No more 'holiday' trees at Capitol
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wanttorun100
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 Posted: 11/29/05 - 07:22 Post subject: No more 'holiday' trees at Capitol
Makes me proud to be from the peoplez Republik of Illinoiz!
By Gary Emerling
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
November 29, 2005
House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert has told federal officials that the lighted, decorated tree on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol -- known in recent years as the "Holiday Tree" -- should be renamed the "Capitol Christmas Tree," as it was called until the late 1990s.
The Capitol's senior landscape architect confirmed the name switch yesterday for The Washington Times.
"It was known as the 'Holiday Tree' for several years and just recently was changed back to the 'Capitol Christmas Tree.' This was a directive from the speaker," said Capitol architect Matthew Evans.
"The speaker believes a Christmas tree is a Christmas tree, and it is as simple as that," said Ron Bonjean, spokesman for the Illinois Republican.
The Capitol tree, traditionally overshadowed by the White House's "National Christmas Tree," was renamed a "holiday tree" several years ago, according to the Capitol Architect's offices, in an effort to acknowledge the other holidays of Kwanzaa and Hanukkah -- although no one seemed to know exactly when the name was changed or by whom.
Calling a Christmas tree a Christmas tree has become a politically charged prospect in jurisdictions across the country -- from Boston to Sacramento and in dozens of communities in between.
"It's a growing problem," said Jared N. Leland, spokesman and legal counsel for the Becket Fund, a District-based legal and educational institute. "Celebrating the season with Christmas trees ... and leaving them named 'Christmas' is simply recognizing the religious nature of people. Christmas should be able to be called Christmas."
The debate boiled over in Boston last week when the city's Web site referred to a giant tree erected on Boston Common as a "holiday tree."
The new name drew the ire of Christians and evangelical leader the Rev. Jerry Falwell, whose law group the Liberty Counsel threatened to sue if the tree wasn't rechristened with Christmas.
"The Boston Christmas tree situation is symbolic of what's happening ... around the country," said Mathew Staver, president and general counsel of Liberty Counsel. "Government officials, either because of misinformation, or private retailers, for politically correct reasons, are trying to secularize Christmas.
"To rename a Christmas tree as a holiday tree is as offensive as renaming a Jewish menorah a candlestick," Mr. Staver said.
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sonnylax
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Posted: 11/29/05 - 10:19 Post subject:
| Quote: | | "To rename a Christmas tree as a holiday tree is as offensive as renaming a Jewish menorah a candlestick," Mr. Staver said. |
:menorah:
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Gogirlgo
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Posted: 11/29/05 - 14:09 Post subject: Re: No more 'holiday' trees at Capitol
| wanttorun100 wrote: | are trying to secularize Christmas.
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Oh no! That's never been done before. (But see "A Charlie Brown Christmas," which railed on this very concept in 1965, and has been a cult favorite ever since.)
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wanttorun100
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Posted: 11/29/05 - 14:27 Post subject:
My favorite Christmas movie esp when Linus quotes straight from the Luke 2:8-14 ( King James version even)
| Quote: | Linus Van Pelt
"And there were in the same country shepherds, abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them! And they were sore afraid ... And the angel said unto them, "Fear not! For, behold, I bring you tidings o great joy, which shall be to all my people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ, the Lord."
"And this shall be a sign unto you: Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger." And suddenly, there was with the angel a multitude of the Heavenly Host praising God, and saying, "Glory to God in the Highest, and on Earth peace, and good will toward men."
"That's what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown."
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Thought Provoking
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Posted: 11/29/05 - 16:11 Post subject: Re: No more 'holiday' trees at Capitol
| Gogirlgo wrote: | | wanttorun100 wrote: | are trying to secularize Christmas.
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Oh no! That's never been done before. (But see "A Charlie Brown Christmas," which railed on this very concept in 1965, and has been a cult favorite ever since.) |
See, even the secular world holds that a little cult every now and then is a good thing. 
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camelia bedelia
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Posted: 11/30/05 - 09:26 Post subject: Re: No more 'holiday' trees at Capitol
| wanttorun100 wrote: | | "To rename a Christmas tree as a holiday tree is as offensive as renaming a Jewish menorah a candlestick," Mr. Staver said. |
And do they have a "Holiday Candlestick" on the west lawn of the US Capital?
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wanttorun100
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Posted: 11/30/05 - 10:02 Post subject:
They did it for the first time in 2001 in the Whitehouse Residence
I would suspect you would still be able to find one somewhere there this year.
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Gogirlgo
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Posted: 11/30/05 - 14:34 Post subject: Re: No more 'holiday' trees at Capitol
as opposed to the other kind, I guess. Hello, Department of Redundancy Department? Can I please help you please?
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MechEngDropout
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Posted: 11/30/05 - 14:38 Post subject: Re: No more 'holiday' trees at Capitol
| Gogirlgo wrote: |
as opposed to the other kind, I guess. Hello, Department of Redundancy Department? Can I please help you please? |
Did that comment really need to be made? Besides, you'd be surprised how many people don't know what a menorah is.
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camelia bedelia
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Posted: 11/30/05 - 14:40 Post subject:
| wanttorun100 wrote: |
I would suspect you would still be able to find one somewhere there this year. |
But that's the difference, isn't it? prominently displayed on the front lawn vs. being able to “find one somewhere”.
Why is it so important that the tree be recognized as a Christian symbol, wtr?
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robp
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Posted: 11/30/05 - 14:58 Post subject:
| camelia bedelia wrote: | | wanttorun100 wrote: |
I would suspect you would still be able to find one somewhere there this year. |
But that's the difference, isn't it? prominently displayed on the front lawn vs. being able to “find one somewhere”.
Why is it so important that the tree be recognized as a Christian symbol, wtr? |
Because it always was, still is and always should be a Christmas tree.
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camelia bedelia
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Posted: 11/30/05 - 15:01 Post subject:
| robp wrote: | | camelia bedelia wrote: | | wanttorun100 wrote: |
I would suspect you would still be able to find one somewhere there this year. |
But that's the difference, isn't it? prominently displayed on the front lawn vs. being able to “find one somewhere”.
Why is it so important that the tree be recognized as a Christian symbol, wtr? |
Because it always was, still is and always should be a Christmas tree. |
Maybe the better question is why is it so important to have a Christian symbol at the Capital?
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robp
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Posted: 11/30/05 - 15:12 Post subject:
| camelia bedelia wrote: | | robp wrote: | | camelia bedelia wrote: | | wanttorun100 wrote: |
I would suspect you would still be able to find one somewhere there this year. |
But that's the difference, isn't it? prominently displayed on the front lawn vs. being able to “find one somewhere”.
Why is it so important that the tree be recognized as a Christian symbol, wtr? |
Because it always was, still is and always should be a Christmas tree. |
Maybe the better question is why is it so important to have a Christian symbol at the Capital? |
Got me. I don't give a rat's rearend what they have personally because I am not one bit religious. Just don't call a Christmas tree a Holiday tree in the name of political correctness.
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Gogirlgo
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Posted: 11/30/05 - 15:17 Post subject: Re: No more 'holiday' trees at Capitol
| MechEngDropout wrote: |
Did that comment really need to be made? Besides, you'd be surprised how many people don't know what a menorah is. |
Yes, it really did. 8-)
Probably plenty of people don't know what a lot of things are. Who cares? Should the rest of us speak only for their ears? If government officials really cared what any of us thought, we'd live in an altogether different place.
If he'd used the term Hanukkiah, then I'd have been impressed. (Menorahs can be used any old time but a Hanukkiah is the one you use for Hanukkah.)
Don't get your pants in a bunch, Mech.
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wanttorun100
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Posted: 11/30/05 - 17:28 Post subject:
| camelia bedelia wrote: | | robp wrote: | | camelia bedelia wrote: | | wanttorun100 wrote: |
I would suspect you would still be able to find one somewhere there this year. |
But that's the difference, isn't it? prominently displayed on the front lawn vs. being able to “find one somewhere”.
Why is it so important that the tree be recognized as a Christian symbol, wtr? |
Because it always was, still is and always should be a Christmas tree. |
Maybe the better question is why is it so important to have a Christian symbol at the Capital? |
why is it so threatening to call a Christmas tree a Christmas tree
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