Rhode Island's governor Lincoln Chafee (Independent) is sticking with calling the official tree "Holiday Tree" instead of "Christmas Tree" even though the legislature has passed a resolution calling it a "Christmas Tree". I personally don't think its a big deal either way but curious to hear what others think. Any of you planning on having a Holiday Tree? http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/45484...defends-holiday-tree-statehouse/#.TtZl-1bDBko RI governor defends ‘holiday’ tree in Statehouse Critics say he’s taking political correctness too far, defying will of Legislature PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Rhode Island's governor said Tuesday that lawmakers upset with his decision to call the blue spruce erected in the Statehouse a "holiday tree" instead of a "Christmas tree" should focus their energy on feeding the poor. According to Gov. Lincoln Chafee, calling the tree a "holiday tree" instead of a "Christmas tree" is in keeping with Rhode Island's founding in 1636 by religious dissident Roger Williams as a haven for tolerance, where government and religion were kept separate. "I would encourage all those engaged in this discussion — whatever their opinion on the matter — to use their energy and enthusiasm to make a positive difference in the lives of their fellow Rhode Islanders," Chafee said, offering an initiative to feed the needy as a good place to start. But critics of Chafee's seasonal semantics said the independent governor is taking political correctness too far — and defying the will of the Legislature. In January, the House of Representatives passed a symbolic resolution declaring that the tree customarily erected this time of year be referred to "as a 'Christmas tree' and not as a 'holiday tree' or other non-traditional terms." The resolution's sponsor, Rep. Doreen Costa, said she plans to erect and decorate a tree at her Statehouse office on Dec. 6, the same day Chafee plans to host a tree-lighting event. Costa said she'll be taking up a collection of canned goods. "Anybody that wants to go see a holiday tree can do so, but I will be decorating a Christmas tree," Costa, R-North Kingstown, told The Associated Press. "It may only be a little Charlie Brown Christmas tree but at least it will be a Christmas tree." Chafee isn't the first Rhode Island governor to refer to the annual Statehouse tree as a 'holiday' tree. His predecessor, Republican Gov. Donald Carcieri, used both 'holiday tree' and 'Christmas tree' in his correspondence. Other past governors have made no specific reference to Christmas at all with invitations to "holiday celebrations" featuring a "tree lighting." The 17-foot Colorado blue spruce at the center of the holiday hullabaloo was donated to the state by Big John Leyden's Christmas Tree Farm in West Greenwich, R.I. Tree farmer John Leyden said he's disappointed with Chafee's yuletide word choice. "It's not a holiday tree or even an 'X-mas' tree," he said. "We're a Christmas tree farm, that's what the name is." Chafee insists he's just respecting the state's history as a place respectful of all religions. The colony's hands-off policy toward religion quickly attracted sects that had been persecuted elsewhere. Rhode Island boasts both the nation's first Baptist church and the oldest surviving Jewish synagogue.
It's meant to be inclusive, and not exclusive, therefore not likely. And I'm not sure that it really implies religion. A Holiday is a day designated as having special significance for which individuals, a government, or a religious group have deemed that observance is warranted. It is generally an official (more common) or unofficial observance of religious, national, or cultural significance, often accompanied by celebrations or festivities. You know, MLK day is a holiday, doesn't mean it's 'holy'.
honest question here folks. who exactly is against the word Christmas that would actually protest or take it to court?
Given Roger Willliams rather...umm...fierce devotion towards separation of church & state, it's a moderate concession: You'll have to marshal tallanvor & the rest of your userID gang to counter then. Going to be lots of login/outs.
Tell ya what Since the christians stole the idea of the christmas tree (among other holiday traditions) from pagan solstice rituals, maybe we can come to an understanding. Hell yer christ wasn't even born in December so maybe we should move the holiday to July where it belongs But to your accusation, no I love Christmas and all the trimming!
I couldn't care less about what the tree is called but if it upsets religious folks then I'm all for it.
People are getting too thinned skinned about things and are afraid of offending anyone. I mean if you don't want to celebrate Christmas - the do what B-Bob says...Festivus Pole and celebrate all the holidays. I mean the other religions they are afraid of offending don't have a tree. I'd be offended if you added that to my "holiday".
Yes. Is that why we have a holiday for him? I'm not aware of any churches or religions that recognize MLK day as part of their holy calendar.
Which is worse? Celibrating a holiday for the holiday...ie Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Ramadan, etc. Or slapping someone else's religious symbol on a season and say this is your season people? Could have picked the Star of David, the Cross, etc and you don't think you'd get some uproar? I mean the Christmas tree is the least "objective" symbols but it doesn't belong to other holidays? Personally I'm getting "whatever" with all the "holiday" talk. I just wish we could be honest enough with each other to celebrate whatever we want, whenever we want. Isn't that what the fathers wanted?
Perhaps it is time to change the holiday "system." Give Christians Christmas Day off; give Jews a Passover day off; give Muslims one day they choose for Ramadan; etc. Each religion gets one business day off that workers/students check off as their religious preference. Atheists and agnostics can take off April 1. Lets keep Christ in Christmas; the Pass in Passover; the Ram in Ramadan; the Hare in Harekrishna, etc.