Councilwoman quits over 'Christmas' tree lighting

[philosslayer]

It came down to the addition of a single word for the a tree lighting ceremony, but that word carried enough significance for borough Councilwoman Charlene Storey to resign.

Minutes after the council voted 4-2 Thursday night to change the name of the ceremony from A Tree Lighting to A Christmas Tree Lighting, the councilwoman-at-large, left the meeting. She later submitted her letter of resignation with the municipal clerk's office.

"I cannot in good conscience continue to be part of a council that is exclusionary or to work with a Mayor who is such," Storey said in her letter.

When reached today, Storey said she regretted having to resign, but said the change "cuts non-Christians out of the loop and favors one religion."

http://www.nj.com/union/index.ssf/2015/12/roselle_park_councilwoman_quits_over_tree_lighting.html

[Duckhunter935]

1. that's nuts

[840high]

2. Well shit - it is Christmas time.

[TwilightGardener]

3. Are there non-Christians who use a lighted tree in December?

I mean, shit. Is anyone offended over the use of "menorah" instead of "candelabra"?

[SheilaT]

8. Have you never heard of a Hannukah Bush?

I suspect it's not done as much any more, but it was quite common for Jewish families in the '50s and '60s to get a small tree, decorate it, and call it a Hannukah Bush.

[TwilightGardener]

10. Nope, never heard of it. Nonetheless, under this principle of leaving out the

religious connection it would have to be called "Lighted Bush". Extend it further, and we'll have to sing, 'O Lighted Tree, O Lighted Tree! O how we love your branches!"

[starroute]

22. My mother always found that offensive

She would say that if you wanted a Christmas tree you should just have one and not pretend it was something else. She also said that when she was a child, Hanukkah was barely mentioned and that it only got inflated in the 50s as a Christmas equivalent.

But of course "Christmas" trees have nothing to do with Christianity. They're pagan symbols of the world-axis with the Pole Star at the top.

[SheilaT]

48. Yes, about offensive and the '50s inflation to a Christmas equivalent.

I seem to recall that when I was in kindergarten and first grade in a Catholic school, some sixty years ago now, the nuns didn't seem to think all that highly of Christmas trees, regarding them as a pagan symbol.

Me, I'm not at all religious these days, and I love all of the secular aspects of Christmas, and I simply ignore the religious meaning as it doesn't speak to me. If someone wishes me a Merry Christmas, I'll say the same back. Same with any other greeting.

[Major Nikon]

27. ...

[TwilightGardener]

31. That's excellent.

[valerief]

30. Plenty. Non-Christians celebrate Christmas, because it's a national holiday, not because

it's a religious holiday. Duh. Santa Claus brings presents not sermons.

[TwilightGardener]

33. If you're non-Christian, you're not so much celebrating Christmas (the birth of Christ)

as much as benefitting from a holiday to which you have no connection. The symbol of a lighted tree should mean zip to you, in that case. I'm not Jewish, so a menorah means exactly zip to me. But I'd find it weird if anyone went out of their way not to call it a menorah. Or a dreidel a "holiday top" instead of a dreidel. I'm not a big fan of mixing government and religion to begin with, and it's not really necessary to have a tree lighting ceremony. But if you're going to have one, don't pretend it has nothing to do with Christmas. You can't keep the symbol but erase the meaning--then why do it at all?

[valerief]

35. Christmas is a national holiday. People get the day off from work regardless of

their religion. People are expected to buy others gifts regardless of their religion.

It doesn't matter how Christmas started (a pagan holiday). It's a national holiday now with no ties to religion. Live with it.

http://www.religioustolerance.org/xmas_tree.htm

Pagan traditions: Many Pagan cultures used to cut boughs of evergreen trees in December, move them into the home or temple, and decorate them. 7 Modern-day Pagans still do. This was to recognize the winter solstice -- the time of the year that had the shortest daylight hours, and longest night of the year. This occurs annually sometime between DEC-20 to 23; most often, it is DEC-21. As the solstice approached, they noticed that the days were gradually getting shorter; many feared that the sun would eventually disappear forever, and everyone would freeze in the dark. But, even though deciduous trees, bushes, and crops died or hibernated for the winter, the evergreen trees remained green. They seemed to have magical powers that enabled them to withstand the rigors of winter.

http://www.livescience.com/25779-christmas-traditions-history-paganism.html

Perhaps that's why pagan traditions remained even as Christianity took hold. The Christmas tree is a 17th-century German invention, University of Bristol's Hutton told LiveScience, but it clearly derives from the pagan practice of bringing greenery indoors to decorate in midwinter. The modern Santa Claus is a direct descendent of England's Father Christmas, who was not originally a gift-giver. However, Father Christmas and his other European variations are modern incarnations of old pagan ideas about spirits who traveled the sky in midwinter, Hutton said.

[TwilightGardener]

38. Well, I'm a Christian who celebrates Christmas, so that kinda goes my way.

It's not me that has to "live with it". It's whoever is in that community who objects to the tree being called a "Christmas tree" who has to live with it.

[valerief]

40. I'm an atheist. I'd rather do away with the holiday name altogether but not the holiday.

People like days off from work!

I'd rather it be called Winter Holiday, but the PTB like to exploit religion to control the masses.

[TwilightGardener]

42. I would welcome an Atheist Holiday day off.

Any time of year.

[LanternWaste]

68. I think your dramatically discounting the historical process called acculturation.

"If you're non-Christian, you're not so much celebrating Christmas... as much as benefitting (sic) from a holiday to which you have no connection."

I think your dramatically discounting the historical processes of acculturation and cultural appropriation.

"You can't keep the symbol but erase the meaning--then why do it at all?"
Hence, your confusion as to why Christians involve themselves in pagan celebrations of the Winter Solstice?

[localroger]

51. The original holiday is pagan

What, pray tell, do you think lighted evergreen trees have to do with the birth of the Jewish prophet Jesus of Nazareth? Christmas is a Winter solstice celebration which was very deliberately hijacked by the Roman Catholic Church for the purpose of making it easier to convert northern Europeans who would not have been amenable to a new order that lacked a big celebration in mid-Winter.

The whole Yule tree thing came from the pagans, as did the jolly elf who delivers presents.

[LittleBlue]

4. I'm confused. What else should a Christmas tree be called?

You can call it anything you like, just like you can call menorahs "spiritual candle holders". Doesn't change the fact that they are Christmas trees and menorahs.

[Arugula Latte]

7. "Stolen-From-Paganism" Tree?

[LittleBlue]

11. That same tree!

So many Christian traditions were originally pagan anyway.

[Major Nikon]

23. Yeah, like all of them

Only the names were changed.

[1939]

50. The Christian missionaries co-opted the northern pagan holidays to "push the product"

Chrstmas--At the winter solstice, greenery was used. After the "mother night" of the year, they waited twelve days to assure themselves of the sun coming back north. They would then burn the "sunwheel" hung on the door made of evergreens.

Eostre/Ostara was the Germanic goddess of the vernal (spring) equinox. Her sacred animal was the hare and colored eggs were placed on her altar to insure fertility for the coming year.

[Liberal_in_LA]

36. Lol

[awoke_in_2003]

54. +1000

in April, please remember to pass the bunny outfits

[Waldorf]

5. Good riddance, I'm quite happy to hear it called a Christmas Tree Lighting.

[Archae]

6. It's not even Christian.

Having a Christmas tree is a leftover from old European pagan winter celebrations.

[Baitball Blogger]

9. I have an issue with religious ceremonies on public ground ever

since a crooked mayor brought in a priest to provide a benediction on a program that had no legal, city foundation.

Can you imagine that? A community is so indoctrinated in the purity of religion, that they assume that a benediction can be used to sanctify an illegal purpose?

[Dont call me Shirley]

12. Happy Holidays Fundies!

[yeoman6987]

13. Merry Christmas! It is a federal holiday afterall

Many forget that little fact.

[Arugula Latte]

15. So what? There are many holidays December-January, and Happy Holidays includes them all.

Many forget that little fact.

[yeoman6987]

16. None of them federal holidays

Only Christmas Day and New Year's Day.

[Arugula Latte]

24. Again, so what?

You think only federal holidays should be acknowledged in greetings?

Weird.

[yeoman6987]

45. Not as greetings but to quit over a federal holidays is not normal

Voters are probably relieved.

[Arugula Latte]

56. But you posted "Merry Christmas" as a comeback to "Happy Holidays."

I think it's pretty Fox Newish when people object to the all-inclusive "Happy Holidays."

[yeoman6987]

58. I use both

Dumbest thing on earth to argue over. Could care less who uses it or not. This is at the bottom of my worries.

[Arugula Latte]

59. Well, it seems like you took issue with it, but it's good to know you don't care.

[yeoman6987]

65. I guess I did. Talk to you in another OP.

[world wide wally]

14. Should I be offended when Jews light a Menorah for Hannukka?

[grossproffit]

26. That would be "A Candelabra Lighting."

To be all inclusive.

[FLPanhandle]

17. I'm a pretty rabid atheist, but she is nuts

I have a Christmas tree every year. I guess there is always someone who is easily offended.

[Buzz Clik]

19. +1

[Buzz Clik]

18. What the hell ever.

One of the larger universities in the country changed the name of their "Christmas Tree" to "Holiday Tree." The student paper interviewed a ton of non-Christian students students about the move, and they all thought it was funny and unnecessary. The quote I remember the best was, "We look forward to the lighting ceremony every year. Christmas and the lighting of the Christmas tree are two the best American traditions."

The following year, the name was changed back, and the number of complaints was limited to the usual cast.

[Facility Inspector]

20. well . . . bye

get over yourself councilwoman

[tritsofme]

21. This is pretty silly, to the point of self-parody.

Sometimes real news is stranger than the Onion!

[linuxman]

25. Awww, poor councilwoman.

What were these assholes thinking? A Christmas tree in December?


What a fucking tool.

[demmiblue]

28. Good for her (though I think she would do much better keeping her position).

Religion does not belong in government. Period.

[smirkymonkey]

32. What?

[Purveyor]

34. Good. One so thin-skinned should hold public office to begin with. Merry Christmas!!! eom

[bigwillq]

37. Bye, Felicia.

Someone is always offended by something.

[LiberalArkie]

39. People are so crazy. If I tell a Jewish person Merry Christmas they reply with Happy Hannukah.

The only time I ever saw anyone get their panties in a bunch was when a Jewish lady said to another lady Happy Hannukah. And I guess she was "Christian", she just turned away and said "I've never".

[Nye Bevan]

41. "Holiday Tree" is the stupidest kind of political correctness.

Because everyone knows it's really a Christmas Tree. It's like calling a Menorah a "Holiday Candelabra".

[oberliner]

43. Councilwoman Storey Provides Insight Into Decision To Resign

Here's her statement on this:

I am issuing this statement because I want to be clear about why I am leaving the Borough Council.

I submitted my letter of resignation today on a matter of conscience and principle. The Mayor and a majority of the Council chose last night to adopt a resolution that cuts non-Christians out of the loop on a public event in Roselle Park. This violates the oath we all took to uphold the Constitutions of the U.S. and New Jersey, which forbid government to get involved in religion.

Yes, Christmas is a cultural holiday as well as a religious one. And I like Christmas trees and the happy spirit that usually pervades this season.

But the Mayor proposed, and most of Council voted, to change a key word in the name of the Borough’s annual tree-lighting event from a neutral, inclusive term back to a religious one.

Had the name of this event never been changed to use a non-religious term, had it stayed with “Christmas” instead of being changed to “Holiday,” I could have accepted it as a cultural term. But to change it from a neutral term back to a religious one was clearly meant to put religion back into the public event. And to underscore religious division at this time in the nation and world is, to me, as wrong as wrong can be.

This isn’t a minor matter of “political correctness.” It is a fundamental issue of freedom of religion – one of the basic freedoms that tens of thousands of Americans, including my uncle, died to defend over the years.

This is also an issue of including people rather than excluding them. To quote U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, government action endorsing religion “sends a message to nonadherents that they are outsiders, not full members of the political community, and an accompanying message to adherents that they are insiders, favored members of the political community.”

All four members of the Council who voted for this are male, white, Catholic and members of the Knights of Columbus, a religious organization that every year posts a large sign urging, “Keep Christ in Christmas.” So I find it hard to accept that to them, a “Christmas” tree is a secular tree.

To be clear, I have no problem with the church putting up that sign. It’s a Catholic church. That’s what it does. But we’re talking about what a municipality does for an event funded and for the community. All the community.

I am a non-Christian and a non-believer. My husband and I are Humanists, as I’ve pointed out in campaign literature and in my bio on the Borough’s website. We believe it’s our duty to do good in this life as a matter of principle, not as a religious obligation.

There are also many other philosophies and religions outside of Christianity, and a growing number of Americans profess “none” when asked by pollsters what their religion is. Roselle Park is a diverse Borough. In fact, according to City-Data, “nones” make up 33.8 percent of the Roselle Park population – more than a third! And since the number of “nones” increases as you look at younger groups, that figure is only likely to increase.

And that 33.8 percent doesn’t include non-Christians such as Hindus, Buddhists and Muslims.

Changing the name – and I emphasize “changing” – clearly disrespects them all and hijacks the tree lighting for one religion.

The Mayor’s introduction of the Christmas resolution last night came as a surprise to me. He and I had discussed the issue briefly several days before the Council meeting, and I had told him of my opposition. I had only begun to gather information on the issue, such as the fact that every municipality in this area calls it a “tree lighting” or “holiday tree lighting.” It was my understanding that the Council would consider the issue next year, not last night. It was not listed on the meeting’s Agenda, despite the Mayor’s insistence that the Agenda should be set two days before each meeting.

I’m sorry to leave the Council. I have enjoyed serving the Borough, and I’ve worked hard at it. But I believe the Council’s action on Christmas was unconstitutional and exclusionary, and, as a matter of principle, I don’t want to be part of it.

http://www.roselleparknews.org/councilwoman-storey-provides-insight-into-decision-to-resign/

[Nye Bevan]

44. Wow. You would think from that screed that the council had enacted the Nuremberg Laws.

Relax, Councilwoman. It's just a Christmas Tree, like the White House Christmas Tree and the National Christmas Tree.

[JanMichael]

57. if you cannot see the intentional reasons which i imagine flow to other areas then so be it.

this is not a one off issue. it is the creeping nastiness of our religious overlords. i get her reasoning. pl7s she is probably just fed the fuck up with them. there is always a backstory.

[Mariana]

66. She described how they were sneaky about it

for example, by leaving the fact they'd be dealing with this issue out of the meeting agenda, even though they knew she had concerns about it. It looks like they wanted her to be unprepared to present opposition to the change. I can't say I blame her for not wanting to work with dishonest people. This may not be the first time they've treated her this way. Of course, she is absolutely right that changing the name of the event is intended to promote Christianity and to make non-Christians feel unwelcome.

[FLPanhandle]

46. None of her arguments holds water

And I am a strong fighter of separation of church and state.

What a loon.

[grossproffit]

47. I noticed she left out Jews. Interesting...

"And that 33.8 percent doesn’t include non-Christians such as Hindus, Buddhists and Muslims."

I guess they fall under "non Christians."

[whatthehey]

49. She "left out" hundreds of non-Xian religions. Why single out Jews?

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

61. She sounds ignorant enough to believe Jews are Christians n/m

[melman]

53. This person is a dream come true for Bill O'Reilly

[romanic]

55. I'll let Latrice Royal say my piece

[IMG][/IMG]

[Demonaut]

64. she made it the issue...it's as bad as the Christians who fight halloween: on edit it's worse

[davidn3600]

52. Seriously, you are going to resign over that?

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

60. Good riddance

Anyone who would quit a post over such bullshit clearly isn't fit to serve.

[Mendocino]

62. Ah... to be

a hypocrite or a zealot?

[Demonaut]

63. it's fucking Christmas....attack the hyper commercializing of the event if anything

she's an idiot...good riddance

[MisterP]

67. time for a Reverse Santa: he'll wreck up the place, take your gifts,

leave cookies and milk, and disappear out the front door with an "Oh, oh, oh!"

did she invoke the Bataclan shooting, too?

[clarice]

69. A classic case of COS (Constantly Offended Syndrome) nt

[Bluenorthwest]

70. Resignation rescinded, Mayor reached out to the council woman and they are keeping Christmas with

her dissent noted and the creation of a diversity council which she will head. They sound like the did an admirable job of clean up politics. Everybody got served, which is what happens when everybody speaks up.

Of course this was all a few days ago anyway.

http://www.nj.com/union/index.ssf/2015/12/councilwoman_who_quit_over_christmas_tree_rescinds.html