WHEN IS "TOO MUCH" TOO FAR?

[MalahatTwo7]

Oh Please! You can't please everyone all the bleed'n time. And sometimes you just can't please anyone.

Legal Threat Removes Airport's Christmas Trees

POSTED: 4:52 am EST December 11, 2006

SEATAC, Wash. -- Seattle-Tacoma International Airport has removed all nine of its Christmas trees instead of adding a Jewish menorah as a rabbi requested.

An airport spokeswoman said the removal was made out of respect.

The rabbi, who had threatened legal action, is appalled. His lawyer said, "There is a concern here that the Jewish community will be portrayed as the Grinch."

The airport said if a menorah were added, it would have been required to add symbols for other religions and cultures in the Northwest. The spokeswoman said the staff didn't have time to be cultural anthropologists.

Maintenance workers boxed up the trees during the graveyard shift early on Saturday, when airport bosses believed few people would notice.

Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press.

[lvwrench]

You can please all of the people soem of the time and some of the people all of the time but you can't please all of the people all of the time. So why do we have to continually try to please all of the whiners all of the time?

[FireCapt1951retired]

You can please all of the people soem of the time and some of the people all of the time but you can't please all of the people all of the time. So why do we have to continually try to please all of the whiners all of the time?

Now, now. You don't want to be politically incorrect do you

[MalahatTwo7]

About 10 years ago, during my posting to Toronto, I took a trip to the bank on payday for the usual reasons. It just happened to be around this time of the year, and in the neighbourhood that I lived in - which just happened to be predominantly Jewish. I have no problem with that - generally they are really great people, and can be a lot of fun. Anyhow, I enter the bank and a mom with (let's say 5yo) son enter behind me. I see the Christmas tree decked out on a display just inside the door.

Young boy pulls at mommy's sleeve and in a typical 5yo loud voice, says, "Mommy, that doent belong here. They should take it out."

Apparently I had a fair bit of tolerance that day, because all I did was grind my teeth a bit.......

[superchef]

The rabbi, who had threatened legal action,
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well that is certainly in the spirit of the season.

[FlyingKiwi]

ROTF.

Down here he would have been told "Go ahead"

Considering Hanukkah is NOTHING to do with Christmas it would be thrown out on the spot.

Idiots guide

[Ladder8]

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

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."

[Ladder8]

This would work as a wall mural at SeaTac...

[DonSmithnotTMD]

This fits in with my campaign to return the christmas tree to its intended purpose ...


Hanging sacrifices to Odin

[MalahatTwo7]

This fits in with my campaign to return the christmas tree to its intended purpose ...


Hanging sacrifices to Odin

Would you care to "enlighten" us, Don?

[lvwrench]

Heard on the news this morning that the trees are back up, with the okay by the Rabbi, and that next year they will try to make sure that all of the religions(sk) are represented. Also they are referring to them as holiday trees and not Christmas trees. Press 1 for... and 2 for... and 3 for.. and so on and so forth.

[OlieCan]

Things like this get out of hand... even being agnostic, I still celebrate Christmas with my family, for me, its not so much a praise of chirst or whatever his deal was, but its just a time to be with all my family and exchange gifts. I don't know why people get so bent up about things like this. I couldn't care less if there are trees, jewish stars, hearts, stars horseshoes, clovers and blue moons, Ill even take a pot of gold, a rainbow, and a big red baloon. none of it bothers me.

I could get into a fun debate on making kids say the anthem in school, but this is a holiday season, and it just about being with family. People need to stop being stupid.

[FlyingKiwi]

I thought Agnostic was a type of soft fluffy Goat they make jumpers out of?

Or was that Lemmings?

[Engine58]

Found this article this morning...

SEATAC, Wash. (Dec. 12) - Christmas trees are going back up at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.


Pat Davis, president of the Port of Seattle commission, which directs airport operations, said late Monday that maintenance staff would restore the 14 plastic holiday trees, festooned with red ribbons and bows, that were removed over the weekend because of a rabbi's complaint that holiday decor did not include a menorah.

Airport managers believed that if they allowed the addition of an 8-foot-tall menorah to the display, as Seattle Rabbi Elazar Bogomilsky had requested, they would also have to display symbols of other religions and cultures, which was not something airport workers had time for during the busiest travel season of the year, Airport Director Mark Reis said earlier Monday.

Port officials received word Monday afternoon that Bogomilsky's organization would not file a lawsuit at this time over the placement of a menorah, Davis said in a statement.

"Given that, the holiday trees will be replaced as quickly as possible," he said.

Davis added that the rabbi "never asked us to remove the trees; it was the port's decision based on what we knew at the time."

There were no immediate plans to display a menorah, airport spokesman Bob Parker said, saying restoration of the trees was expected to take place overnight Monday.

"A key element in moving forward will be to work with the rabbi and other members of the community to develop a plan for next year's holiday decorations at the airport," the port statement said.

The rabbi has also offered to give the port an electric menorah to display, said his lawyer, Harvey Grad.

"We are not going to be the instrument by which the port holds Christmas hostage," Grad said, emphasizing the rabbi never sought removal of the trees, but addition of the menorah.

The rabbi had received "all kinds of calls and emails," many of them "odious," Grad said, adding he was "trying to figure out how this is consistent with the spirit of Christmas."

Thirteen trees had sat above foyers that lead outside to the airport drive. The largest tree, which Reis estimated to be 15 or 20 feet tall, was placed in a large lobby near baggage claim for international arrivals.

After the removal, some airline workers decorated ticketing counters with their own miniature Christmas trees.

Customer service agents with Frontier Airlines pooled their money Monday morning to buy four 1-foot-high Christmas trees, which they placed on the airline's ticketing counter. Atop a Delta counter, workers put up a tree several feet tall.

The airlines lease space for ticket counters from the airport, and can display trees there if they want, Reis said.

[MalahatTwo7]

I thought Agnostic was a type of soft fluffy Goat they make jumpers out of?

Or was that Lemmings?

NO NO Ian... Agnostics are Lemmings that JUMP out of fluffy goats. Or is that jump ON fluffy goats? I always get those confused cuz ya know, you Kiwi and Auzzie guys being upside down and all.....