All Christmas trees removed from Sea-Tac Airport

enharmonic

This story also begs the question...who has an 8' tall Menorah laying around? I can understand christmas trees being that big. they're trees...but it seems to me that this is Menorah Major...or perhaps Pimp My Menorah. That's like...the Shaquille O'Neil of Menorah's!

I can see it now...rabbi rolls up to Sea-Tac with a Menorah that's on dubbs.

enharmonic

Whoops...scratch that. Found one.

http://cgi.ebay.com/8-FOOT-TALL-INFLATABLE-LIGHTED-CHANUKAH-MENORAH_W0QQitemZ330058569736QQcmdZViewItem

:eek:

aNiMaL

darkcrow wrote:

this is rather sad. it is christmas and therefore there should be christmas trees. i dont see how a tree can offend people. i am not a christian but i am glad to say we put up our christmas tree and decorations a few weeks ago. we shall also be celebrating christmas, not in a christian sense, but as a festive period where friends and family get together, eat drink and be merry and so on.
HAPPY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE

I agree with you full on, darkcrow.

aNiMaL

enharmonic wrote:

Whoops...scratch that. Found one.

http://cgi.ebay.com/8-FOOT-TALL-INFLATABLE-LIGHTED-CHANUKAH-MENORAH_W0QQitemZ330058569736QQcmdZViewItem

:eek:

Hahahahahahahaha....that's funny.

Pearl Jam and toast

darkcrow wrote:

this is rather sad. it is christmas and therefore there should be christmas trees. i dont see how a tree can offend people. i am not a christian but i am glad to say we put up our christmas tree and decorations a few weeks ago. we shall also be celebrating christmas, not in a christian sense, but as a festive period where friends and family get together, eat drink and be merry and so on.
HAPPY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE

Right on!

Besides, the holiday is really about the winter solstice anyway,.. Christians adopted it, yeah, but it's still mainly a festive period for everyone. That's why gift giving and big feasts are still a major part of it.

RavennaSeattle1911

boycott seattle -dont fly to seattle for christmas or for any reason until they change

i saw show last night of the nisqually earthquake and the jerks cant even build a control tower =the jerk inside was being crushed by falling objects off ceiling during earthquake -fools

Abookamongstthemany

enharmonic wrote:

Whoops...scratch that. Found one.

http://cgi.ebay.com/8-FOOT-TALL-INFLATABLE-LIGHTED-CHANUKAH-MENORAH_W0QQitemZ330058569736QQcmdZViewItem

:eek:

God, that's a lot of money to pay for a blow up menorah! The christmas trees are much more charming. The jews need to make them more appealing! :D

BridgeBitch

Ok, and let's even go back to the fact that the Christmas Trees origin is most likely from Europen Pre-Christian pagan cultures. All of these traditions we hold for so many holiday's have been co-opted and bastardized over the centuries. I don't understand why we just can't enjoy eachothers traditions and not fight over what should be a beautiful time of the year. I completely agree that whoever wants representation in a public place should be allowed that... I just wish we didn't live in such a litigous society so we could resolve these issues without threat of court.

enharmonic

Abookamongstthemany wrote:

God, that's a lot of money to pay for a blow up menorah! The christmas trees are much more charming. The jews need to make them more appealing! :D

You can get a better deal on a Christmas tree too. It's a conspiracy

lukin2006

SweetHarmonics wrote:

I hope Bill-O is ready for another long battle in the War On Christmas, Rabbi Fuckface has dealt another blow for the evildoers.

Deport him

lukin2006

RavennaSeattle1911 wrote:

i sort of wanted to do a post called "the rabbi who stole christmas"but that really isnt what happened

the rabbi is mad aboutthe trees coming down and wants them back up as well as menorah

the rabbi seems like a great guy

Maybe someone should ask the rabbi this, how far would someone of western origin get by pushing their beliefs in his homeland, not likely to far.

CorporateWhore

What the fuck do christmas trees have to do with Christmas?

They're not religious symbols in the least.

Menorahs on the other hand...

RavennaSeattle1911

BridgeBitch wrote:

Ok, and let's even go back to the fact that the Christmas Trees origin is most likely from Europen Pre-Christian pagan cultures. All of these traditions we hold for so many holiday's have been co-opted and bastardized over the centuries. I don't understand why we just can't enjoy eachothers traditions and not fight over what should be a beautiful time of the year. I completely agree that whoever wants representation in a public place should be allowed that... I just wish we didn't live in such a litigous society so we could resolve these issues without threat of court.

exactly the point ,and all the rabbi wanted was to enjoy his and the christmas-he said put them back up -i saw him on tv

RavennaSeattle1911

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/295372_xmas10.html

he was appalled not happy, so stop lieing about the rabbi

Restless Soul

I feel dumb because I have two questions:


Firstly, if a christmas tree is now called a “holiday tree” then its aimed at all faiths, including the rabbi’s, not just christmas.

Secondly, why should there be an 8 foot menorah if the trees aren’t allowed?

Thirdly, maybe they could have considered both for once, instead of none, which would not have spoiled the atmosphere at least.

farfromglorified

RavennaSeattle1911 wrote:

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/295372_xmas10.html

he was appalled not happy, so stop lieing about the rabbi

Sounds like Sea-Tac called his bluff.

"There is a concern here that the Jewish community will be portrayed as the Grinch" -- did either the rabbi or his lawyer consider that when they threatened to sue?

inmytree

farfromglorified wrote:

Sounds like Sea-Tac called his bluff.

exactly...

I find this story funny...I guess "be careful what you wish for" is a fitting statement...

farfromglorified

inmytree wrote:

exactly...

I find this story funny...I guess "be careful what you wish for" is a fitting statement...

Yep. The logical end of a system wherein your expression comes with an inherent obligation to me is one wherein everyone just shuts up and expresses nothing while demanding that everyone else express everything.

inmytree

a follow-up story:

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/295428_trees11.html

Christmas trees come down at Sea-Tac, controversy rises
Some want airport decorations put back up

By AMY ROLPH
P-I REPORTER

Christmas still might have a chance at Sea-Tac Airport.


Amid the growing controversy over the Port of Seattle's decision to remove Christmas trees from the airport, many agree on one thing: Packing away the trees could have been an overreaction.

The port's staff took down the trees Thursday after commissioners learned a lawsuit could be filed the next day if they didn't allow an 8-foot menorah to be displayed beside the largest of 15 Christmas trees throughout the airport.

"In hindsight, we probably should have handled this in a more deliberate and thoughtful manner, but at the time we were given a very short timeline," Commissioner John Creighton said Sunday evening.

The five port commissioners will meet Tuesday evening, and though they have a crowded agenda, Creighton said he wouldn't be surprised if the issue is revisited.

"I can think of at least three out of five commissioners who would like to see the trees back up," he said, adding that how the commissioners deal with being more inclusive at the meeting remains to be seen.

Rabbi Elazar Bogomilsky of Chabad Lubavitch organization in the University District threatened a lawsuit after his request for a menorah display at the airport didn't move forward as quickly as he anticipated.

Bogomilsky said his organization wants to diversify the airport's display, but removing the trees was not its intention.

Chabad Lubavitch provided menorahs for public display in more than 20 locations statewide, including at the Seattle Center.

The organization's request is usually met with enthusiasm, Bogomilsky said.

"This whole thing is just beyond me -- I'm so appalled and disappointed," he said. "By no means did we want to remove these (trees)."

A representative from Chabad Lubavitch started talking with airport officials in October, and a lawyer informed them of a possible lawsuit at least a week ago, Bogomilsky said.

But airport officials said the threat of litigation was much more sudden.

"It was either, 'put up the menorah,' or they would go to federal court and sue us 18 hours later," Port of Seattle Commission President Pat Davis said. "They wouldn't wait."

No matter what happens, Chabad Lubavitch has no intention of filing a lawsuit anymore, Bogomilsky said.

Commissioner Bob Edwards said he hopes that after Tuesday's meeting, the trees will go back up along with decorations that represent other holiday celebrations.

"It's an international gateway -- why not celebrate other cultures?" he asked.

If the trees do stay down, maybe airport officials will consider a different kind of decoration, Edwards joked.

"Imagine if we had a blow-up of the Grinch to greet travelers," he said.

"The airport that stole Christmas."

I think they were right in taking down the trees. They were threatened with a lawsuit, an expensive proposition. Perhaps the Rabbi should have gone about it another way

PJPOWER

I think it's funny how they cater to 1 person being offended even when catering to him offends how many other people. What a silly little society we live in today.