Hastert Plays Politics With Holidays

[Jedster]

I just read on the Drudge Report that Speaker Dennis Hastert is fighting to get the annual Capitol Holiday Tree renamed the Capitol Christmas Tree.

I am not really interested in having a debate about church and state. If the tree was already called the Christmas tree I wouldn't have that much of a problem with it.

But the very act of renaming it to the Christmas Tree suggests that everybody who isn't Christian or who doesn't celeberate christmas should not be able to enjoy the tree. And I really find that very offensive. It's a very exclusionary act, designed to win a few votes.

Honestly, it's got me pissed off. I know it's just symbolism, but it it's symbolism that says F*-you to anybody in this country who isn't Christian. And that kind of symbolism certainly offends my sense of what it means to be an American. Especially when he's clearly doing it for partisan political gain.

[TomCollins]

Do you think it always has been a Holiday Tree?

Come on, we all know what it is.

It's like calling a Menorah a Holiday Candle Holder.

[Jedster]

[ QUOTE ]
Do you think it always has been a Holiday Tree?

Come on, we all know what it is.

It's like calling a Menorah a Holiday Candle Holder.

[/ QUOTE ]

Oh please. It's time for everybody to learn a little something.

(a) "Christmas" trees have their origins in pagan solstice celebrations (see http://www.historychannel.com/exhibi...s/trees.html); the menorah has its origin in a specific jewish story, the miracle of the lights

(b) Many non-Christian househoulds have "Christmas" trees that represent the winter holiday season, not Christianity; you may not know these househoulds, but i do, and so do others.

(c) Clearly the only reason that Hastert wants to change the name of the tree is to start a fight with non-Christians in order to distract from Iraq, corruption, and other issues. I find it offensive that he is playing politics with the holidays and at the expense of non-Christians. He is a bad man and I've got a lump of coal for his Christmas stocking this year.

unfortunately Im pretty sure he could turn that into a diamond.

I completely agree, its such a dick move.

Jedster, what "Holiday" does a "Holiday Tree" celebrate?

[canis582]

"what "Holiday" does a "Holiday Tree" celebrate?"

The Christans stole it from the Pegans anyway. We are really just celebrating the return on the sun after the darkest day of the year.

"Tree Decorating - There is some debate on the origin of this tradition. Druids (and some other ancient cultures) saw evergreen trees as symbols of everlasting life, because they seemed to live through the winter undaunted by the cold. So using evergreen branches as decorations symbolized the undying strength of the Sun. Decorating the trees may have come from the ancient Roman festival of Saturnalia."

[ QUOTE ]
The Christans stole it from the P(a)gans anyway. We are really just celebrating the return on the sun after the darkest day of the year.


[/ QUOTE ]

Wow you sound so smart. Because like, Im sure most Christians thought it was like, the tree that spawned the seed of Jesus or something.

No really, just a straight answer, what "Holiday" does a "Holiday Tree" celebrate?

[Jedi Flopper]

He is a bad man and I've got a lump of coal for his Christmas stocking this year.

[/ QUOTE ]

Don't you mean polyester holiday fireplace adonrment? [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[BillD]

I am not a Christian.

The tree (if they have it) should be called a Christmas Tree. That's what it is. That's what it represents. It doesn't represent any holiday that I celebrate.

I would be offended if a Menorah display were called an 8-branched cadelabra. It's a Menorah. A decorated cut tree in December is a Christmas Tree.

If your going to display them, at least call them by their correct names.

[cardcounter0]

I am glad that Hastert is using the power of his position to focus on what to call a friggin' tree.
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