[NYTr] Silly Wisconsin Battle over Keeping Christ in "Christmas Tree"

[All the News That Doesn't Fit]

Freedom From Religion Foundation - Dec 11, 2007
http://www.ffrf.org

FFRF in the News

Fox News airs a (very brief) comment by Freedom From Religion
Foundation co-president Annie Laurie Gaylor in its coverage of a
Wisconsin lawmaker's attempt to out-O'Reilly Bill O'Reilly by
introducing a publicity-seeking resolution to rename the Wisconsin
"holiday" tree a "Christmas" tree.

A written news story follows, but the link below will take you to the
Fox News video segment (there's a commercial and loading time).

For the record, Gaylor has said naming the tree in a way that
identifies it with one religion only is "exclusionary." She has
suggested the tree doesn't even need a name, and the legislator will
not be arrested by Capitol Police if he calls it a "Christmas tree,"
but why should everyone have to call it a "Christmas tree"? Wouldn't a
"Winter Solstice tree" make more sense, given its pagan roots?

Fox News 
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,316368,00.html

Wisconsin Lawmakers to Vote on Calling Holiday Evergreen 'Christmas Tree

MADISON, Wis. -- The 35-foot tall balsam fir standing proudly in the
rotunda of the Wisconsin Capitol is a familiar annual December display,
but it'd be a mistake to call it a "Christmas tree," much to the dismay
of one Badger State lawmaker now leading a legislative fight to change
the name of the evergreen.

The General Assembly is expected to vote Tuesday on the bill proposed
by Rep. Marlin Schneider, a Democrat, who wants the tree to be known
officially as the State of Wisconsin Christmas Tree.

The tree "celebrates one holiday and that holiday is Christmas,"
Schneider told FOX News. "It was called a Christmas tree from 1916
until 1985 when political correctness took over, and then we decided it
would become a holiday tree. But what it really is, is a Christmas
tree, and there's nothing really wrong with that," Schneider said.

Not everyone shares the Christmas spirit, however.

Annie Laurie Gaylor, a spokesperson for the Freedom From Religion
Foundation, a separation of church and state watchdog group, said she
considers the proposed name change offensive.

Officially calling the tree a Christmas tree, she said, would amount to
a state endorsement of Christianity.

"The word Christmas does have religious significance and to deny it is
sort of preposterous," Gaylor said.

The Capitol rotunda currently houses other displays and decorations
with seasonal themes, including a menorah. But Gaylor said the other
exhibits are sponsored independently by private organizations — unlike
the evergreen, which is displayed and decorated by the state.

"It's OK to have decorations that celebrate the winter season. But when
you call something that's Christmas, that's religious," Gaylor said.

Schneider said the majority of Wisconsin's 5 million residents
celebrate Christmas, and most of the Wisconsinites who have contacted
him about the tree support his cause.

One of those supporters, Jordan Loeb, is a Jewish attorney from Madison.

"I think it's a relatively innocuous symbol," Loeb said. "I have much
stronger feelings trying to be convinced it's something other than a
Christmas tree. I don't think changing the name to a holiday tree
somehow makes it an inclusive symbol."

Further confusing matters, each year the tree is adorned with an
official state ornament. For this holiday season, the paperwork inside
the ornament reads "the inspiration for the 2007 holiday ornament is
the beautiful Christmas tree, which graces the Capitol Rotunda each
December."

Wisconsin isn't the only place where the battle over Christmas is being
fought. On Capitol Hill, Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, is sponsoring a
resolution to recognize the importance of Christmas and the Christian
faith. The resolution, which has 52 co-sponsors, follows two similar
bills honoring both the Hindu and the Islamic religions and their
respective holidays, King said.

"Earlier this year , the House of Representatives passed bills
proclaiming Hinduism and Islam great religions of the world at the time
of their major celebrations. My resolution offers the same honor to the
Christian faith," King said.

Both the U.S. House and Wisconsin Assembly could move on their
respective measures as early as Tuesday. But the timing may not be soon
enough for the tree to change its identity this year. That measure
still must pass the Wisconsin Senate, and Schneider said it's unlikely
the Senate will have time this month to vote on the measure.


Freedom From Religion Foundation
PO Box 750 * Madison, WI 53701 * (608) 256-8900

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