out of hand for nothing. I dont care about any religion for too
many reasons to mention (and that is just a personal feeling), but i allow all people to believe in what they want to believe in and expresss/show
that as long as they dont get judgemental about others.XnMeX - 12-12-2006 at 10:04 AM
This black woman at my work saw the christmas tre we have up and then she saw 2 menorahs and then i heard her say "Where's the Kwanza decorations???"
(i think she was 1/2 joking because it sure sounded like it and she is cool as shit)....
I nearly pissed myself.BDx13 - 12-12-2006 at 10:36 AM
i hate people.RomanticViolence - 12-12-2006 at 10:40 AM
Inflatable christmas yard ornaments.
That is all.upyerbum - 12-12-2006 at 12:17 PM
